Edstein, 41, will be one of 13 athletes from Maitland travelling to Port Macquarie to compete in the annual Ironman Australia Triathlon on Sunday.

A gruelling 3.8km swim, 180.2km on the bike and a marathon 42.2km run to finish around the golden beaches of Port Macquarie is generally enough to keep most competitors satisfied for a while.

But not Edstein.

Even after his sub-10-hour performance across the Tasman Sea in March he thought he might sneak in one more race while his fitness base was still intact.

“This is a bonus race because I didn’t have to train as much for this as New Zealand,” Edstein said.

“I’m still basically in recovery from New Zealand, so it was only a matter of maintaining some fitness and virtually going again.

“I have nothing to lose, I have already booked my place to Kona (Hawaii) and this is just another chance to get a good race in.”

It’s not the first time Edstein has backed up in Australia following an overseas adventure.

The Maitland Triathlon Club member, who will be competing in his eighth Australian Ironman, did the Australia-New Zealand double last year and the Malaysia-Australia in 2007.

Edstein said uncertainty surrounds the way an athlete backs up but the big difference this time around will be his extra effort in New Zealand where he finished 85th overall and 13th in the 40 to 44-years age group.

“You never know how you are going to back up so it will be interesting to see how I go,” Edstein said.

“I put a fair bit into New Zealand because I had set that as my big race for the year.”

In 2008, Edstein ran 10 hours and 15 minutes in New Zealand but in 2009 he finished in nine hours and 54 minutes.

“It was the same course, but I ran 20 minutes faster,” Edstein said.

This could take its toll on Edstein’s body, but he will not be thinking about that on Sunday.

“On race day you can’t worry about that, you just have to get out there and focus on the race,” Edstein said.

Edstein will be one of 13 Maitland triathletes focusing on the race this weekend.

Chris Schafferius will take part in his ninth Australian Ironman, one shy of the legend status secured by fellow Maitland athlete Ted Anderson following his 10th ironman.

Chraig Shafer, Peter Brown, Dave Milgate, Chris Daley, Tony Daley, Noel Bromage, Chris Ernst, Dave Swan, Aaron Swan and Gerard Morton round out the Maitland contingent, who will be well supported by a large group of fellow club members at Bonny Hills during the bike leg.