The up-and-coming star of the triathlon world is approaching the new year with a maturity that escaped him previously.

“I just want to be realistic about what I want to achieve,” Holborrow admitted.

“I’m enjoying life, and work, at the moment and I think it is showing in my training.”

Holborrow said he was viewing his racing more as a hobby and reaping the rewards of the new, and more, relaxed attitude.

The athlete starts most days well before the sun thinks of peeking over the horizon, with training, before hitting the heights of Port Macquarie in his trade as a roof plumber.

But, the serious side of his sport starts up again on Sunday.

Holborrow will head north today for a tilt at the Cannibal Gold Coast Half Ironman in Calypso Bay.

“I’m feeling really relaxed,” the 22-year-old said.

“It’s not that I have had the most settled preparation, as I’ve only just got back into it after a head cold messed with me a bit.”

The young professional has fought the frustration of cramp on the big stage on a few occasions in his short triathlon career. But, he thinks he may have moved past that.

“I think it may have been as simple as not drinking enough water during the bike leg,” Holborrow explained.

“There is a balance and I just don’t think I had it right.”

Sunday’s race marks the beginning of a busy couple of months with the Scody Half Ironman Triathlon Port Macquarie less than a month later and then it is off to the other side of the country to battle the full distance Ironman Western Australia Triathlon Busselton.

“I am going to take a break after Busso (Busselton) and spend 15 days travelling up the west coast with my girlfriend,” Holborrow said.

“And, then it will be back here to get serious about training for Port (Ironman Australia).”