On May 18, I crossed the finish line at Ironman Chattanooga 70.3. Eight weeks after finishing 4 months of chemotherapy, I earned my “Why Not?” wrist band and swim cap. (That band has been on my right wrist since.) Immediately after Chatt, I had 20 radiation treatments planned for a 4 week period. That would put me 3 months from Ironman Washington 70.3 on Sep 21, a race I had to cancel in 2024. Plenty of time to bear down on what was a potential PR course for most triathletes (fast river swim, rolling hills for the bike and a flat run on the river bank). In some delusional exuberance, I saw that Ironman North Carolina 70.3 was October 25, plenty of time to recover and squeeze in a third 70.3 before the end of the year. Why Not? At age 66, I am still new to this sport and 3 of these in one year would be a first, a trifecta of sorts.
Then the plan went awry. Right before the radiation treatments were to start, I had to have a kidney stone removed surgically and the start for the radiation treatments was delayed to June 12. With holidays, the final treatment would be July 10 and I would have less than 3 months to get ready. A common side effect of radiation is anemia and fatigue. The first two weeks was a nothing burger, but training in week 3 got hard and then in week 4 I got crushed. I saw my oncologist the next week and he informed me that it would take 2-3 months to recover. I had 7 weeks to prepare and then it would be taper and travel week.
I went into Washington a little fat and undertrained with the hope that I would have enough on a relatively moderate course to reach the finish line. That easy course turned into a nightmare. Winds were 20-25 mph the entire bike and mother nature decided to throw in a downpour the second half of the ride. A lot of white knuckle moments as I was almost blown off the road several times. With a lot of prayers and constant inspiration from my wrist band reminding me to keep going, I got to the run. The legs were already fried but I had another motivation. I had two grandkids waiting at the finish line and explaining a DNF to a 7 and 9 year old was something I didn’t want to face. Somehow, I found my way to the finish line.
I took a week off and then spent the next 3 weeks prepping for Wilmington. Still fat and undertrained but better prepared than Washington. This is a river swim with a flat bike and run course. Weather conditions were perfect. I won’t say that the day was EZ, it hurt. I was pleased with the swim and bike but the run was tough. My wrist band was in place. I got to the finish line. The hardest part of the day was actually the mile and half walk from the Finish Line to T2 and then lugging my bike and gear to the car. I was solo, no sherpa to help. Big mistake. Never again.
In January, early in the chemo treatments, I thought Chattanooga was a reach. Three of these in one year, this year, not a chance. The “Why Not?” mindset and mentality, Carson’s legacy, became a driver. These weren’t pretty and they weren’t fast, but I am as proud of them as the races completed the previous 2 years. I got my Trifecta.
Time for off season, for fun training and to rest, recover and reflect on a crazy year. I am not sure where my journey is going. I am not sure how far it is going. Cancer may run me down but I am not going to be a stationary target. Already, I am looking at 2026. God and health willing, perhaps 4 70.3s with one a bucket list race on another continent. Why Not?
- Jim Oddo
