When Kim Sawler completed a triathlon for the first time, her reaction was pure excitement.
“At the time I was like, ‘When can I do another one?'” Kim asked.
Five years later, Sawler is still competing and is now co-president of the Halifax Triathlon Club.
“It’s hard to put into words unless you feel it,” Sawler said. “It’s such a sense of accomplishment.”
Five triathletes from the Halifax area are now on the cusp of a historic feat. Denita Hammond, Paul Shore, Greg Lummis, Islam Ellaithy and Francine Comeau will be competing in Hawaii’s Ironman competition this week.
“It puts Halifax and Nova Scotia and the Halifax Triathlon Club on the map,” Sawler said.
Francine Comeau completed her first triathlon more than 20 years ago. Now, at 70, Comeau is still competing.
“I was slowly adjusting to that,” Comeau said. “I started with sprint distances.”
The distances of the Hawaii Ironman are breathtaking. 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike race and a 42.2 km marathon, all within 17 hours.
“It’s slowly building,” Comeau said. “It’s like a science experiment. You try to find out how much your body can take before you have enough.”
Year-round training is close to a full-time job. Recovery is also a long-term process.
“I usually feel a little light-headed and kind of dizzy,” Paul Shore said. “So you just consume a lot of salt and water.”
In Shore’s experience, the race mostly drains the leg muscles.
“The next day, everyone leaves the same,” Shore said. “People walk like Frankenstein because they don’t want to bend their knees. “
When Comeau will retire, she said it’s possible she’ll be racing into her 70s or even her 80s.
“I haven’t decided if I’m going to try again at 75,” Comeau said. “I’ll see how it goes.”
Comeau, along with her four Halifax triathletes, is trained and ready for Ironman 2022. They will swim, bike and run on the world stage while representing their home province.