It was at the same time a dream come true and a “long, hot, painful day” for a Cochrane athlete who recently returned from Hawaii.
Shawn Strachan, 45, is a triathlete whose asthma has left him with only 52 per cent of his lung capacity.

Until he reached his thirties, he said he allowed asthma to run his life. Then he decided to take control, get in shape, and compete in his first triathlon. It wasn’t easy because his lungs had been permanently damaged as a child. But under the supervision of a specialist, he continued to train, and since 2004 has participated in several triathlon events across the country.

On Oct. 10 he faced his biggest challenge yet when he competed in the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
Sponsored in part by the Lung Association, Alberta and North West Territories, Strachan completed a four-kilometre swim, a 180-kilometre bike ride and a 42-kilometre marathon.

Not surprisingly, the island conditions were a challenge.

“It was about 35 degrees with humidity,” he said. “And I arrived there ten days before the competition, which wasn’t really long enough to get acclimatized.”

In particular, the long bike ride was through old lava fields.

“It was windy and hotter there than anywhere else on the island,” Strachan explained, adding many competitors couldn’t complete that section of the race.

But as the day continued, Strachan said his lungs held up well as he went into the final leg, the 42-kilometre run.

“That was tough because it was so hot,” he said. “But you have to remember a lot of training has gone into this, and you’d be surprised at what a body can do.”

By the time the sun went down Strachan said he was still running with a dozen kilometres left to go.

“It was pitch black and I couldn’t see anyone,” he said. “It was like a death march.”But gradually he began to hear the sounds of the finish line.

“You start to get excited and pick up your pace a bit,” he said. “The amount of people there was phenomenal.”

Though finishing the event was important to Strachan he said it’s not as vital to him as his work with the Lung Association. For years he’s been trying to inspire other victims of lung disease to take care of their health and to exercise.

“I think it’s very important that parents with children who have asthma develop an asthma plan along with their doctor, and stick to it,” he said. “I encourage exercise and healthy eating, and this will help cope with asthma.”

But Strachan admits there were low parts of his 15-hour day in Kona.

“In the blackness at the end of the race I began to wonder what the hell am I doing,” he laughed.

“But at the same time it’s a way to get to know yourself and to see how far you can push your limits.”

Following the event it wasn’t the aches and pains or even lung issues that were a problem for the athlete. He came down with a bout of flu and has been fighting sickness ever since.

“I’m going to wait till I’m feeling better before I decide what my next challenge will be,” he said.

For more information about the Lung Association, call 780-616-1746.

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