Motivational

Dialysis patient/triathlete, Shad Ireland, makes Ironman® history

He did it! Shad Ireland was the first dialysis patient ever to compete in and complete an Ironman® Triathlon.

“I was really happy that he finished,” said Dan Cohen, Shad's coach from TriEndurance. “I was following Shad online (the times were posted at the Ironman® website). Our goal was to get him to finish. And he did—under the 17 hours.”

“My finishing time was 16:25:10,” said Shad, before recounting the events of the race. "At the swim, I did the first lap in 38 minutes. My coaches thought it would take an hour. I got punched, kicked, slapped, you name it, in the water.”

Shad mentioned in a previous conversation that there were elements of the swim that concerned him, however, he completed the entire 2.4 miles in only an hour and 20 minutes. Shad was feeling strong after the swim and believed he was poised to reach the Ironman® World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

Next, came the 112-mile bike ride. Shad transitioned well from the swim to the bike. Then, at mile 40, he felt a shooting pain from his lower back to his neck. His back began to spasm. He went from riding position to sitting up on the bike to hopefully work through the pain. By mile 66, Shad said he was near tears. He told himself he couldn't quit. He took a pain reliever and kept riding through the pain. By mile 90, the spasms were diminishing. He looked at the clock and his time was awful. He was riding at 24 to 26 miles per hour. He knew Kona wouldn't be attainable this year. At this point in the ride, Shad pushed hard to make up some time and was hoping to at least finish the triathlon in about 13 hours.

“Swimming probably threw out his back,” said Coach Dan, adding, “It happens when you're in a wet suit for 2.4 miles.” Dan offers, “The actual event is not like training, you're in the water with a bunch of people kicking and hitting, it's hard to keep proper form.”

Shad quickly transitioned from the bike to the run and was ready to conquer the 26.2 miles in the last event of the triathlon. At the 1.5-mile mark, the pain reliever wore off and Shad was again in agony. He persevered through the pain, but unable to run, he walked six-and-a-half hours until he got about two miles from the finish line. “A couple miles out of the city I heard the crowd,” remembers Shad. “It was a really supportive, encouraging crowd, cheering me on. I reached deep down and started running. A drug rep volunteering at the race, along with his wife, came up to me. They asked if I was Shad Ireland. I told them I was and they asked if it would be okay if they ran with me the last couple of miles.”

Shad finally experienced the magical moment he had dreamed of and worked so hard to accomplish. He crossed the finish line and the medal was placed around his neck.

Of course, the doctor drew Shad's blood immediately after the race. When the doctor asked how he felt, Shad told him, “I just need a sandwich and a massage.” Shad wasn't dehydrated. He said he ate his “goo” and the breakfast cookies he used in training, plus drank Gatorade®. His labs came back and showed his sodium was 136, potassium 4.1 and BUN 56. The doctor was in disbelief and wanted to draw the labs again. Shad said he knew he was fine—other than a lost toenail on his left foot, plus a blister the size of a walnut. He ate a steak and some rice, then left to go soak in a tub.

Naturally, Shad isn't stopping now. “I'm going to begin training for the 2005 Ironman® race season,” Shad said. “My plan is to compete in four Ironman® triathlons next year. Getting to the Ironman® World Championship in Kona is still my dream.”

There's a second goal Shad plans to achieve through Ironman®. “By competing at this level I hope to inspire others to reach for their dreams,” says Shad. He wants to engage patients one-on-one and be a life coach promoting health and wellness to help people reach their goals. Shad believes, “I'm inconvenienced by dialysis, that's all. It's something I have to fit into my life. I can still set goals and meet them. I choose to be positive.” He would like other dialysis patients to understand this can be their truth as well.

“I have an original quote for you,” said Shad. “It's something I thought about while doing the race in Lake Placid: ‘To live with a chronic illness is not a limitation, but a special invitation to those of us who are willing to accept the challenge.'”

Shad notes, “Patients take control of their life however they can. Usually it's by eating and drinking things they're not supposed to. I think exercise is another way to take control when you have a chronic illness. You'll be tired at first, but push through. Derive control over what you've lost. That's the key for me.” He adds, “Even though transplants didn't work for me, a successful transplant is about being healthy. That's how you get a great outcome.”

“Shad proved a person on dialysis can stay very active,” said Dan. “He's the benchmark now. He's stronger physically and healthier, but he's also stronger mentally as well, so it's a win-win situation for him.”

Shad is already working on his goal for 2005: training hard for Ironman® and making a difference in other patients' lives. It may sound like a lofty goal when you factor in his schooling, dialysis and everything else, but Shad isn't one to follow the easy path or listen to naysayers.

“Shad only had four months of structured training for Ironman®,” said Dan. “We expected him to finish 140, but he finished 120. To finish at all is impressive.” Dan adds, “Lake Placid is very difficult. Shad went for one of the hardest Ironman® courses, especially for his first triathlon ever. Being a beginner, and this being the first time, in addition to choosing one of the toughest courses in Lake Placid, what he's done is quite amazing.”

Next up for Shad is a speaking engagement at the annual kidney patient meeting in Mobile, Alabama on September 19. He'll also be speaking in Birmingham and Nashville in October and November.

If you would like to continue to follow Shad, please visit his website at www.shadireland.com.