After powering back from a potentially career-ending spinal injury to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, Leia Kane says the hardest thing she's had to overcome recently is having to put her feet up and rest after completing the event.
The Emergency Department doctor, who’s also currently completing a PhD at the University, suffered a rare case of cauda equina syndrome which left her numb from the waist down following a triathlon in 2018.
Following an intensive recovery, where she admits she pushed herself further than her physiotherapists advised, Leia returned to the triathlon field and qualified for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
“The Ironman World Championships is the absolute pinnacle of long-distance triathlon. One thousand six hundred of the best women in the world all racing together - from professionals all the way through to an 80-year-old who was absolutely incredible!
“I prepared for the heat with lots of saunas and heat sessions with either extra clothes on, indoors with the heating on or in the dreaded sweat suit.
“But nothing could prepare me for arriving in Kona. The airport is almost entirely outdoors - terminal areas, check-in desks, baggage collection, departure gates- everything except the toilets is outside with palm trees, tropical flowers birds and little lizards everywhere. It was an absolute sensorial treat!
“That said, early on race morning it was pouring with tropical rain. Imagine, going all the way to Hawaii and getting ready to race in the rain, I was at least well prepared for that!”
Despite qualifying for the event and with a pedigree in the sport stretching back several years, Leia admits the size and scale of the event initially made her doubt herself.
“The whole race week was so impressive it became a little bit overwhelming. On registration day when I went to collect my race numbers and swag bag I had a complete emotional breakdown. As the kind volunteers put on my race wrist band, I couldn’t stop feeling like a complete imposter that didn’t belong there - combined with the overwhelming feeling that it was actually real and I was getting ready to race in the World Championships.”
Despite this wobble, Leia composed herself and made it to the start line and prepared for her 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride before running a marathon.
“The swim was quite rough and very busy with swimmers. I struggled a bit to find space to get into my groove and go for it. I was getting a bit frustrated but then the pod of dolphins we’d been swimming with and watching from shore all week swam past below me and reminded me that I was already living the dream, so I just settled in and had an enjoyable swim even if it was a bit slow for me.
“The bike was a great opportunity to sightsee 180km of The Big Isle and I just enjoyed it all. It was fun to cheer on the professional women when they passed, as well as lots of new friends and teammates that I had met in the week running up to the race.
“Running in Hawaii is hot. So so so hot and humid! It kept me honest and kept the pace realistic and I knew where my friends would be cheering on the course, so I had that to look forward to.
“My goal was to finish strong and safe having enjoyed every minute of the experience which is exactly what I did. Finishing 2 hours and 10 minutes under my personal best for a full ironman distance race was just icing on the cake!
“There is nothing else quite like an Ironman finish line but an Ironman World Championship finish is almost indescribable for me. It was undeniably magical.
Having completed the feat in October, Leia has had time to let the experience sink in and reflect.
“Those who know me, know that I’m a relentlessly positive and pragmatic person, so if someone told me when I was in hospital with my spinal injury that seven years later I’d be racing at the World Championships, honestly, I would probably have been up for the challenge!
“Both before and during the trip I received hundreds of comments or messages of support, lots from people I know but also some from complete strangers and even afterwards from people saying they followed the race on the day. I was quite overwhelmed in the days leading up to the race and wasn’t able to reply to all messages at the time but I think I have managed to work through them all afterwards, if I haven’t, I’m sorry! Message me again!
"Really, I just want to thank everyone who sent their well wishes. The support from so many people was with me in spirit (or aloha) ever single second of the day. I know a few people who are now thinking of challenging themselves with an endurance event after hearing about my experience, or have even signed up already which is just incredible. If you’re tempted by triathlon and would like to know more please drop me an email.
“I’ve had a few weeks off to let my body recover. I found this really difficult. I have gotten used to being very active, so doing lots of nothing in my spare time was really, really hard. I’m now back in training for a half ironman in Valencia in April next year and then another full ironman in northern Spain in July. It’s really nice to be back into a training routine that’s obviously just become part of my life. Although it’s unlikely that I will ever get to race Kona again, I have made some soft plans to go back and work or volunteer there in the future.”