JOSHUA Smyth has never done an Ironman event before.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
An ambulance paramedic by day, Smyth will take on the Ironman Australia Port Macquarie challenge on May 6 for the first time.
But if you dig a little deeper you find the real meaning why he hopes to break his Ironman duck before the clock ticks over from 11.59pm that night.
The event will be the fourth and final one Smyth aims to complete in 12 months as he aims to raise funds for the Leukaemia Foundation.
“The reason I decided to do it is because I saw my brother Jake and his wife Ally lose a really good friend to Leukaemia in December 2016,” Smyth said.
“After that, I approached them with the idea of doing four races to raise money for the foundation for Ryan Shaw who lost his life.”
Smyth started his quest at the Beach to Brother marathon last September.
It was followed by a triple triathlon in Canberra in October and the Xterra off road triathlon on the NSW South Coast in December.
In the meantime he has raised almost $1000, but it is Ironman that will provide the sting in the tail.
I saw my brother Jake and his wife Ally lose a really good friend to Leukaemia in December 2016.
- Joshua Smyth
“It’s all for a good cause and it takes a lot of time away from the wife and the three kids,” he said.
“But they’ve been behind it all the way so hopefully we can raise some awareness as well as funds as well.”
The triple triathlon in Canberra went for a gut-busting 15 hours.
What awaits in just over a fortnight is the 18-hour challenge of Ironman which he hopes will be made easier with some home-town support.
He did, however, manage to put it all into perspective.
“The people who go through Leukaemia have to go through something that is hard and challenging every day,” he said.
“It’s not just one day like Ironman is; it can be many days, months and even years.
“I’ve seen over the last five years how much grit it takes to complete a race and thought why not try something that forces you out of your comfort zone.
“After all, it is what these people do when they’re diagnosed with leukaemia – they are forced out of their comfort zone.”
Smyth admitted he was simply looking forward to finishing.
The people who go through Leukaemia have to go through something that is hard and challenging every day. It’s not just one day like Ironman is; it can be many days, months and even years.
- Joshua Smyth
“I’m not a strong swimmer so I’m looking forward to getting out of the swim and hopefully I finish before they start pulling the archway down,” he said.
Smyth’s brother Jake summed him up as a “goddamn inspiration.”
It’s hard to disagree.
To donate to the leukaemia foundation, head to https://secure.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?RegistrationID=679315#&panel1-1
