Nothing could stop Jonathan Pascual in his bid to complete triathlon’s most brutal race – not even Stage 4 cancer.
The US Age Group triathlete produced a quite incredible performance in Hawaii on Saturday to complete the IRONMAN World Championship course in Kona, despite the toughest of conditions.
The achievement is properly put into context by the fact that Jonathan, who competed in the 50-54 Age Group category, was diagnosed with Stage 4 of a rare form of cancer called mediastinal paraganglioma which has spread throughout his lungs and bones, making it incurable.
Terminal diagnosis cannot stop Pascual
Jonathan was told the disease has a five-year survival rate, and has been working to make the most of that time by reinforcing relationships with his friends and family, traveling, continuing to work as a nurse and competing in endurance events, including triathlons and marathons.
Despite chronic pain and unnerving symptoms such as difficulty breathing, especially when he is in a prone position such as when swimming, Jonathan spent recent months running, swimming and biking for hours at a time several days a week while training for the big day in Kona, as well as a separate 100-mile ultramarathon. Incredible stuff.
On Saturday in Hawaii, all those hours of preparation and sheer willpower paid off in a huge way as Jonathan did what he set out to do – completing the iconic 140.6-mile course in a time of 16:12:46.
How Jonathan’s race unfolded
Pasual began his day by swimming 2.4miles in a time of 2:17:52, and followed it up by clocking 7:09:28 for the brutally tough 112-mile bike leg.
Next it was on to the run and the small matter of a marathon – a closing test which had many superstar pros either at walking pace or a DNF. But not Jonathan as he came home in a time of 6:30:33.
Jonathan is simply treating his cancer like another endurance event – with sheer resilience and by fighting through the pain and discomfort to show others that even with a terminal diagnosis, life is to be lived.
In coming to terms with his diagnosis, Jonathan has found inner peace, serenity but most of all gratitude for his life, his experiences, and his beautiful family, all of whom were there to welcome him home on the finish line
What an incredible achievement!
