Our Front Line Triathletes: heroes above all
by CBCG athlete Amy VT
“I may be late tonight. I am either going to swim or cut off a toe.” Dr. John Seddon kisses his wife Kyla before embarking upon another heroic day full of training, working, changing the world, and almost always: surprises.
Harbingers of hope, our CBCG Athletes who are front line heroes have all received their second round of Covid-19 vaccinations. We have always marveled at their dedication, dashing from the Operating Room to the pool, or driving home an hour after a race to begin Emergency Room rounds, but this past year places them on a special sort of podium: one that makes a difference.
Here are a few snapshots of a few of our remarkable CBCG athletes who serve their communities, our country, and the whole world while somehow managing to train as triathletes. Their days-in-the-life will make you grateful for those extra minutes in the shower after a swim sesh, and their dedication will inspire you, fo sho.
John Seddon, M.D.
Orthopaedic Surgeon, UC Health Orthopedics Clinic
Colorado Springs, Colorado
THE QUOTE
“I’m honored to continue to serve our community the best we know how. Now that we’re vaccinated, I cautiously predict a light at the end of the tunnel.”
THE HERO
John is a fixer of bones and joints. He specializes in foot and ankle surgery, lower extremity trauma, and deformity correction, which is more than most of us can fathom, let alone understand, but it’s clear that he literally gets people back on their feet, and changes patients’ lives for the better.
At the onset of the pandemic, Dr. Seddon’s elective surgical volume decreased substantially as resources and equipment were reallocated to assist with Covid-19 units. Trauma volume has remained steady, however, which at times meant doing double-duty caring for Covid-positive patients.
THE TRIATHLETE
John could easily compete as a pro. You wouldn’t necessarily know by hanging out with him (unless you challenge him to a bike ride), since his nature is so kind, humble, and chill. Don’t be fooled. He’s a ferocious competitor, standing on the podium after nearly every race, and handily winning local events. He’s out of the water in a half-iron distance in 25 minutes, and basically presents no weaknesses.
No slave to his athletic ego, however, Dr. Seddon chooses a lifestyle that prioritizes his medical work and his family. His amazing wife Kyla supports him and their kiddos: their toddler daughter Ellie, baby son Cameron, and chocolate lab Kona.
DAY IN THE LIFE
4:30 - wake up
5am - hour trainer ride
6:10am - 30’ run off bike
6:40am - shower
7:00am - breakfast - coffee, protein shake with cereal
7:30am - arrive at hospital, see a few patients
8am - headed to clinic, saw around 20 patients
11:15am - left for pool
11:30pm - lunchtime swim
1pm - headed back to the clinic and saw another 20 patients
1:30pm - squeezed in lunch between patients - sandwich and fruit
3:30pm - second cup of coffee
5:45pm - left for home
6pm - arrived home, had a quick dinner with the fam, and to put the kids to bed
8pm - left for hospital
8:15pm - arrived back at the hospital to fix a hip fracture on a Covid-positive patient, then a washout and external fixation of an open tibia fracture
1:45am - left for home
2am - arrive back home, lights out, then do it again the next day!
Andrew Langfield, M.D.
Hospitalist, Highland Hospital
Oakland, California
(Oh, and Professional Triathlete)
THE QUOTE
“I mostly feel extremely fortunate to have a job I love that is useful right now. I don’t consider myself a ‘front line hero,’ though; this is why I became a doc.”
THE HERO
What’s a “Hospitalist?” Glad you asked. Andrew is an internist, an inpatient physician who coordinates care for admitted patients. That flavor of doctor is certainly an intense and impressive one as it is, but Andrew has the added layer of working in a “Safety Net Hospital” (one that is federally supported to care for uninsured patients), in an infamously underprivileged county. “Highland has been hit by this pandemic in all the ways you might expect. We’ve been at capacity for weeks on end; we’ve seen patients improve miraculously, and lost them unexpectedly; we’ve sat with families in their grief - virtually, because they rarely are allowed to visit (truly the worst thing about this pandemic). The best moments are those where you get to be a part of or witness genuine human connection.”
THE TRIATHLETE
When the world was normal(er), you likely saw Andrew running through the pro field at a major race. He’s placed in the top ten at full- and half-iron events, and in the top 15 at countless major pro races. Most significantly, he never once whined about balancing it all. In fact, word to the wise, here are few things you should never say to a professional triathlete:
“Well, it must be easy for you since you don’t have kids.”
“Well, it must be easy for you since you’re so skinny.”
"Well, it must be easy for you since you don't have a normal 9-5 job."
Not only are those futile questions in a chicken-and-egg capacity, but many pros hold down “real jobs,” and some, like Andrew, hold down immeasurably taxing and impressive ones. Here is a classic day from the before times. I just love how he puts his meals in all-caps.
THE DAY IN THE LIFE
5:10am - alarm goes off, snooze too many times
5:25am - finally out the door on the commuter bike
5:35am - late to the pool for Masters, miss most of warm-up
6:20am - out of the pool 10 minutes early (45' is better than nothing!), finish the commute in to work
6:40am - hit the door of the hospital, put on scrubs, first cup of coffee
6:50am - get sign-out from the night team on my patients (any overnight events, new admissions, etc.)
7am - pre-rounding on the computer (vital signs, morning labs, imaging studies, specialist recs, etc.)
8am - start seeing patients
8:30am - BREAKFAST! best part of the morning, usually an omelette +/- a big ol' pancake, second cup of coffee, banana for later
8:50am - finish seeing patients
9:30am - formal rounds begin (meet with rest of team, go see the entire census starting with the sickest)
12:15pm - LUNCH! and noon conference, chow on a sandwich + yogurt + fruit + cookie + milk while getting some knowledge, third cup of coffee
1pm - finish rounds, start working on all the to-do's (phone calls, orders, consult questions, discharges, procedures, etc.)
5pm - SNACK! usually bowl of cereal + granola bar
6:30pm - ride home, 6:30 is always the goal but of course some days this doesn't happen, other days done earlier but stay to catch up/work ahead
6:50pm - home, decompress
7:15pm - evening session, usually 45-60' run, or trainer session, or strengthening (kettlebells and plyos)
8:30pm - DINNER! I'm lucky that my wife loves to cook, but she's arguably busier than I am, so we usually try to cook a big meal for the week
9:30 - DESSERT!, or beer, or both
10pm - bedtime
Becky Matro, MD
Gastroenterologist, Scripps Health
San Diego, California
THE QUOTE
“Basically, I'm proud of being able to provide safe care and reassurance, and to encourage patients to prioritize their health, even during a pandemic.”
THE HERO
Becky does a true hero’s work of specializing in inflammatory bowel disease. Both Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease fall under this category, proving that the world is a better place because of Dr. Matro’s work. She performs procedures like endoscopies and colonoscopies for outpatients, and every 7-8 weeks, she hits the hospital for rounds, consulting for patients who may’ve been admitted with a primary GI problem, or something else such as a heart attack, or Covid-19. Like Andrew, she humbly doesn’t consider herself a true “front-liner,” but we do, since she’s right there in the hospitals during these dangerous times, doing hero things.
THE TRIATHLETE
In the past four years, Becky has achieved major PR’s in four disciplines! Through hard work and dedication to her program, she shaved hours off of her iron-distance split, posting an 11:32 at Challenge Roth, and qualified for the Boston Marathon and Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Not enough? She posted a successful Everest attempt on her bike last year, spending over eighteen hours on the bike.
Becky was elected to the Wattie Ink. Elite Team, a few years ago, and has recently been able to race for them despite the pandemic via their weekly online Zwift races including team time trials. Her coach says, “Becky’s determination to improve is remarkable, and she puts her money where her mouth is, steadily improving and setting new personal bests each year. She is a coach’s dream come true.”
THE DAY IN THE LIFE
5am - wake up
5:15am - on trainer for 90’ sesh
6:45am - shower
6am - walk my dog, Koha breakfast/coffee
7:10am - breakfast and plenty of coffee
7:30am - work
5pm - hopefully left by now for my swim reservation!
5:15pm - 45’ swim, due to restrictions
6:30pm - take Koha out again
7pm - dinner, unwind with some Netflix or a book
9pm - bed
Cameron Wynhnof
Volunteer Firefighter, Banks Fire District
Banks, Oregon
(Oh, and also Engineering Manager at Intel)
THE QUOTE
“Emergencies always happen, and the community will always need help. I am just thankful I can be there with the time I have.”
THE HERO
“Cam Bam the Tri Dad” manages a team that works on semiconductor equipment that produces CPUs (Computer Processing Units) also called chips. Wait. What’s that got to do with fighting fires? Oh! That’s his career at Intel. He is also an ERT (Emergency Response Team) leader responding to emergencies at a moment’s notice.
At Banks Fire, an hour west of Portland, Oregon, he is part of the TOD (Tour of Duty) Firefighter/EMT program, attending weekly training sessions, and serving weekly 12-hour shifts at the station from 7pm-7am, also responding to incidents at a moments notice. The pandemic introduced a boat load of changes at both Intel and at Banks Fire, the most significant of which being the PPE such as respirators and suits required when responding to calls. How he does it all and still spends tons of quality time with his totes adorbs toddler, is a wonder, and he’s often seen dashing out of the pool to pick her up in a matter of minutes.
THE TRIATHLETE
If you’re spectating a race and swimmers are coming in, watch out for Cam! His high school swimming days have stayed with him, despite a four year diversion playing soccer for Westminster College. He’s nailed both the half- and full-iron distances, as well as XTerra, and is a recent recruit to the CBCG athlete roster This year his eyes are set on at least Ironman 70.3 St. George, Ironman Coeur d'Alene, and Maple Valley 70.3, “at least.”
THE DAY IN THE LIFE
6am - wake up
6:45am - at Intel...grab a coffee
7am - it all starts
11:30am - lunch
1pm - meetings including interviews for 2 hours
3pm - emergency call (asERT leader) to evacuate an entire factory building
3:10pm - run out to rush to the building, assemble teams, and search buildings occupied by people on SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus), coordinating with electrical teams and other Life Safety teams
4pm - all searches come back with no injuries,
6pm - everything is back to order, and running fine
8pm - back home
8:15pm - ZWIFT ride of 4x10" FTP/Z3
9:30pm - hip strengthening, mobility band work, weights for the arms
10pm - shower
10:15pm - bed
U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Doctor Alison Siepker, LCSW, BCD
2nd Marine Division
Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
QUOTE
“When the pandemic hit, my OSCAR team and I knew we needed to keep our services obtainable, and managed to launch entirely new procedures really quickly, despite limited resources. In the military we often take pride in doing more with less.”
THE HERO
Apparently her friends call her Ali. Phew! That moniker is much simpler than the letters, accolades, decorations, and titles that formally accompany her name, all of which are very, very well-deserved. LCDR Siepker is Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy currently assigned to the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune. She serves as an Operational Stress Control and Resilience (OSCAR) Provider, which is pretty cool, as is her background. Read on, it’s worth it!
Born in Newcastle, England, Ali’s family moved to Dubai when she was eight-years-old (her dad was a chemical engineer), and she graduated from Dubai College. She then began her military career in the U.S. Marine Corps. “After I got out, I used my GI Bill to graduate from the University of Hawaii at Manoa while my husband (also a marine) was stationed there with an infantry battalion. I subsequently pursued my degree as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, empowering me to serve as a psychotherapist for active duty Marines and Sailors, as well as to advise Commanders on anything mental health related that may impact their Marines, Sailors, or their units, in general.”
THE TRIATHLETE
Fortunately, the U.S. Navy promotes fitness, so if Ali goes for a run in the afternoon, it’s pretty much considered part of her job. A few years ago she tacked-on the extraneous community of the Wattie Ink. Hit Squad, and recently joined the Gravel Collective. She qualified for Ironman 70.3 World Champions at the Japan 70.3, and began gravel riding in earnest after racing Haute Route Rockies. This year she’s got some serious events on the calendar: Unbound 100, Gravel Worlds, and Leadville. ”I like riding the Tank Trails on Camp Lejeune, which you sometimes have to share with tactical vehicles, but it beats riding in regular traffic.”
Check out her typical day below, “...unless it's a Tuesday when I'll be racing the Zwift WTRL race series, with Wattie Ink., which is a highlight of my week!”
THE DAY IN THE LIFE
0630 - wake up
0700 - shower, eat breakfast and put my uniform on
0800 - arrive in office
0830 - patients until noon
1200 - lunch
1300 - work on notes, or meetings with commands
1500 - leave for training
1530 - swim, run, and/or ride!
1730 - shower
1800 - dinner, then chill watching TV or hanging out with husband Geoff
2130 - bed
Dr. Adam Goulet DC, CSCS, CCSP
Sports Chiropractor, Evolution Healthcare and Fitness
Portland, Oregon
THE QUOTE
“We are fortunate to have been able to continue providing world class care throughout the pandemic, so hopefully we have made people’s body’s just a little more resilient through the Coronaverse.”
THE HERO
Adam specializes in sports rehabilitation, using soft tissue manipulation, fasciae manipulation, and rehabilitation exercises to treat everything from shin splints, to torn knee meniscus, to spinal disc herniations. Yowza! On a great day he can utilize the crazy, fancy method of Blood Flow Restriction therapy to advance and improve the healing and rehab process. Google it!
Evolution Healthcare & Fitness is where he spends most of his days, bouncing from side to side (healthcare and fitness, get it?), seeing patients on one end, training them on the other, and squeezing in his own workouts with an extraordinary poundage of weights on either end of the bar.
THE TRIATHLETE
A member of the Wattie Ink. Elite Team, Adam is no slouch at swimming, cycling, or running - especially the Olympic Distance. He began as a collegiate All-American in Track and Field at Eastern Oregon University. He’s an internationally-ranked athlete in triathlon and duathlon, winning his AG at ITU Age Group World Championships: the ultimate podium. His quads are extraordinarily large.
DAY IN THE LIFE
6am - wake up
6:10 - breaky
7:50am - leave for pool
8:30 - jump in for an hour swimmy
9:45am - quick rinse
9:50am - quick fuel
10am - 75’ track sesh
11:30am - drive back to work, snack before first patient
12pm - first patient
5:30 - leave for home
6pm - home and snack or early dinner
7:30pm - begin paperwork on the computer
9pm - bedtime
10pm - lights OUT!
Nathan Killam
(Oh, and Professional Triathlete)
QUOTE
“I've been in structure fires where ceilings are coming down around you, fire is everywhere, and you can't see anything because of the thick smoke, and you're like, ‘Oh, it's getting pretty hot in here, eh?’”
THE HERO
Okay, Killam is not technically a CBCG Athlete, but he’s been part of our family for over a decade. And he is definitely, irrefutably a front line hero. A career firefighter in Vancouver, British Columbia, Killam has seen it all. He quips, “It’s not like Backdraft. We don’t just go running through the wall of an inferno.” Nonetheless, he has countless, harrowing stories of combatting conflagrations.
Bravery is only a component of what makes Killam’s career astonishing. Juggling life as a husbo, dad, and successful professional triathlete is a circus act to say the least, featuring a four-day-on and four-day-off cycle (is that a week?) including two 14-hour night shifts. His day in the life below will leave you wondering if he is really human, after all. (NB: I’ve often decided that he is not.)
THE ATHLETE
Google him.
THE DAY IN THE LIFE
7am - drove home from 14-hour night shift
7:30am - devoured coffee and some fuel
8am - rode my bike halfway to Whistler and back
3pm - quick run off the bike
4pm - quick shower, recovery smoothie, and kiss to the family
4:30pm - jumped in my car to head back to work
5pm - family meal at the station, and thus begins my next 14-hour night shift
Incidentally, Nathan’s first born child, Aiden, was born the next day. So next time you’re leaisurely sipping your recovery protein smoothie in your Normatech Recovery Legs, raise your cup to the above heroes, who augmented their contributions to society this past year, and will always serve as paragons of balancing it all.
No Arm Warmers, No Regrets: dress perfectly to train in any weather with your own personal guides
by CBCG athlete, Amy VT
You’ve got to get out the door for a ten mile run, but you have an inner chill. A glance out the window revealing a gray drizzle is uninviting, to say the least. So you bundle up in layers and a shell, a hat and gloves, and thermal tights only to be cooking yourself five minutes into the sesh. You didn’t need the gloves or shell at all, and now you’re stuck carrying them awkwardly.
Rosanne Kelley knows when it’s time for tights and an earband
It’s the first sunny day in weeks and you’re stoked to get out and ride. You surely only need a basic kit with a simple base layer, right? Rounding the corner from your house, though, you wish you had full-finger gloves. Hitting 20-mph on the open road, you wish you had your arm warmers. Descending a steepie in the shade, you wish you had all the above, and a wind vest.
Jeff Lam is glad he wore his neck gaiter
Hej! You’re all waxed up and you just got a new Swix® ear band for Christmas. Nordic skiing sounded like a rad idea, but staying in to watch The Godfather trilogy under a blanket sounds much better right now. Yeah, it’s sunny, but it’s negative 13-degrees Celsius out there! You decide to psych yourself up with a few burpees, and sport a full parka, tights, wind pants, your impossibly huge gloves, and a pom-pom beanie. Sho ‘nuff, five minutes into your skate ski (you know, the sport that utilizes every muscle and spikes your heart rate?) you realize you don’t need your hat or jacket.
CBCG athlete Annick Chalier found the perfect conditions for a Wattie Ink. Thermal Jacket
It’s impossible to judge precisely what to wear to train outside when you’re sitting around inside. An inner chill can be deceptive, as can a glance out to the sunny street glimpsing scantily clad passers-by.
Thus, I created my own formulae to help me dress for any sport in any weather and avoid regrets. My guides are super-specific to me (I run cold), as well as super-specific to conditions and types of workouts. They can be hard to trust when I'm bracing myself for those first steps in the cold wind, but I’ve continued to refine each guide to precision, and now I simply cross-reference them with my weather app and workout type, and have faith.
Here’s my running guide. Would you believe it took me over a year to refine? I kept tweaking and adjusting as I observed when I shed my gloves, or stripped down to a sports bra. Note that one key variable is workout intensity, since I dress differently for sprinting on the track versus jogging an easy reco run.
And, voila, my cycling guide. So many variables here, especially when it comes to whether I’m riding in the sun or not. There’s a ton of wiggle room with cycling, too, as shells are easily stuffed in burrito bags, and arm warmers are designed to come off while you’re in the saddle. I don’t get into the different genres - MTB, gravel, TT, easy group ride, etc. - but I am familiar enough with my own personal guides that I can extrapolate.
Skiing is my latest addition to my lists, since I believe it can be the hardest apparel to judge. Sun exposure and wind are crucial variables, especially since I often ski high in the sky in Colorado. Last year I spectated my coach, Chris Bagg in the Birkebeiner, the largest and most famous Nordic ski race in the world. I was shivering on the sidelines in a parka as I watched racers skate by in tank tops and no hat! I mostly need my guide to convince me to not add that extra layer since I’ll regret it when I get going, but it’s also useful for the most important wardrobe choice any skier faces: beanie, earband, buff, or no hat at all.
You should make your own! My personal ones actually reside in the notes app on my phone, so I’ve always got ‘em. I contemplated printing these prettier ones to post on the fridge, but that would be selfish as someone else in my household runs hot, so our layering standards are totally different. I recommend being patient as you create, change, and refine yours for specific conditions, and you should totally extend to other sports. I’d love to see what you draw up for paddling, snowboarding, golfing, or cornhole. Next up for me: rollerblading.
My coach, Chris Bagg and I love to ski in our neck gaiters and Wattie Ink. Thermal Jackets