Athlete Q&A: Meet Christy McLeod – On the Road to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships

Website: alifeofperspective.com

Congratulations on qualifying for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in November! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in triathlon?

Thank you! I’m fairly new to the triathlon world. In March 2023, I reached out to Anthony Toth, coach of FitClub in Chilliwack, BC, because I wanted to join a running group. I had decided that for my 40th birthday that June, I wanted to train for and complete my first half marathon and host a city-registered race to raise funds for Girls Who Leap, a youth organization supporting girls in sport.

At the time, I had barely exercised since 2019. I joined Anthony’s running club not realizing it was a triathlon group filled with elite athletes, and that I was about to work with an incredible coach who would completely change my life.

That’s quite the leap! How did that first half marathon go?

It was amazing. We hosted a fundraiser run for Girls Who Leap, and it grew beyond what I imagined. People joined from all over; California, Portugal, even Australia. What started as a personal challenge became something that sparked motivation and movement in others.

Since then, I’ve completed over ten half marathons; Vancouver (twice), Seattle (twice), Bend (OR), Bellingham, Chilliwack, Olympia (WA), plus a few more for training. And I fell in love with triathlon along the way. I’ve now done an unofficial sprint, an official standard and sprint, and my first IRONMAN 70.3 in Tri-Cities, Washington.

That’s an incredible journey in such a short time. Can you tell us more about what makes your story unique?

Here’s the part I don’t always lead with: I’m an amputee and am missing part of my right arm. But honestly, I don’t consider that the core of my story. For me, overcoming mental hurdles has been much more challenging than physical ones. Still, every swim, every bike ride (which I learned only six months before my 70.3!), every race has been done with a limb difference.

You mentioned competing in the physically challenged category, how did that come about?

For the IRONMAN 70.3 in Tri-Cities, I registered in the physically challenged division so I could be eligible for the World Championship draw. Only six athletes worldwide are selected. I never imagined I’d be chosen, but here I am.

What motivates you to keep training and racing?

My goal in sport has always been bigger than just competing. Through it, I’ve had the chance to coach, fundraise, speak, and connect. I’ve run half marathons with Streetfront, a program in East Vancouver that helps at-risk youth train for marathons. I’ve had friends and strangers take up running because they saw me do it. I recently spoke at a Young Life Vancouver fundraiser and helped raise $100,000 in one night. Sport has become a platform to invite others into something bigger, to help them see their own potential.

With international events like Spain on the horizon, how are you making it all work?

It’s definitely not easy, and it’s not cheap. But I have a track record of making the impossible happen. When I signed up for my first 70.3, I didn’t even own a bike or a swimsuit. Now I’m training for Worlds as the only Canadian in the physically challenged category.

What kind of support would help you get to 70.3 World Championships?

Q: You recently competed at the 70.3 Oregon, and shaved 53min off your first 70.3 from 8 month prior, time at the Oregon 70.3, congrat! Can you share how this race went?

It was incredibly empowering to see such a drastic difference with it being a similar course.  My main strength was that it was only 2 weeks prior to this race that my fear of biking actually went away.  Prior to that, I was terrified to go fast, and then something clicked in me and I realized, I was more afraid of not succeeding than I was about a goofy fear of getting a flat or something along those lines.

Q: Any final thoughts on the season ahead as you prepare for the World Championships?