In April 2024, Jim was the healthiest guy he knew — an endurance athlete, a business owner, a husband of 30 years entering a comfortable retirement.
Then a doctor's visit for lingering fatigue turned into three words no one is prepared for: stage four metastatic colorectal cancer. Terminal. Six months to two years.
26 months later, Jim has no evidence of disease for the second time — and this October, at age 62, he'll toe the start line at the Ironman World Championship in Kona.
In this episode, Jim takes Karin and Chris inside the whole arc: the hour he sat alone on a park bench outside his doctor's office, the 30 minutes he sat in front of the chemo building deciding whether treatment was even worth it, and the moment a scan changed everything — right after he'd stopped praying for a cure and started praying only for dignity.
But this isn't just a cancer story, and it isn't just a triathlon story. It's a conversation about what actually keeps a person going when the body can't cooperate — the same question so many of us with chronic and autoimmune conditions face on a completely different scale.
Key takeaways:
- Obstacles aren't preventing you — they're preparing you. Jim reframed every setback (24 chemo sessions, multiple surgeries, blood clots) as training for the 17 hours he'll spend on the Kona course.
- Motion has momentum. You don't need an Ironman. Do the dishes. Do the laundry. One thing leads to another, and the downward spiral loses its grip.
- You don't beat it with one thing — you beat it with everything. Fitness, faith, family, finances, community. Jim credits his survival to the whole system, not a single silver bullet.
- Letting people help you isn't weakness. "When you try to take everything on yourself, you steal from the people who love you."
- Discipline before everything. Jim's framework — discipline, sacrifice, suffering, pain — starts with small, consistent actions, not grand gestures.
Jim's book, Just Keep TRI-ing, (profits donated to the Ironman Foundation) is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3SNL3Fn
Jim's advice when you're down? Get up and start moving — even a little. If you're living with a chronic or autoimmune condition and don't know where "moving forward" even starts, that's exactly what our free RESET guide is for real steps, not just inspiration. Get it HERE!
🌐 Resources, coaching & support: https://www.invigorateyourjourney.com
IRONMAN Foundation fundraising page
⚠️ Disclaimer: This content is for education and shared experiences only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare team before making changes.
