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For hundreds of triathletes, this weekend’s IRONMAN World Championship at Kona marks the culmination of a season’s intense hard work and dedication.
But for Britain’s Tim Don, it means so much more.
Twelve months ago, as his rivals were setting off to take on the ultimate test of endurance in Hawaii, Don was in hospital with a broken neck, unsure if he would ever compete again.
The 40-year-old Zone3 triathlete was due to be one of the elite men in action at the 2017 World Championship but, just two days before the race, he was involved in a serious collision with a car while out on a training ride.
Don was rushed to hospital in Hawaii where it was discovered he had fractured his C2 vertebra. His life was saved by his helmet, which compressed on impact.
The two-time Olympian listened to the recommendation of his doctor and opted against surgery to fix his neck. Instead, he was fitted with a halo to immobilise his upper body with four giant titanium bolts screwed into his skull.
Doctors said wearing the halo would increase his chances of a full recovery to 90%. With a hunger to compete again, Don opted for this procedure.
The Brit wore his halo for three months. He admitted it was tough, really tough.
“I could feel the skin gripping to the screw, I just had to grin and bear it under local anaesthetic,” he said in an interview with the BBC.
“They just had an Allen key with a torque wrench on it to tighten it. It clicks when it is tight enough, and when that happens, it vibrates through your skull, into your jaw and then your back.”
Don said he had to sleep upright and could only manage 90 minutes at a time. His medication caused sickness and vomiting, but his gagging reflex affected the angle of the screws in his head and caused indescribable pain.
Doctors likened his neck muscles to ‘spaghetti holding up a bowling ball’
The halo was eventually removed on January 3, 2018. When it came off, doctors likened his weakened neck muscles to ‘spaghetti holding up a bowling ball’.
For Don, though, triathlon was in his blood. The 2006 ITU world champion underwent months of intensive rehabilitation as he began the long road back to fitness.
It took four weeks before he was even able to think about swimming or cycling again.
However, he began to set targets to aid his recovery and, in the spring of 2018, ran the Boston Marathon in 2:49:42.
After that milestone, Don turned his attention back to triathlon and targeted the Ironman 70.3 Costa Rica race in June.
Many looked on him making the start line as a miracle. Less than four hours later, he was crossing the finish line… as the winner.
“Crossing the line was pure relief, to be honest,” said Don, who is sponsored by Zone3. “It was a bit surreal, the last 200m was like a dream.
“There were so many mixed emotions running through my head: anger about being hit by the car, pure joy, sadness my family couldn’t be there, confusion about what had just happened.
“I was a bit of a mess, but ultimately happy and thankful that I could race again and race okay.”
This weekend, Don returns to Kona 12 months after the accident that so nearly cost him his triathlon career. He’ll be among the elite men’s field taking on the 2.36-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run.
Watch the Zone3 Documentary – Tim Don – The Road To Kona
The guys at Zone3 have produced a fantastic video documentary following Tim Don’s journey from halo to Hawaii. Check it out below…
How can I watch the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship?
The 2018 IRONMAN World Championship will be held on Sunday, October 13th in Kona, Hawaii.
The triathlon is streamed via www.ironman.com and www.facebook.com/IRONMANnow and the website also has live tracking and real-time updates. Coverage will start from around 5pm UK time (remember Kona is 11 hours behind BST).