Ironmanlife: Brittany Banker's Incredible Journey

Kevin Mackinnon catches up with a Ford Ironman Louisville competitor

Determined? Doesn't even begin to cover it. Crazy? That's what her doctors think, but she doesn't care. Inspiring? Definitely. She's 25. She has a six-year-old daughter. She has overcome two bouts of cancer. Last year she did her first 70.3 distance race ... in between sessions of chemotherapy. Sunday's Ironman is going to be a breeze compared to what Brittany Banker has endured over the last few years.

In 2004, pregnant with her daughter, Banker was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer. The 19-year-old managed to overcome that obstacle, though.

Fast forward five years. Banker is a single mom, working full-time and helping in the community. A runner, she decides that she wants to do a triathlon. She competes in a sprint event, then gets the news that the cancer is back. More chemotherapy. During a break in the chemo treatments, she heads off and does Ironman 70.3 Augusta.

Banker finished her second round of chemotherapy just two days after she signed up for Sunday’s race - January 1, 2010. Happy new year!

“I never asked myself why I was signing up for an Ironman,” she wrote in an e-mail. “I already knew the reason. It is because I am a survivor! (The first time I got cancer) I thought my life was over when it really was just starting. Today I am a healthy 25-year-old that never gave up, set goals and has accomplished a number of them.”

Has it been easy? Yeah, right. Banker has had lots of moments when she’s wanted to just give up. A few months ago she had another cancer scare. How’s this for good news/ bad news? She didn’t have cancer, but she does have celiac disease – her body can’t absorb gluten. While trying to train for an Ironman, she was basically malnourished because her body couldn’t absorb all the carbohydrates we Ironman athletes live on.

Once again Banker refused to let that stop her. She’s now back at school, studying athletic nutrition, and has figured out a diet that allows her to train. She’s also taking her coaching certification. Based on all this experience, you know this woman is going to be a great coach.
I met Banker and her friend, Randy Cantu, out on the bike course last night. To say she’s excited about Sunday’s race would be the understatement of the year. She actually apologized for being so enthusiastic about telling me her story.

“It’s a good one for people to hear,” Randy, the master of the understatement, pointed out.

“A lot of people tell me that my story has inspired them,” Banker continued.

You think?

If Brittany Banker isn’t living proof of what Ironman, the lifestyle, is all about, I don’t know who is.

You can reach Kevin Mackinnon at kevin@ironman.comComments powered by Disqus.