Student conquers Ironman

by Kelly Field, Public Relations

Triathletes begin the Hawaiian Ironman with a 2.4 mile swim. Visibility was 100 ft.

It’s late January, and as football fans train for the upcoming Superbowl (TV-remote finger extensions, drink arm curls, recliner pull-ups, restroom sprints), third-year College of Medicine student Keith Borg is recovering from a “workout” of his own: The 141-mile Ironman Triathlon World Championship.

Racing’s answer to the much-hyped football finale, the Hawaii-based Ironman is one of the most renowned races in the country. Widely publicized, widely commercialized, it draws spectators from throughout the world. Moneyed fans vie for a spot aboard a catamaran marking the turnaround point for the opening swim. Host city, Kona, celebrates for a week.

“Everything was decorated, and everyone attended,” recalled Borg, who completed his first Ironman two years ago, in Florida. “It was really different from other races where you’re alone in the countryside and everyone looks at you like you’re crazy. It was as hyped as the Superbowl.”

...And for Borg, at least, it was nothing less of a dream come true.

Keith Borg manages a smile despite 40 mph headwinds as he tackles the 112 mile bike ride.

Chosen from a lottery system designed to keep the event accessible to amateurs, he was among only 150 contestants who had not placed either first or second in one of 25 qualifying races. Many of his competitors were professionals or former Olympians.

“It was like getting a chance to go to the Superbowl,” said Borg, who was elected on a combination of chance and competition history. “All the best people in the world are there, and you get to line up against them and see how you could do.”

Borg, by all standards, did well. In a pack composed of athletes ranging from age 18 to 80, he finished in the top one-third, completing the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and marathon in 10 hours and 59 minutes; he finished the overcast marathon in three hours and 44 minutes, had a “fun” 112-mile bike in spite of strong 40 mph headwinds and a varied terrain, and survived a “somewhat chaotic” swim by gravitating to the periphery, where “no one kicked me.”

“It was by far the best race I’ve ever had,” said Borg, a former contestant in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic kayaking trials. “I had a great run, I felt wonderful all day.”

Back at MUSC, and only slightly more relaxed, Borg attributes his success to a combination of support and physical preparedness. He describes his wife, former Olympic kayaker, and recent participant in the Boston Marathon, as “very encouraging,” and thanks Powerbar, as well as local sponsors The Extra Mile and The Bicycle Shoppe for their economic and coaching support.

And of course, he appreciates associate dean for student affairs Victor Del Bene, M.D., and Perry Halushka, Ph.D., M.D., for granting him the academic leave.

Triumphant, Keith Borg finishes—141 miles later.

“One of the single most important things was the support I had,” he said, describing informal Tuesday morning track workouts with local runners, and 130 mile training rides with a friend in Spartanburg. “It’s not one of those things you can do by yourself. It may look like an individual effort, but its really a lot about teamwork and supporting each other.”

Though continuing to prepare for future triathlons, he now employs much of his endurance in an equally rigorous education program. Last fall, he completed a Ph.D. in microbiology, and he is currently finishing up a medical degree he began a few years ago. Ultimately, he would like to specialize in academic emergency medicine.

“Ideally, I would like to use the Ph.D. to teach and do some research,” he said. “But of course, that’s a long term goal.”

And he manages to find connections between his two passions.

“There are a lot of parallels between medicine and competing,” he observed. “Both require discipline and perseverance, and you learn a lot from one that you can apply to the other. I enjoy the challenge of both.” His next undertaking? A modest 50 km (30-plus mile) road race in Aiken.

“It’s a pretty little course out in the country,” he said.