It is safe to say that most people would not receive a half -ironman less than three months after the end of Kimo therapy and radiation for phase 4 cancer.
Then again, most people are not Keith Giffney.
Giffney, 56, first noticed something that rubbed against his language in November 2023.
While it was not painful, he realized that he had to check, and in January 2024, the test results found that he had cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes in the neck and upper chest, classifying it as phase 4.
It is a diagnosis that would make many of us feel anxious, desperate or desperate – but not giffney.
“I had this strange peace to me,” he told the post.
“When I was diagnosed, I just felt like, you know what, I got this, God got this. I will fight that.”
Giffney relied on his family, his trust and confidence in doctors in northwestern medicine – which he described as in the “other level” of care.
And, after having previously decided to make half of the Ironman-a triathlon consisting of a 1.2 mile swimming, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run would not allow a small thing as cancer to take his way.
His first step was to leave tobacco chewing – while doctors told him that his cancer was associated with HPV virus, not for tobacco, could not have helped.
“The funny thing was – January 2023 – my New Year’s resolution was to give up,” he said. “Well, I think I waited 360 days in that year to finally leave.“
Four years discreet, Giffney is not a stranger to deceive the vices, admitting that alcohol strained his relationship with his son.
“I did over 131 miles swimming. I have a bike over 700 miles and ran over 55.”
Keith Giffney
As he made half, his 22-year-old son ended up full Ironman, which consists of a 2.4-mile swimming, an 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run.
“He was part of us doing things and returning and building that faith along with him and working with him, training with him,” he said.
“We have a great friendship and great relationships. And it’s been great.”
The training for marathon throughout the last summer was, to say at least, intense.
“I did over 131 miles of swimming,” he said. “I bike over 700 miles and ran over 55 years old”
He would train five or six days a week, despite undergoing 12 rounds of chemotherapy and 35 rounds of radiation at the same time.
“I would try to repeat a mini triathlon,” Giffney explained.
This meant swimming a couple of miles a day in Lake Geneva, Illinois – where he lives – as well as a spacious amount of bicycles and jogging.
Thankfully, Kimo did not hit him too hard.
“I could just show that I was fighting initially after Kimo to maintain a certain level of speed – I was losing part of the force on my feet, “he said.” But I won it again when I was done with kimio”
Radiation, on the other hand, was a different story.
“I lost all the loops of taste, I couldn’t swallow, ”he said.
Because he was not producing so much saliva whenever he would try to swallow while running, he would end up drowning in place.
“I also couldn’t eat anything until the last weeks of radiation – that was the worst,” he said.
Even then, he managed to get a positive rotation for things.
“I had to lose a few pounds when I was getting into it to be easier running, right?“ He said.
Weekly before the big race, Giffney received good news: doctors told him his cancer had disappeared and removed his port Kimo.
Very soon, September 7, 2024, rolled over – a half Ironman day in Madison, Wisconsin. Despite describing himself as a “very worried person sometimes”, mainly because of his desire to succeed, Keith said he felt too “in peace” that day.
“I was like, I’m not looking to beat anyone other than myself here, ”he said.
This is not to say that it was all quiet cruise, however.
When Keith came out of the water after the marathon swimming part, he felt disoriented.
And once he bicycle, his leg slammed – sorry.
“It wasn’t just my feet. I couldn’t even breathe,” he said. “And then all of a sudden – she just left.“
Crossing the finish line with his friends and family members – especially his children – cheering him was a great feeling.
“My whole goal was to show them how to treat misfortune,” he said. “I wanted to be a good model for them. “
These days, Keith is doing great – and the doctors are optimistic his cancer will remain in forgiveness.
He is training for two other events this summer – Triathlon Door County in July 2025 and Chicago Triathlon in August 2025 – all with his signature approach.
“For me, it has always been to have a positive mental attitude,” he said. “Go to it with a view that everything will be great.”
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Image Source : nypost.com