Nobody said the sport of triathlon is easy.
There are open-water swims on chilly lakes, white-knuckle descents on the bike, not to mention the risk of a meltdown on a hot day's run.
Jody Barber knew the hardships of her chosen sport but was never deterred from taking up the challenge of pushing her body to its limits of physical endurance. Her ability to rise above those challenges put her in a position to race with the best on the planet at the world long course triathlon championships.
That drive to succeed never left Barber, even after a pre-race accident in training for the 2006 world championships that cost her the use of her right arm. After nearly four years on the mend, the 45-year-old Paralympian from Smithers is back in the triathlon game. Her courageous comeback resumes Sunday when she lines up for the start of the sprint event at the Prince George Citizen Triathlon at West Lake provincial park.
"It is a wonderful thing, after being told I'd never do this again," said Barber, a Smithers school teacher and mother of five.
"I've also signed up for national championships in Kelowna in August and there will be some other Para-triathletes there, so that will be fun."
Barber's husband Larry McCulloch and his daughter Cara are entered in the Olympic distance race Sunday. Close to 150 athletes are entered.
For more, see Saturday's Citizen
