Jo Lum is a Sydney-based triathlete and busy mum who has been a regular on the triathlon scene in Sydney for years.

Jo and her friend Katie were originally training for Ironman Australia in 2020.

That race was postponed 4 times - twice in 2020 and then twice in 2021 - before it was eventually cancelled.

So Jo and Katie decided not to let their fitness go to waste and designed and completed a DIY Ironman distance event in May 2021.

They swam 3.8km in a pool, then hopped on their bikes and rode 180km primarily along bike paths, before heading to their respective homes to finish their ‘race’ by running 42km around their neighbourhoods.

There were even race bibs, finisher’s t-shirts and (to their surprise) finisher's medals!

I’ve shared this story multiple times over the last few months because it’s a powerful example of two important things: focusing on what you can control and asking for help (and being willing to accept it when offered).