Battling cancer, and every inch the Ironman: Meet Mike Dawe

"Mike Dawe from Canada, YOU are an Ironman!"

A booming announcer's voice and hundreds of people cheering greeted Mike Dawe as he crossed the finish line in Kalmar, Sweden, in a recent Ironman triathlon.

Dawe, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2019, says it was quite the moment — but also quite the day.

"An Ironman triathlon is a very long day in the office," he told the CBC's Carolyn Stokes.  

It consists of a 3.9-kilometre ocean swim, just over a 180-kilometre bike ride, and a 42.2-kilometre run. 

"It felt like I was out there for a month and a half," he joked.

But, in reality, he finished it in about 15 hours and 22 minutes. 

In 2018, Dawe told CBC News the Ironman challenge is his way to "occupy myself physically and mentally" before cancer treatments.

Dawe has recently restarted treatment for the disease, but nothing will stop him from pursuing the sport he's "fallen helplessly in love with."

"I have no idea when the next one is going to be, but I mean, I can't wait to get at it," he said. 

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