Welcome back or welcome to the humans of triathlon or hot podcast where we bring you the ordinary but extraordinary world of triathlon one human one story at a time with the aim to inspire and to celebrate this life-changing Sport and it's humans to real authentic raw and enjoyable conversations with humans of triathlon from around the globe and from all walks of life.Welcome humans of triathlon to another fantastic session of a humanist of triathlon podcast. And as you can imagine I am not swept Neil and swept Neil. This is not show up meal with a with a cold that has a deeper voice either. So, this is Charles Carlos AKA Charles honk who's taking over the the headquarters for today and I am in theBunny of the lovely Shayla tree Levin who is joining us from the east coast of Canada and today as usual. We have a fantastic guest. Okay, so the c word cancer, it has a way of affecting almost all of us in some way either through a parent partner friend a colleague, but what if it's you who has cancer? What then you fight you suffer you hopefully recover and then you hope to move forward losing the Newfound identity of the person who has cancer and become the person that you actually are our guest today has fought and beat cancer has moved forward and is no longer that guy with cancer. Although he hit several bumps along the way. Through the Jew his journey of recovery the support of his family and friends and the sport of triathlon. He has become stronger smarter better and is here to share his journey with us, please welcome from Stirling Scotland Jordy Graham. Hi there. Hi welcome Jordan. How are you feeling? It's a good nervous. But good. It's okay. So gaily the listeners they don't know but this is not live. So you should feel Very comfortable now. Mmm, you're allowed to I'm sure I'm sure he's any other go on right actually, so just to give you know, like a little Q so you can start giving us all that fantastic sort of story behind behind your your life. If you want we will usually do is we try to always it go back and we ask our guests to start from the very beginning from A childhood. How was it? How much were you involved in sports it? Is there anything you want to tell us about that? I was born in 1990 very very normal upbringing. Nothing really exciting now went to a small school called him Rubble primary. There are booking Scotland us create a sort of so what we call what's called a notorious a state full of Ruffians and Vagabond joy, that was really it was a pretty normal upbringing nothing. Nothing to Extreme the M20 High School. I played rugby there. It was fun but beavers and my family sort of all along the way my uncle. He's played for Scotland and he had quit selling things for Scotland. Yeah, so terms of sport a background in them. Yeah really sort of moved on from there and rugby to sort of always it was always in my family, but then when I finished high school sort of stopped start playing wrong Behavior Have the sort of the usual sort of teenage teenage years of going out drinking blah blah blah all those sort of things and magic and sort of watch my weary Sport and away and yeah just finger job done what everyone really does became a very sort of a very average person and then also has changed when I was 25 years old when I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Fill us fill a small one-pump got a bit of a fright really sort of didn't know what to do left it a couple weeks, which really knowing you really shouldn't do that as well and still leave it and it just gets washed and washed and really really feel as your me. So I left for a couple weeks and realize that this isn't really going away even though I don't even know what it was if they my knew it wasn't really all that good. So So what exactly did you feel like you had you said you you said it was a lump. Where do you feel it? And how how was it strange? I was just it was something that was new. It was never there before. It was probably the size of sort of my thumbnail really it was just a rough and yeah, it was just a sort of a strange sort of that sort of thing where you know, you think you know what it is, but you don't know what you confront it because hmm. What else what else? Could it be sort of put it in the back online for a couple weeks. And then realize that didn't go away by itself and then got a doctor's appointment. Very told the doctor what was up? I've got an appointment very quickly walk through the door and know it's a woman the environment punishment over know what is about to happen. Of course. Yeah. Yeah, so don't know what's happened up on the table go through the sort of the embarrassment of that. Then the hard to get an ultrasound which was very very weird as you can imagine. Yes, very very odd and then a couple days later all this is all within a bit the space of probably will Big 10 days or something like that. Yeah, that's really quick. Yeah, really really quick. It was all sort of a huge sort of boy just got sort of it told what to do. Any little girl go here. I will see this person. Couple days later. I got my results back that it didn't really know exactly what they couldn't do a biopsy on it because if you go by option as a rescue could spread. Yeah. So I thought remember what the doctor said to me. That's because it's just three days before Christmas. Oh my God. Yeah. He said to me, I don't know what it is, but it's got to come out and say oh, okay, so that seemed sort of face after a sort of abrupt way. In it, so that's one is December 22nd. Roughly. I think and by the fourth of January, I have a surgery. Wow. I'm very quick. Yeah, really very quick in the city council can be quite aggressive something. So it sort of moves really quite clean. It can sort of it's got a very high survival rate, but it's quite aggressive. But but at that time you said that they said we don't know exactly what this is, but it has to come out. Out. Yeah, fortunately, they ever mention the wart answer to you or it's just like they kept it like that very generic very sort of genetic. I don't think the word cancer is about yours, but it was sort of suggested. That was okay. Yeah, that probably was in your mind. I would imagine that that it might be that it was a thing. We're sort of you knew you're always kind of knew what the end result was going to become. But you just wait to take you sort of what you so many take your hand and walk you through. Oh and tell you every single thing, but if you don't know I get that you just get a good told, you know move on in this next it and you just sort of have to deal with each step. You can stay and then try and carry on doing yeah, there's things I always I mean especially when you went that in the worst thing you can do in these cases is go to online and try to self-diagnostic it yourself, right? Because it always you say I have a pain In my head or cancer? Yeah, exactly a little scratchy here all no. No that's you're gonna die tomorrow. But come on. It's like impossible right don't know. Yeah, but I've worked in like stay that way from that. I didn't want to go and then turn it and just just type in what way it's a strange thing to do and it's it doesn't help you doesn't help anyone that situation. Yeah. So yeah a couple days later. I had had my surgery That was pretty spry awful. I think it was a sort of like a it's quite early on surgery. It was just like I thought I'll be gone for a couple days, but it was just like an idea sort of thing. I was in the morning out by the afternoon. Oh, wow. Yeah. It was very quick. It's not - do you have like for anesthesia was just local and I'll feel anesthesia put you sleep. Okay, but still you left the same day. Yeah. Yeah. I thought I was a bit strangely. Yeah. I thought it would have been. A couple days and apartments are very very routine thing in also also doesn't feel like that little thing but in yeah, it was just a straight in and out on a day. Yes, I woke up from the surgery. It's like crying as you a little why I just like to say, I don't think it wasn't it wasn't in any penis and I don't know what happened. Is that client? And then I had this overwhelming odds for apple juice. Okay, and then just kept asking for all again and then just kept asking for that whole just for you to use and then The ventricle board to me and I could leave this time instead of drawing code of him apple juice and I couldn't put my shoes on so if they're asking us for the for the shoes on for me which was quite embarrassing, but she helped me out and put my shoes on for me. Like I was an old man and I quite happily what sorry. Oh, no, go ahead. I was just going to say you did go through a surgery. I know it's it in and like they do it so quickly now like in in and out on the same day, but it's still quite traumatic and to wake up from anesthesia. Like everybody wakes up with such a different reaction. Yeah, so they're used to it and used to helping you even know it's hard for you especially as someone who came from my as a woman. I'm thinking of this as from a rugby kind of sporty background, you know, you're a young guy have this woman putting her shoes on for you. Yeah, it was a it was a it was a it was a little moment and minus t 1 minus t walk out of the hospital often tell people to another fuse. That's our walked out it sort of got in the way of my sort of recovery after I was end of it in that Fort that was me done. Everything's finished second in just carry on with whatever happens next in and I gotta lay off a couple weeks later. They tell me to go back to the hospital in because it's done tests. Unofficial that it removed and it comes it was interested. I cancel it was seems in a stage too thick so I can sort of sort of spread and in sort of just sort of stomach sort of area sort of that sort of that because it was sort of idea originally thought I was going to be stage one and that was going to be the end of it but apparently not and so they sort of suggested at that time that I would maybe this it said I might have to do chemo which is great also. Of not really committing to anything else like you, you know doctor you supposed to tell me what I'm supposed to do. I don't know so and I got sent through to operation. Scotland Glasgow is two beats in this Council child. Are they more ways to all the sort of chemotherapy for the whole weather West of Scotland Joy so went through the I spoke to my doctor and I would have to do chemotherapy like and at the time of its sort of I didn't really I didn't really realize what it meant. It was just a sort of like all you have to do chemo is all just sort of wandered at that point and you can really sort of do it and then push my girlfriend was with me as well. So sort of time you fighting with it as well. But inside I was like oh God, what would that do? So I remember I remember many ways on the couch right back. We're sort of just sitting talking about it. And I was I was trying to be so famous that I really wasn't the fungi that carry on the more it sent them on a sunken what was about to happen? And then I done the thing you shouldn't do as I went on Google and then that mean it all ten times wash. I don't know. Yeah, but in actually went in for Going for chemo on the on world Cancer Day actually, which was which quite a coincidence on okay and yeah, I sign. Okay. So yeah, I think so and and then just sort of like it was also that whole day was just a whole set our bar to me though. It was so nervous about what was happening and all the injections and everything happening. And all the machine or the we have been wonderful machines and the room and they had like got me a Domino's Pizza as well, which is very bad. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I was going. And yeah, so my my chemo was in BP chemo city doctors for your Mason top aside and cisplatin are believers. And so I think that night so I was in the hospital for three days. Didn't sleep for the whole two days then wash for the whole three days. I was awful. Yeah, just because just because at night you can't really you can't really sort of concentrate on sleeping either because you're just sort of your more body of the bit anything else as well and you're sort of You just can't do anything because you're so tired. Nothing like even with have even when visitors come on. You can't really you can't really be bothered with people coming and it's it sounds awful and you see it. But at the time you just know you don't like talking on stuff like that. But yeah chemotherapy sort of went. Okay, I went okay for the most awful experience in my life. I suppose that in pretty much my whole my for the whole of the sort of it was seven weeks. I was doing chemotherapy seven weeks. Wow. Yeah, you just so what would happen if you go back to the hospital every week for a certain period of time or I would go and observe these two cycles in pretty much I would go in for the weekend. I will go through this out the Sunday and we come home and then the falling through Fridays. I would go in and get on injection and of cisplatin, which is really really sold by the way. I don't recommend There's really so you have to get it injecting a bomb as well, which is another degrees and experience. Yeah. Yeah, it's not fun. No. Yeah, it doesn't sound fun. But even with like the there was one one of the most is made a little mistake with me when I was get when I was getting the injection one Friday. Bye, so I went in the hospital equal and in the morning you get by kicking and then you go away for a couple hours to come back with your drugs and then actually get inject any but apart from what I gather that happened is a she injected at Street and in my bloodstream rather than in the muscle. Oh so rather than yeah. So rather than let me get a sort of slow drip over. I got a whole big dose either the drug, but I did. Then it didn't really start taking effect till I got home because as soon as I got the injection, I just went straight home and out with me. So I was just my dad dropped me off at my house. I just hadn't let us know sitting and I say sort of shaking uncontrollably and getting really really hot, but not sweating. In it was and then just my heart just going so so far. So happy for my dad and when they go to the hospital and talk about initially what happened is I found there in the horse the horse but they cancer hospital that I'm antsy line and it was in busy. So that was not helpful. So I just kind of just for my dad back in here take me to the hospital and and then my blood pressure just totally dropped it was that was that was fun. Weakest Point I've ever been in my life got up to go to the toilet and couldn't even find it energy 40 like squeeze your IP. It is the weakest I've ever been in my life. Oh God. Yeah. There's a that was probably the worst point a bit of the whole sort of experience of that. It was just not even having the energy for they go to the toilet hmm within without that obviously was a mistake of so whoever supplied. Yeah. The injection that day right? Yeah, I guess it was it was just it was an honest mistake these things happen that it was just that there's such a sort of a dark moment. Yeah for the whole sort of experientially sort of about three weeks and yet your hair starts to sort of fall out really which is quite an inside. I had quite a handsome-looking bill that the time. Hmm But I'd be I'd be like, right. I've been a sort of Ikeda enthusiasts of hearing loss for a couple years. So and we sort of came It was sort of common anyway, so it happens in almost all my friends came around and we all shaved my head. It was like it was a weird party can imagine. Yeah. Yeah, that was really sort of the whole sort of chemo thing there became at the end of it and everything was sort of famously everything that get was never for me for me the whole cancer thing. It was never it was never like this. Of sense and they're like, oh this is this is going to kill you. It's just you have to get them just sort of you have to get through this and everything will be fine. So it and that respect my story is but a good one, unfortunately for other people. It's just not it's not people. I'm not lucky. Yeah. So in the end what you were you had or was the lump that you got discovered very quickly and they decided to remove the they told you unfortunately three days before Christmas like not the best timing. Yeah, and then at least I gave you some time. Into to celebrate New Years and then they put you on the operating table. Yeah, but then they call you back to have likes it like seven weeks. Was it or of chemotherapy? Yeah, seven weeks. I think it was yeah. Yeah, including one wrong injection, which got you to your lowest point ever. Yeah, but and how long ago was this I finished in must have been March 2016. I think it was okay looking for March. I think my last day of chemo was Okay, and that was it and that was over with still have to go back for them checkups every now and again and you've been clear ever since so far. Yeah, it's been cleared of a sense that sort of like it's a five-year survival rate if if you reach five years and gonna survive or more or less. There's no there's a very slim chance will come at will come back but it's a very very some I think it's like a and b that two percent chance it will come back. So it still doesn't sort of take away the whole sort of this the fear of it me. Yeah come back, but that sort of I'm sort of overall that no, it's just if it happens. It happens. It's one of those things and let me know. I don't think any of course. Yeah. Three percents pretty pretty small and yeah, exactly reassuring you know, yeah, I think there's more chance of me getting cancer from the drugs that they gave me the chemo drugs then actually getting thicker cancel again. I hesitate crazy the stuff we put in our body to get rid of the other things upon Italy I put poison into yeah exactly get the poison out right finally in because because the drugs are given I will Will almost definitely get high blood pressure when I'm older which is which is something to look forward to I suppose. Yeah. Yeah, I don't wanna study for something where you guys were University in the approached me and asked me when I was in the hospital for a take part in the study. It's funny try and stop this because they can't you don't really know how it how it works that you will people who do BP chemo. Whoa, get high blood pressure when they're older, okay? And I don't know the results of I just got some blood taken really not worth it. I thought what's up blood taken in once every two weeks honestly so much. Yeah, every three weeks. That sounds like a lot of yaps the biggest needle. Yeah, and yeah, that was standard. I'm not I don't know what results or anything like that. But yeah, hopefully it does help at some point. Okay interesting, but he said he time into a horrible story The seems that no one's to to hear that see Let award or go through that horrendous poison in experience. But yeah, at least you came out of it clean Stronger Yeah, and then somehow you you fell in love with the beautiful sport of triathlon. Yes. Yes that yes. Can you tell us a little bit about that? So when did it happen? Yeah, it did was it like short after you came out of this nightmare? Or did it have anything to do to with that? So can you tell us a little bit about that? How do you start with that? I can't even really remember off the top of my head. What just made me decide that yes, I will do Triathlon. It was sort of I read a book a couple years ago called in operation Iron Man. It's by a guy called George my hood and he other he had a tumor on his spine had the Sajid a court date and then done an iron mine for months after it. So that was always sort of it's sort of been a those a well that's incredible that people actually do and then one day I was just I was pretty or not but when the and then I came across out Triathlon Time video and then who am I judging just inspires grow up your critical Triathlon and just like yeah, I'm going to have a Bosch. In it was my sort of. It was it was my sort of little My Little John need to be normal again to be me. They won't be Jordan the guy that had cancer and sort of forest. Stop sort of people give me that see that little smile that you get that people give you in something awful's happened to you. That's sort of what we move the little Grand. I don't know like I don't like that Gren. So it was sort of that was just a neat idea to be a little bit different as well. Hmm. And yeah that was sort of how I have iPhone Triathlon and it was really sort of no structure to it. I thought it was just um, I'll do a triathlon next year. So there was there's a there's a Triathlon Club in my town. They have the whole the chart on every year spent money, so, I don't know. That got to the end sort of a wand and then two weeks later done Windsor a triathlon in which is sort of down near London. Yeah. That was that was that was a really fun when I remember it being it's tight and I don't remember getting up everyone so early and my life. It was such a short time. Did you end up having to get up in the morning? I got up. Yeah and then So for some food down myself just because even though I was so nervous and because this was sort of this was like my big race was if you like. Oh, yeah, so just try Force fit down in in trying wait my girlfriend up which most likely most likely for her was also shocked to wake up that early yeah very much. So she's pretending to be happy for me that time it was such an effort for the probably thinking you're a little crazy. Yeah. All right. Yeah. Yeah, I really am. The ones which are from was amazing. It's you know, I was one of the best experiences of my life. It was just it was so good. It was such a big event. I didn't know it was such a huge event as well like own so many people when you get to just I just like looking at all the different equipment if people have is all the different bikes and just do it interesting people and the swim was I really enjoyed this film the swimmers and the teams and it was just so good and it was my first time swimming in a way. It's a and it just it just you just file on don't you so much. Easier. Oh, yes low you put that on in here right on the top of the water. Yeah, I think of to two minutes of my PB on the swim hang out with more out of excitement as well. Just get the whole sort of excitement of the whole day is just a just go fast, but that's what I came back to bite me when I went on the run the Run didn't go as well as I'd hoped apparently when Zoe's quite heavily. Yeah those that was my first sort of 2m triathlons at year now thought I thought like I thought to myself why that I have that I have this us that that's me. I'm actually I think they yeah it's all and then what what sort of distance were this triathlons and they were both spec doesn't good spread. This has yeah. Okay. That's a good way to start. Yeah. That was just what sort of start and really and yeah. So the next year it would be last year. I signed up for three just thinking that that would be easy. Brother brother elegantly thought I had it all the old stuff and I didn't so went to the my first race last year. It was pouring with rain at all. Oh god well in Scotland, so it rains all the time knowing that Yes, actually. Yeah, and so that's one was in strathclyde park in I think it was just after European Championship so we could run Nick's on the court that Of that course anyway, at least okay and got already called the for I went into the water didn't really eat enough before that. Ya got any the water and just sort of shopped feeling of hmm of your breasts getting taken away from you. Yep. Yeah. There's that awful feeling as soon as I got in the war. I saw a new like, oh this isn't going to go to find when the gun went off in the swim got about a hundred meters in Islam and just stopped. I don't know. Happened. I just had to stop for one second and just take a moment. And I don't even know I stopped I sort of looking know what happened. It was just my confidence went I don't know why I just got inside my head and it was just this is just it's just a tragic experience just now and then yeah, so sort of got for the swim personally or for the swim. Really persevered for the bake and and the Run was the worst one I've ever done. I think my 5K Tang was like it was 40 minutes or something. Like that was something awful at the end of that is I realized that um our front of the front brake of my bag was stolen just ever so slightly through the hole. So it does pay for the look at your bank before you actually go my God. Yeah that makes the ride like so much harder. I Believe you did that. Yeah, you like you finished the whole race with that break and yeah, it wasn't the end of just kicking myself. So it was hard already and they were going to do that. Then my second race sort of didn't even I didn't get the registration. It was supposed to be the walked a triathlon drove up. I was about and comes out to I'll drive for they get there. And didn't even have the ball for the get your registration just couldn't do it. I just couldn't do it. I don't know what it was. Just everything got that of me. Really? Yeah, I mean this what's this? What's your fourth Triathlon? Yes, it is say now you've already been you've done it. You've managed like crazy things in your races and something not even you cannot get to the registration. Yeah, I think and then in the middle of those two races I change job. Aim of I'm a chef and it was okay nice. And as I said, I didn't want to do it anymore because it wasn't really sort of a healthy sort of it's not a healthy profession for your soul your whole mental health really and then sort of yeah, and and then I changed my job became real estate agent, which I was truly awful that I don't know. It was what it was the first job I got offer than I thought. Yeah, I could do that. I thought we can't do it. That's a stressful occupation as well. Right? Yeah, especially when you have no idea what you're doing as well and it's all commission based. So it's normally not really so much in Britain really it sort of you guess how many? Okay. I was just about to smoke immediately. So I hang out so I managed to get a job because it was just like I might have been or gas that comes out for the interview and and then I about I was six weeks at that job and my granddad died of throat cancer. Oh, oh, yeah. So left work went to the hospice did what we had to the hospice and then I went back to work on the Monday and got told that because I left I know wonder what the oh my God. Yeah. Oh that that's horrible. I know and so that we hang out was mostly the reason like my head just wasn't the right place for the for the locked a triathlon. Yeah, of course. Yes to that thing. That's more more you doing anything else really? Well you had a lot to deal with I mean your grandfather passed from cancer, which you had just recently been fighting yourself. Yeah, you switched professions altogether and hopes. My understanding is that You know, it'd be better for your your mental well-being and your mental health and then you you leave which any person should be able to do to go, you know to your family member at that point in time and then you come back and they tell you that because you left to go do that. You can't have your job anymore. Yeah, exactly. I don't know how like I can understand why maybe you didn't make it to that registration desk. Yeah, you know, so yeah that sort of happened down there and then it's all I had More bricks to do it was and people were just sort of wander but more or less the border between Scotland and England and this time I was sort of I was more determined for it. So for it do it and that's done that to be certain the best race I've ever had. I don't I did a lot more sort of more weights weight training in my training and I just felt so much stronger and erase. I felt so much bear. I was fostered the pill which was quite which was quite a big achievement. I'd done the whole run without stopping which is a first for me awesome. Yeah, and even though my time wasn't even stole that great. I think it was I spent out Stellar Spectra that so I think it was like an O'er and O'er in theory, but even then it was still my best race. So that was that was a really big moment for me. Yeah that always feels amazing. I whenever you have a PV at the theme is always sad. Sort of feeling. Yeah. Yeah, we get it. Yeah, and then other side the offer that I would sort of I wouldn't do any this year. I would stop I would start for the issuance of work on it. What are some issues that had gone on my head sort of thing from the last few years or so, I've developed a lots of anxiety. So don't like you've suddenly anything specific but just did sort of sort of antsy and everything like that really struggling to sleep at night and becoming quite sort of Quit so that angry well anything and that wasn't me. That was one of my main reasons for sure. We've in the kitchen as well was that obviously I wasn't really sort of being a nice person to work with really it was it was it was just awful really it was sort of a pretty it was a pretty sort of dark realization. It was like, well, I'm not really all that. Nice. What do you what do you think this this sort of all other least? Dr. Jackie? Mr. Hyde said of sight of you came out. Yeah, that's what it was. I don't know even really cause that was just sort of I think it was the sort of the high pressure of the job. And so of all the all the anxieties from like the last two three years old sort of coming out at one time because it sort of took me a few years for the get to the point where I was like, well I could realize what had happened what just happened in it. Yeah, because everything was such a huge rush of just all you've got cancer. No do that Snowden Roo Triathlon. And then that's yeah and hey and then when you stop yeah and then like when you stopped like whoa, whoa, did you finally realize what sort of what happened to be in what what you've been through and that's what that was. What I imagine is what caused it all and I went to the doctors for this sort of speak to them. And I was I was very sure that wasn't gonna go down the whole sort of like just take your Starbucks novel fix it because I was very Area where it was happening, so I don't really need tablets or what. I'm always quite self aware of of myself my mood until I sort of reacting other people who other people react to me mostly. And so I have to sort of pretty much what you just said don't have a think about what to do what to do in my life and what to do with all in sort of own faults. Yeah. Hmm. And as far as far as I know everything's gone quite well, I managed to find on our job and back and I'm back in the kitchen, but as I sort of it's not a bit an environment there was a bit hard. I get to work four days a week. I finish it 5:30 at night. So I've got a lot more sort of taking it to myself now if it's bending my girlfriend and my family and all that so makes it makes life a lot easier. All right, I sold in the job. I'm still doing the job but I love but I get more time to do things because I'm sort of I'm sort of person I find myself myself off and my job always need to be good at yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Sure. So now as your girlfriend been with you, Through all the cancers is the same girlfriend from when you were diagnosed. Yeah, we've been together for seven years. That's a long time. Yeah, as long as it I'm gonna ask you if you're going to ask her to marry her at any time or if you have already know yet. Yeah, you're probably not going to answer that are you don't tell her? About the podcast yet Dad. How are ya dice? Oh, yeah, she's pissed. She's been there and you talked about how you know, you kind of went through the Jekyll and Hyde period and you know, she's been there through that. How how is she handled, you know, your illness and your recovery and and finding your way forward. She's always been massive with supportive of everything I do is no matter what and she's always been there for me. She's she's sort of the one thing that's always there. She's always she's she's a massive part of my life. She's been with the biggest part of my life. She's full twist and what she does and she's always she's always there for me. No matter what it's important. Actually ECC. Okay, if you let her listen to the podcast, it's okay. This we find. Yeah. You just said that like she's gonna be like, so happy. Yeah. Well wasn't it out but in the not so that was all they are still that's right, right. She sounds like a keeper to me. She has been watching. Yeah, now that she trained with you at all. Is she like ride a bike with you or train for a triathlon or she's been doing CrossFit for about four years? Oh, okay. Yeah. I don't I don't know a couple things. It is the hardest thing in the world. I can't move my arms falling two weeks after it was so so I was so sore. But she I managed to convince her it to to triathlons and and she done people's with me last year and she finished first and off he went she was really the power. Yeah. I was just I was just waiting at the end was up. Is that just you just see it off in the distance like run faster and then it was incredible. You better watch out. Yeah. Yeah, she's she's incredible. She she does so many things as well. She just tried to hand it like so so many different things. She's thin. She's training just never do like a physique competition as well. So she's at the gym wait 5-6 times a week ago, which puts me matter. What a shame. Yeah. I am that CrossFit is incredible. I tried it. I did a little bit for a while when I got back into sports after having kids and just to try to get some strength back. And it's this tough. Yeah, it's so exhausting, isn't it? Yeah, it is it take to go and do like what a hundred pull-ups and three hundred squats have Mike run a mile and run another mile. Like how do you do that all and how and you have to do it all fast because you're trying to get a time and do all of it. It's like no wonder those girls. Look the way they look like just incredible. Yeah is incredible. See the seen you watch like the CrossFit Games is how did people do that? Yes. Yes just huge. I watch that. We watch it all the time on Netflix like whenever there. Who said New World Championships come out of the CrossFit Games come out we like all right, let's watch because it's so amazing. Yeah, and then they they they say, you know, the triathletes are the crazy people because we spend so much time like swimming biking running waking up at 5 in the morning every day and missing everything and suddenly you have these people who go to your you understand right? So we do this because there's always the three all maybe of the of being on the outdoors water very beautiful background. Or being on the speed on the bike or the community the race sort of feeling but then you have this the crossfitters who are suffering like hell like as if you are in a military boot camp and you are inside. I hope you do this all the time inside a very stuffy windowless place and just like going crazy like oh up up all within a time, right? So yeah, we're not the only crazy one. Correct, but that's that's that's you know, it's so important that's important to you know, that she's there. I'm not only supporting through you through all your things but she's also athletic so she has that understanding, you know of you wanting to do those things as well. Yeah. She's really supportive and bike a couple my spike in she was she's put up with all the basic parts that around the kitchen table and the baker still set in the kitchen kitchen just now if we if we is an absolute mess, but my bait looks so pretty and I'm so proud of it because its main I understand mine is mine is set up. I have mine in my living room and then I don't want to be down in the basement on my trainer. So I have the trainer up there, too. I've managed to set up a little pinky for myself and there's a whole big deal. That's my other. So I've got my Turbo chain on stuff like that in there and that's much smaller all my own little space. I can have no get no girls allowed. No girls allowed. That's all right. Hey, I am I looked at some of your pictures. Hmm, and I'm always fascinated. So I always like to ask about the tattoos that you have. Have because generally they tell a story of some sort and you have quite a few. So can you talk a little bit about your tattoos? And if any of them have meaning or none of mine have any meaning at all when fortunately I don't have any. Yeah, I don't have any sort of deep profound thing. I just out. I like them. That was it. That's okay. It started off just getting a few quarter sleeve and then before I knew it I was absolutely covered. Yeah, that was Surya is I'm sort of I've got my legs to do apart from our thing. I said that's fun and sort of is too painful and to experiencing them. Yeah before I could like well when I was a lot younger I could sit through like six hours are getting tattooed know. I don't know. I don't know. I'm tapping out already. Yeah, I have a the gentleman that Cycles with us now recently and he has lots of tattoos here and I was asking him this on our ride on Sunday. Yeah about his tattoos, and he said the same thing he doesn't really have I have none of them really have a real meaning except for one and it's the name of his cat that had passed away. But it had they had made a mistake on writing is the cat's name is Madison, but they put a why in the name instead of a nice because now it looks like a stripper on my hand. He's like it's like yeah, so it was it was pretty funny, but he said the same thing he just really likes. He just you know, he got some tattoos enjoyed keep wanted more. He has a friend that does them so he actually trades they make trades his friend does the tattoos and he will he said he helped build a motorcycle for him or he design suits and shirts and things so, you know, we might do that. So maybe that's a way to well wish I could treat that is just let me quite good. I'm cooking. Yeah one one thing with mass I would like to do as a ladies get my throat tattooed if I know Hottie work again, I will get my throat started but unfortunately it wasn't that's the one thing I would do if I won the lottery or if I came in in millions of pounds. That's the first thing I want to do a job and get a thought that dude, huh? I just think it looks so nice interesting that there but you like you can sort of on the rescue look like a thug don't you know, I do you think do you think that you could get it done? You could not work in the kitchen anymore. I think it's more accepted than kitchens, but I think if I I've I've done dead want to change career. It's always that sort of what else. Oh, yeah, if I wanted to die anymore, it would be fined for us. I don't think my girlfriend with the too happy about it. But I mentioned whenever I mention that she has all schedule one of these of course. Yeah, probably I might to anywhere else anywhere else is one of our life. They were Choice really isn't. Yeah exactly and I wanted to ask you something. I guess you say that. We see this just to ask a little bit more about these chefs or whole thing. So what sort of food do you usually cook? So what sort of kitchen you work at? So can you tell us a little bit about that? I've mostly sort of what than just sort of steakhouses sort of things. So I'm quite simple for the likes of I just like quick simple. So a frigid frigid mom could make that sort of thing that makes people happy looking at yeah. Yeah, it makes triplets brings people happiness. That's why I like I like seeing people eat. My food and likes me. A on the face rather than sort of deconstruct it and sort of wondering what it is for an angle of making it something it's not I like that that you know, what because that's like it really is. It's a comfort right? It's a comfort food at something that you know, you're going to go and if someone does the steak or the the roast beef in the potatoes just right. It's like you've had the best meal ever. Yeah, that's the thing because it's so slow. Influence of you can't it's so sort of easy to miss that off as well. So you have to be really good at it. So see like even just you can just boil an egg. It's such a simple thing that if anything goes wrong, that's it messed up and even some simple as ice take everyone knows how they like the steak Cooks off you mess up then that's it. You've ruined that there aren't you? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Whoo. Yeah, so we have a way of keeping it simple, but also being good at my job as well. Exactly. He said Actually, he also helps that the Scottish beef is he's pretty well these worldwide famous, right? So, yes, incredible. Definitely. Yeah. Well, I'd like to go visit Scotland at some point. So it sounds like the food I kind of like to eat. What would you say if I guess no I haven't tried. I guess you haven't heard now. So for people that don't know what haggis is. Can you explain? What that is for people who are listening sort of sort of oats and Spacey's all sort of wrapped up in a sheep's stomach. Okay, and then again against boiled it sort of and the same way of let ya know. It sounds delicious doesn't it sounded a little sarcastic Charles was a maybe but yeah, it doesn't it doesn't sound that feeling that doesn't even wake up feeling but it does taste amazing. Well to be fair. I mean, I love I love Are you calling on the only full English breakfast you have like the black pudding right and the black pudding if you explain exactly what it is. Do you may have a similar situation but I love it. So yeah, what wouldn't I guess of kin are more or less the same thing. There you go. Well, then I you know what you made it sound like you were very truthful that it doesn't look good, but it tastes good. Yeah, so I would be very open to giving that a try. Understood it was a weird sort of story about Canada and haggis. If you live in Canada doing it idea. Yeah. So apparently will in an America haggis is illegal because it's called sheeps lumps in it or something like that and they used to stay in sort of smuggled across the border from Canada. They used to getting delivered in Scotland to Canada. Then smuggled across the border. Well, yeah because you're not allowed to bring like meat eat or animal products or fresh fruit from Canada to the US. Yeah. So used to be hiking smuggles. That's right a job because I bet I can our East Coast we like the like, I'm in the Toronto type area Niagara, but if you go to the east coast, you know, there's a lot more of the influence from From Ireland and Scotland and England on that side and there is as the further you move west. So they probably I'm sure they have that there. I have to ask my colleagues at work you get me been wanting. Yeah. All right. It's been a very pleasant conversation so far. Yeah lot of topic that I actually a lot of topics we've discussed today. Yeah, and you've had no issues talking you are. Some exactly. Yeah, that would have been awful. No, no, well done. Yeah, thank hold on. You also might have the advanced layout Cosmo sort of a book by a thick Scottish accent, but I think I'm doing okay. I'm really I'm really trying and nuncio my world so you know what I said to my daughter before we started I said, oh, I hope that I can understand his accent. Okay, and she's like puppies from Scotland not from like I know but sometimes like like it dip dip any of the islands like I learn Ireland or Scotland or you know, England some some areas have stronger accents than others, right? Yeah. See some of the north of Scotland I can understand what you say is honestly, it's awful. Yeah, seeing like unlike Aberdeen and Vanessa the video the speaker totally different language up there. It's sort of it's sort of English, but then it's also just like Pella gibberish sort of thrown in it's always says so bad. Yeah I can imagine. I mean I went to Edinburgh like in March and I was fine the okay II get you guys. Yeah, it was quite a sort of General accent. No, isn't it? Yeah. So we Faria it's a good it's a good doctors accent. I think it's quite nice quite close. It's quite soft and it's quite soft and they say I think easy to listen to you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, definitely and not only that just from the Side of things sometimes I really nice accent just adds to the whole package. Yeah. So have they got guys out there take note. That's right pick an accent if you have to be so many awful Scottish accents and that's right. So just going to ask you we have a few questions for usually ask at the end of of our podcast with our guests. And and you know, what message would you want people listening to the podcast today to take away from your story just do what you can do to sort of it. That's that's really my sort of my whole sort of ethos is the only thing you can do is do what you can do. Yeah, even if it's like you can't do much train and you can't do much of that but You just just do anything anything's better than nothing. It's true need. Yeah, it's true. And you know, you're definitely an example especially like three weeks out from chemotherapy or your back, you know, trying to live your life. Yeah. Okay want to and are there any people or brand so you like to give a shout-out to the other thing obviously just like my family and all my friends then Jamie Danny Robbie, well, well hers there's a massive influx. Well lives in Australia and he came to school when I was in high school and he's so light and physically dominant or brother and I just sort of so, I wish I could have spoke to know that more because we don't have the opportunity for Lee sit down and sort of speak about everything that happened to me over the last few years. Just that opportunity never arose. I saw Joey motion video. I'm quite envious of his life is very very idyllic life comes in different forms in the sort of rainforest the area on the East Coast of Australia and it's just a beautiful place. And of course mark, my girlfriend Lisa who's always been there to support me and I'm little baby Ruby as well. And whose baby Ruby and that's what stuff those one. Ah, yeah. See your old super cute. Yeah, probably loves her Uncle Jordan. Oh, she'll love them. Yeah, she wants she knows where to go. She knows how to manipulate. Yeah, exactly. So before we ask our very last question, can you tell everybody listening where they can find you online? Probably the best one. That's a drum Jordy Graham. And that's it. That's all you do is sort of social media presence that I have. Okay. Well and like just like Sheila said this question, no one can escape from if you come to the podcast so mr. Jordan, why do you try honestly? I don't know. Okay. I honestly do not know why either I just I just do it because It's because I thought might not be the answer that you're looking for, but I don't actually do not know. Why idea that keeps drawing me back all the time. It's difficult. It's time-consuming, but keep keep doing it. And you know what? There's no particular answer that we're looking for because everybody has a different reason for doing things and sometimes it takes a while for us to figure out what that reason is. And yeah, you know if you love it and it's a challenge for you. You do what? Like I said, you just do what you can do and do what you want. All right. Thank you very much Jordan for today. I think it was a pleasure to have you on and to hear your story and Applause Ava an honor to be able to share it now with that with all of the listeners out there and thanks for watching. I have never enjoyed it. Thank you and to the listeners, I mean, we're sorry that our supreme leader was not able to make it today. Yeah, so I Next the next podcast. You should hear something else soothing voice back. So worry not that's right. Thanks for listening everyone. Thanks for being a part of this humans of triathlon Community. Hope you're enjoying the show and I love the content. Make sure to join us again next week here on the hot podcast where we'll bring you another amazing guest and story from this Audrey, but extra Audrey world of triathlon until then everyone keep trying.
Our guest this week, Jordan Graham beat cancer. After his recovery from surgery and chemotherapy, he wanted to prove to himself that he was better and stronger, he wanted to distance himself from just being 'the guy that had cancer'. He saw Triathlon as a way to do so. A year out from chemo, he completed 2 Triathlons in 2 weeks and was extremely proud. The following year, it started to go all wrong for him. In his rush to become "normal", back to work and training only 3 weeks out of chemo proved to be too much. In his second season of racing, he almost dropped out of one race and didn't even make it to another as his nerves for the better of him. He then decided to take a step away from Triathlon to work on his demons and come out a stronger and better person. He is now back to training and slowly but surely becoming a triathlete again. - SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW: if you've enjoyed the show, it would mean a lot to us if you could leave the show a positive review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It would help us out a ton! - FEEDBACK: to help us improve the show going forward, please take 5 minutes to share your anonymous and honest feedback here - http://bit.ly/hotpodcastsurvey  - H.O.T SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram | Facebook | Strava | Website  - HOSTS: Swapneel Chouhan, Sheila Treleaven, & Carlos (Charles) Galan  - INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC: produced by Vasil Zguri at SoundPulse 