Bio for Karen Frank

Click Here for Karen's Secure Donation Page to the Canadian Cancer Society!

Four Times at Ironman Canada!

I am a civilian member of the Cops for Cancer Ironman team, training from my home in Port Coquitlam.  Although not a Member of the Police force, a misspent youth and a love of testing cars to the limit has kept me in close contact with many of Vancouver’s finest.

Like so many of us, my day job as an investment associate at a Vancouver brokerage saw me excel in endurance laziness and championship chocolate and in 2002, I knew I had to make some changes.  The “My First Triathlon” that summer became my goal and along with my husband (kicking and screaming), I began my training.  What started as a nice training goal of a short, flat sprint distance race has now grown to a crazed pursuit of Olympic, 70.3 and Ironman racing.

I watched friends succeed in Penticton and I found my medal collection growing to include the Peach City ½ Marathon, the Vancouver First Half Marathon, Seattle half and full marathons, Napa Valley Marathon, the Penticton Peach Classic and Black Diamond Olympic distance races, twice to the Oliver Half Ironman, and the Grand Columbian Half Ironman (3rd Place Athena Division!).  This year will mark my third Ironman Canada start in a row and I am excited again to race as part of the Cops for Cancer, Team Ironman.

Closets that used to contain dress shoes now contain tech gear, runners and helmets.  Our guests now sleep in the company of weight sets, a tread mill and wind trainers.  Where Sunday brunch was once bacon and sausages enjoyed on the patio, it has now become sports drink and espresso gels, enjoyed by the patio, then the park, then the river….

My choice of joining the Cops for Cancer Ironman team and to help raise much needed money for support of people and families affected by Cancer was made this past summer after meeting with several of the team at Ironman Canada.  I had previously beat Cervical Cancer and in 2003, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Ovarian Cancer.  Being a part of a team of selfless individuals willing to devote their time and energy to fundraising for a cause near to me gives me an even stronger incentive to succeed in triathlon and the many other challenges life brings to us

What began as a lifestyle change has now become a celebration of life.

Karen