Stronger than the Setbacks
It’s all about the cartwheels.
While any walker, jogger, or runner who completes a race relishes crossing the finish line, for one 41-year-old Clinton, Iowa, native and mother of three, it’s three cartwheels. Afterall, completing an Ironman triathlon event is significant. Competitors train for years for the grueling opportunity to swim 2.4 miles, bike another 112, and then finish off with a 26.2-mile marathon.
All. In. One. Day.
“I am totally hooked on the triathlon lifestyle,” affirms Heather Carlson, Goose Lake. “Daily movement is the cornerstone of my life, and I’m usually running on all cylinders!”
Over the past three years, Heather has completed not one, but three Ironman events. “Tri-training brings balance to my life and there’s something to work for.”
Her third triathlon was the charm and especially satisfying after a year of injury, surgery, and a health scare that nearly sidelined her goals.
“More than a year ago, I rolled my ankle during a run and wasn’t sure if it was a just a sprain or something worse. I was training for a half Ironman and another full event planned for the year.”
The Road Back Begins at ORA
Heather’s trip to ORA Orthopedics’ Urgent OrthoCARE walk-in clinic began a journey of rehab that extended well beyond her ankle. “They did an X-ray and thankfully it was not broken. I was still worried, so the doctor connected me with ORA Physical Therapist Brad Hirl who also works with athletes.”
Brad, a 38-year PT veteran and Clinton native says even localized injuries can affect sports performance. “We develop treatment plans based on how the injury impacts the rest of the body. When you train, even small injuries can lead to a big training impact at the elite level.”
While she couldn’t run for a few weeks, a rehab regimen of biking, pool therapy, and strengthening workouts built Heather back enough to finish her half-Ironman just four months later.
Says Brad, “PT can be challenging, we have a great relationship. Her training coach helped her too, along with chiropractic treatments and massage therapy. I was on ‘Team Heather.’”
As with training, life’s circumstances can put hurdles in the way for even the most diligent. “I felt good to go,” Heather recalls, “but fast forward a couple of months, and I still wasn’t feeling as strong as I should. I was having hamstring pain on my right side, and something was going on with my leg, so I got some labs done.”
Throughout that first year, Brad and Heather say they had forged a strong training relationship when each had their own health scare.
Brad Hirl, ORA Physical Therapy
Heather’s medical tests revealed she not only a precancerous polyp in her colon but chronic and intermittent appendicitis. Brad also learned he had throat cancer. “It was a tough winter for both of us. She had significant limitations because her appendicitis affected the sciatic nerve, and the appendectomy certainly affected her athletic performance,” Brad explains.
“We took a break from her therapy while I was treated for throat cancer. It was at the same time doctor’s found pre-cancerous cells in her colon. We shared that journey together, and we texted each other support for about three months.”
Heather and Brad: A Team Through It All
In January 2026 both Brad and Heather were both on the other side of their health concerns. It was a new year, and Heather had plans to run her third Ironman in Jacksonville, Florida, in May. “I had my appendix out in December, and Brad and I were back in early January.
“I was in rough shape, discouraged and down, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to do the May Ironman. Surgery causes scar tissue and Brad gave me exercises for rehab. He has a good understanding of when to push.”
Team Heather kicked into high gear. “I told Brad to go for it, and I’ll bet there is no one in the world who does what he does. We just clicked.
“Daily movement is such a big part of my life. My husband is the real MVP, my kids cheer me on, and between Brad, my coach, Scott Gall, in Cedar Falls, my massage therapist, and my bestie who is a chiropractor, there was just no way I could lose!”
Three years of 4 a.m. wake up calls, swimming and running about 3 days a week, and cycling about 4 days per week paid off in Jacksonville. “My fitness took off this past spring. I have been running faster and felt so much better. We loaded up the kids and went to Florida together. It was amazing!”
Three Cartwheels Across the Finish Line
Heather not only finished the grueling event but placed fifth in her age group.
Three cartwheels across the finish line, one for each of her kids and for each Ironman she has completed.
“Big goals don’t have to be scary, just try to get out of your comfort zone,” she advises. Brad adds that it’s been a privilege to be a part of Heather’s journey and it’s why he continues to practice PT. “ I like my job more so every year. To see patients succeed in a way they didn’t think they could and reach their potential to get through life is rewarding.”
Heather brought in her triathlon medal to thank him. “We did this together.”
Heather says for the rest of us, you don’t have to finish an Ironman to enjoy the benefits of fitness, especially for midlife moms with a full family life and career. “Try to do something that scares you. Take the risk.
“The outcome matters but it’s every day that you show up—especially when you encounter barriers—that is where you become whatever you accomplish. Just be sure and do something else for YOU.”
Way to go Heather & Brad!
