4 minute read
‘Ironwoman’ Navy veteran finds inner strength
By Bret Bowers
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, MANNGRANDSTAFF VAMC
U.S. Navy veteran Breanna (Brea) Northup, a valued member of the VA workforce in Spokane, finished her third Ironman Triathlon in July 2021. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, but she drew strength to finish from many places deep within her heart and mind: friends, family, her children, and her hero – the “Iron Nun.”
“She’s a ‘massive lighthouse’ for so many, and for so many reasons,” claimed Northup, “and yet, she told me I was a light.”
Northup first learned of Sister Madonna Buder through a Nike shoe ad on television. When she learned that the nun was a resident in Spokane, she immediately sought her out and their genuine friendship blossomed during the filming of a special television series in 2019, “The Religion of Sports – the Iron Nun.”
“God … help me do my best, and You do the rest,” is the simple prayer Sister Madonna says to keep her going during the grueling hours competing in marathons and triathlons.
“She is my hero,” explained Northup. “Meeting Sister Madonna and running began a new chapter in life for me.” Northup wanted to strengthen herself as never before. “It took me over a year and half to recover from the anguish of divorce, and the reality I have two little boys counting on me to win every day in life,” she said. “I want them to understand what perseverance is. And, as athletes, we have to learn to embrace the suck.”
Northup knew long before meeting the Iron Nun that running was about pushing herself, and not just for a race. She started the “Stroller Warriors®” running club for parents with children in strollers while stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. After transferring to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Northup started another chapter in Oak Harbor, Washington, which quickly grew to more than 300 members.
Since then, Northup has remarried to an active-duty sailor and taken on two step-daughters, and maintains a full-time job at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane serving her fellow veterans.
Northup chose the Ironman Triathlon in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for her most recent physical challenge. The race includes an 2.4-mile swim in Lake Coeur d’Alene; a 112-mile bike ride; and the final “leg” of the race, a full marathon.
But 19 miles into the 26-mile run, Brea’s body began to shut down on her. She had to stop at an aid tent, but all of Northup’s attempts to reach family or friends by phone fell flat.
“I was in a lot of pain but couldn’t reach anybody to let them know I wasn’t going to be able to make it. But if I had received sympathy or ‘permission’ to stop, I knew I would have quit.”
Northup underestimated the excruciating pain of not properly fueling herself for an Ironman race, especially in such intense summer temperatures. She needed salt and more electrolytes if she wanted to finish within the 17-hour Ironman Triathlon deadline.
“My hands were losing feeling and cramping. I had a headache and was dizzy. I didn’t want to drink or eat anything more, it was scary.” Even more than the physical and emotional toll was the overwhelming thought of having a Did Not Finish – “DNF” disqualifier label placed after her name on the race log.
While thinking of all those pulling for her, Northup’s determination enabled her to stand back up and slowly begin walking, step by step toward the finish line. Behind on time, she was surprised by her support group, including her children and a fellow veteran who showed up in the dark to give her one final “push” of love and strength.
“My friend Ashley, a veteran herself, proceeded to encourage me by walking with me the remaining 5 miles in her Birkenstocks. She even pushed me at the end, by running alongside me outside the race line towards the infamous red carpet/finish line.”
And, it worked. After 15 hours of endurance, a race against the clock, and two more hours of debilitating pain and dehydration, Northup finished with less than 10 minutes to spare!
Through discipline, a personal commitment to the mission, and sharing a passion for her family and dearest friends, Northup is “insanely proud of how military service shaped my life and I am so incredibly proud to be a veteran … serving other veterans. I work hard to pass on what I have learned to others, while continuing to push myself.”
Brea Northup
COURTESY PHOTOS
U.S. Navy veteran Brea Northup was a finisher of the Ironman Triathlon in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in July 2021.
