Page 52 - HCPVitalityChronicles

Cole.e McFadden, MD’s Love of Endurance Sports

Keeps Her Mo-vated, Inspired

Failure is not a word in the vocabulary of Co- overrides this challenge. Fitness became
le.e McFadden, MD, Hospitalist, Region 4. an important part of her life at around age
So when she missed the cutoff -me in the 25, just before she started medical school.
Orange County Vision Quest, an extremely At that -me, she did easy bike riding and
difficult -med mountain bike race, in 2008, running, and over the years, she increased
it just propelled her to challenge herself fur- the intensity level. It was about 10 years
ther. The following year, she completed this ago that she became more interested in
56-mile race, an 11,000-foot climb without mountain biking, mountain bike races and
any stopping, “by the skin of my teeth,” in other endurance sports. One of her most
her own words. enduring cycling races was in 2008, when
she rode from San Francisco to Los Ange-
Her passion for endurance athle-cs has les—525 miles in eight days—to fundraise
taken her around the world, some-mes to for the Arthri-s Founda-on.
compete, some-mes to just enjoy new
scenery. She cycled around Vietnam in 2009, She tries to share the importance of
Colette McFadden, MD, at a mountain bike
and in China in 2011. Closer to home, at the race—8 hours of Boggs—in 2011, in which physical fitness with her pa-ents. “There
Long Beach Triathlon in 2010, Dr. McFadden she placed third. are always opportuni-es to educate and
was the top fundraiser of the event, for St. inspire people to be more ac-ve and
Mary’s Care Clinic, for pa-ents with AIDS. This same year she healthier,” Dr. McFadden said. “I try not to be evangelical about
placed first in a 12-hour mountain bike race in Temecula. it but rather talk about it by example.”

In 2011, she decided on a whim to sign up for the Leadville 100, a Such an instance recently presented itself when a pa-ent, who
grueling 100-mile mountain bike race all above 10,000 feet in the was not very old, suffered a heart a.ack out of the blue. “It was
mountains of Colorado. Contestants for the popular event are a good educa-onal opportunity to talk to him about nutri-on
chosen by lo.ery—and Dr. McFadden was chosen. She did all and the importance of fi/ng in some exercise into your busy
kinds of cycling to train, including 8- to 10-hour rides in Big Bear to day,” said Dr. McFadden, who is also focused on nutri-on and
prepare for the high al-tude. eats mindfully.

“It was amazing,” she said. “I had an awesome pit team, including As an Extraordinary Achievement recipient, Dr. McFadden will
my boyfriend, friends, and family. I had 12 minutes to go, but I just be awarded 700 Vitality points. “I love the Vitality program; it re-
kept going. I’m always at the end, but I just keep going.” inforces what I am doing anyway,” said McFadden, who stayed
at the Ritz Carlton in Maui in February using hotel vouchers
In July 2012 she completed a Half Ironman, the Vineman series, in through the Vitality program.
Sonoma Valley. The half marathon por-on of the compe--on was
in 90 degree heat. “That was one of the more challenging things She trained for the 2012 New York Marathon, but the event was
I’ve done,” Dr. McFadden said. All the prepara-on—open water cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. She hopes to take part in the
swimming in the ocean in Long Beach, smaller triathlons leading up event this year.
to the event—paid off in the end.
“I try to make people see that they can fit in exercise,” Dr. Mc-
One of the challenges of these compe--ons is fi/ng in the -me Fadden said, “and I hope to be inspira-onal.”
to train with her work schedule, but her love of the compe--ons

Do you know someone who has completed an extreme physical fitness ac-vity or healthy living event within the last year?
If you would like to nominate their Extraordinary Achievement, please contact Catherine Crow, Janelle Howe or Janet Galli.