Ironman: Life-threatening health scare stokes fire in belly of volunteer firefighter

Mike Mander will enter his first Ironman 70.3 today in Taupo. Photo / Supplied

Less than a year ago, Mike Mander couldn't run for more than 35 seconds on a treadmill.

But after a life-threatening health scare led to a reassessment of life, the inspiring 46-year-old will line up for his first Ironman 70.3 today in Taupo.

Mander, who has served as a volunteer firefighter for 23 years, was on a call-out in December 2016 when he was exposed to dangerous chemicals used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine.

After being rushed to hospital, Mander was treated for blood poisoning but the chemicals had already affected his heart, leaving him with ongoing health problems such as chest pain and high blood pressure.

As the months passed, Mander was eventually referred to a specialist, where abnormalities in his heart function were discovered. He was then told that he had just four weeks to make a serious lifestyle change and lose weight or he would be on heart medication the rest of his life.

And after a confronting conversation with his son put things into perspective, Mander knew it was time to turn his life around.

"I was talking to my wife and my son overheard me and on the way to school the next day, he said to me, 'Dad, I don't want you to die'," Mander told the Weekend Herald. "Honesty from kids is the harshest and best thing. Sometimes you hear things from a child, and as an adult, you think 'it is that easy isn't it? Just join the gym and get healthy' ... I changed my diet, cut out drinking, and made a lot of lifestyle changes."

It took only a few weeks for Mander to start seeing results but he soon realised he needed the motivation of a goal.

That's when he set his sights on Ironman.

"I watched [Ironman] on TV and I was always in awe of what the guys do and it's just incredible, the commitment and the ability for somebody to go for that long ... but I never ever thought it would be me," he said.

"The weight was coming off though and I was getting stronger and fitter, and thoughts of a triathlon kept coming into my head.

"My physio said I had to get a coach and I approached Andrew MacKay at Boost Coaching.

"I was looking at just doing the Mount [triathlon] but he said 'why not Ironman?'

"He gave me the push and made me believe I could do it. Now here I am ... training towards Ironman next March."

An amazing 37kg down and with a blood pressure so perfect the New Zealand Fire Service medical team ordered re-testing because they assumed the machines were faulty, Mander is astonished by what he's achieved.

Although admitting to being a little nervous for the race, Mander said all he wanted was to give it his best and that his journey would inspire others - before a medical scare had to do so.

"Nine months of hard work, pain and training ... I want to do really well and I want to do really well for me, I want to make sure I perform to the best I can.

"Some people are unlucky when they get a health scare, it can be too late for them to make a change. For me, I got it in time, I am not young, but at 46, it gave me the wake-up call I needed.

"I just [want] to motivate people who are thinking about doing something but have that self-doubt. Anything is possible, and I think that's the key. A lot of people think 'I'd love to do it' and that was me.

"It comes down to that self-want - if you want to do it, you do it. Nobody's making you do it, you've got to have that drive from within."