A Toronto paramedic is on a mission to set a world record as the youngest female to complete six Ironman triathlons on six continents within 18 months while raising awareness about first responder mental health.
Silvia Stajer, a 25-year-old full-time first responder working in downtown Toronto, acknowledges the challenges of her job, stating that some days can be “really hard” and “emotionally, mentally upsetting.”
She says she finds working out alone helps her “recenter” herself but there are many first-responders who lack the necessary support.
“I think it’s so important for all of us to rely on each other…I’m able to do this job and be mentally healthy because of all the exercise I do,” she told Now Toronto on Monday.
While exercise, including running and lifting weights, was always a part of her everyday routine, Stajer got her “first taste of a triathlon” after successfully completing the Toronto Triathlon Festival in July 2023. She placed in the top 10 participants in her age and gender category.
“I knew this was the sport I could do for the rest of my life,” she said. After that, it was impossible to stop Stajer from falling in love with the sport and continuing to train for an Ironman.
An Ironman Triathlon is a long-distance race organized by the World Triathlon Corporation, consisting of a 3.86-kilometer swim, a 180.25-kilometer bicycle ride, and a 42.16-kilometer marathon run, totaling 226.3 kilometers.
Stajer went on to complete half Ironman races, or Ironman 70.3, which include a 1.93-kilometer swim, a 90.12-kilometer bike ride, and a 21.09-kilometer run, totaling 113 kilometers, in Arizona in October 2023 and in Florida in December 2023.
To prepare for the highly intense triathlon, she found her coach on TikTok, who is not only a certified Ironman coach but also a two-time Ironman all-world athlete. Blake Jacques, founder of HAX Athletic Club, trains individuals aiming to participate in Ironman triathlons, providing comprehensive coaching from exercise routines to essential nutrient guidance.
Stajer says she “instantly connected” with Jacques due to his dedication to his athletes and his willingness to answer all her questions, even if that means “50 questions a day.”
“He plans all of my training, all of my nutrition. So, I honestly just go into autopilot when it comes to my workouts because they’re posted online, and then it’s up to me to get them done,” she added.
Training can get lonely, but Stajer finds motivation in HAX’s group chat where fellow athletes inspire each other. She also credits the support of her coworkers, family, friends, partner, and her partner’s family.
“One of the biggest parts of this is to inspire others that they can really achieve so much,” she said while talking about the people who message her on Instagram and have been inspired by her journey to take up triathlons.
“We are capable of so many things, and there are so many barriers and ways that we’re holding ourselves back. But if you just let yourself take that step, once you come to the other side, it is so rewarding,” she added.
Stajer completed her first full Ironman in Brazil on May 19. She plans to complete two more Ironman triathlons this year: one in September in Italy and another in December in Australia.
In 2025, she will compete in South Africa in March, Japan in September, and Arizona in November. By the time she completes all the Ironman races, she will have turned 27 years old, all while working full-time as a paramedic.
“Never sell yourself short. Grind it out and make it happen. Always chase your butterflies. #whynotyou,” Stajer wrote on an Instagram post about her mission.
