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BWH's Janet Barnes recently competed among 2,000 of the world's best triathletes at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
Janet Barnes, JD, RN, executive director of Clinical Compliance and Risk Management for BWH, says she isn't exactly a risk taker when she is in the office.
This may be why some of her colleagues are surprised to learn that outside of work she is a competitive triathlete. She recently competed among 2,000 of the world's best at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, finishing the race in an impressive 12 hours and 44 minutes and placing 18th in her division.
Training for ironman triathlons-which are comprised of a 2.4-mile open water swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile marathon by foot-allows Barnes a release from her demanding job and an opportunity to be part of an exclusive community of athletes, which also includes her husband.
In 1991, Barnes' now-husband convinced her to compete in her first triathlon after they met while she was swimming at a community pool.
"I like being a part of something, this unique group of people that not a lot of others can understand," Barnes said. "Competing in triathlons has been such a great outlet for me; it's a completely different part of my life that I share with my husband and something that is totally separate from my work."
Barnes qualified for the Ironman Worlds by finishing second in her age group (Female 55-59) at Ironman Lake Placid this summer. Though she has completed the ironman in the past, this year she finished with a time of 12 hours, 22 minutes, 24 seconds, earning her a coveted spot at the championships. Barnes wasn't the only BWHer to race at Lake Placid. Marc Bonaca, MD, MPH, Shawn Stanghellini, RN, and Arturo Saavedra, MD, PhD, MBA, also competed.
In the office, Barnes oversees all clinical compliance activities, including Joint Commission accreditation, licensure with the Department of Public Health and the hospital's risk management program, which aligns closely with its work in patient safety.
"My job can be stressful, and it has long hours, so I tend to look at my activities around triathlons and staying fit as a release and a good outlet," said Barnes.
Since July, Barnes has logged 13 to 16 hours a week in training, mostly in the mornings before work.
"The Ironman World Championships is the cream of the crop from all over the world," said Barnes. "There were 40 women in my age group, and they are all incredible athletes. My goal was to finish with a smile on my face. I wanted to enjoy the day."
And she did just that, calling the day an amazing experience.
From left: BWHers Marc Bonaca, Shawn Stanghellini, Janet Barnes and Art Saavedra all competed at Ironman Lake Placid earlier this year.