Emilie Deslauriers

Meet Emilie Deslauriers, a L’Hippopotame ambassador who recently completed IRONMAN Lake Placid. Known for her radiant smile in every photo, Emilie brings her positive energy wherever she goes!



First, could you introduce yourself? Who is Emilie outside of triathlon, and how did your triathlon journey begin?

I’m a 28-year-old French Canadian, fluent in both French and English. Outside of triathlon, I’ve always been an extremely active person with a lot of energy to burn! Growing up, I was constantly moving, I downhill ski, cheered in high school, and love playing tennis and golf. On the academic and professional side, I hold a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and a master’s degree in Operations Management. When I’m not training, I enjoy unwinding by reading, drawing, playing board games, binge-watching shows, and spending quality time with my friends and family.

My triathlon journey started back in 2017 when my uncle introduced me to road cycling. I was already an avid runner since high school, and having worked as a lifeguard, I’ve always felt right at home in the water. Combining the three felt like a natural next step, so I signed up for my first sprint triathlon in 2017 and I was instantly hooked!


How long have you been involved in triathlon? What initially attracted you to the sport, and what continues to inspire you to keep challenging yourself?

I’ve been involved in triathlon since 2017, so about nine years now! What initially drew me to the sport was the variety and the unique challenge of combining three distinct disciplines into a single race. Since I already loved running and swimming, adding cycling, thanks to my uncle, felt like the missing piece of the puzzle that tied everything together.

What continues to inspire me to keep challenging myself is the constant opportunity for growth. Triathlon is as much a mental game as a physical one, and there’s always room to refine your training, master your pacing, or push your limits a little further. Qualifying for both the 70.3 and 140.6 World Championships showed me that I’ve only scratched the surface of my potential, and seeing how much further I can go, both mentally and physically, is what keeps me coming back for more.


Every athlete has a different reason for pushing through difficult moments in training and racing. While preparing for and completing such a challenging course, what kept you moving forward?

What keeps me moving forward during the toughest moments comes down to a mix of deep personal discipline, belief in the process, and the support around me.

First and foremost, my coach plays a huge role in keeping me focused, accountable, and prepared for whatever race day throws at me. My training philosophy is simple: we don't train for race day to be easy, we train hard so that the pain becomes manageable when it counts.

Preparing for Lake Placid, which is notoriously one of the hardest Ironman courses, meant putting in relentless work during the build. Practicing steep bike climbs and pounding out runs on hilly terrain was brutal, but enduring that difficulty in training is what gives me the mental and physical edge on race day. When things get tough during a race, I draw confidence knowing I’ve already done the hard work, embraced the pain, and have an incredible support system in my corner pushing me to the finish line.

Because I came into the season with a run focus while building for the Ottawa Marathon at the end of May, our primary emphasis in those early months was on running. Once Ottawa was wrapped up, we immediately shifted gears to target the bike leg, drastically building up volume until I was topping out at over 300 km on the saddle per week. To prepare for Lake Placid's heavy elevation, my build centered on steep bike climbs followed by long, taxing brick runs on hilly terrain to get my legs accustomed to running under deep fatigue.

In the final weeks leading up to the race, my focus shifted from raw volume to fine-tuning, recovery, and sharp mental execution. Trusting the taper is always a mental hurdle, but I reminded myself that the hard work was already in the bank. My mindset was all about execution, patience, and staying dialed in on my fueling and pacing strategies. By the time I stood on the swim start line, I felt calm and confident knowing my training and preparation had fully equipped me to manage whatever the course threw my way.


Given how challenging the course was, there may have been moments when you wanted to stop or began to doubt yourself. What was the most difficult moment, and what did you tell yourself to keep moving forward?

The absolute hardest moment for me came around the 130 km mark on the bike. My neck was in intense pain, and mentally knowing that the remaining 50 km were filled with grueling uphills was tough to digest.

To get through it, I shifted my focus outward to distract myself from the physical discomfort. I started talking to other athletes on the course, asking them how they were doing and if they were hurting too, it was a great reminder that we were all in the hurt locker together. I also treated myself to an applesauce and a Lucky Charms bar, which gave me such a huge mental boost; after hours of gels, candy, and sweet drink mixes, having real food was pure happiness!

I kept repeating to myself how lucky I was to be out there racing, that I had put in all the hard work in training to handle moments just like this, and that I was there to test my boundaries and push myself to a whole new limit. Reframing the pain as part of the process helped me stay positive and keep moving forward.


What did you feel when you crossed the finish line? What did this race teach you or help you discover about yourself?

When I crossed that finish line, I was filled with pure, overwhelming happiness. Honestly, I was in shock that I had actually done it, and even more surprised that I genuinely enjoyed 95% of the race! Hearing those famous words I’d been chasing for 10 years, 'Emilie, you are an Ironman!'was absolute magic and easily the best feeling in the world.

Going into the finish, both I and my family and friends expected me to be super emotional, but instead, we were all just overflowing with joy and excitement. To execute my race almost perfectly and cross that line with the biggest smile on my face for my very first Ironman was unforgettable.

What this race taught me about myself is that I am far more capable and resilient than I ever gave myself credit for. It proved that with the right preparation, trust in the process, and a positive mindset, you can take on something daunting and not just survive it, but actually thrive and love the journey.

By completing this race, you also earned the opportunity to compete on an even bigger stage. How did you feel when you first found out, and what does this opportunity mean to you?

Qualifying for Kona had always been a dream of mine, but given the brutal difficulty of Lake Placid and the sheer caliber of athletes racing, I knew I needed an exceptional performance just to stand a chance at a World Championship slot.

There were only 18 Kona slots available for the women, and coming out of the performance pool ranked 37th overall, I wasn't sure it would reach me. When the roll-down reached my name for the absolute last slot, I was completely paralyzed with shock. Going to Kona for my very first Ironman felt surreal. Once I was handed the official qualifying certificate, I just burst into tears! It was total joy and disbelief.

Having the opportunity to race alongside the absolute best in the world where Ironman was born means everything to me. I’ve read so much about Hawaii, the island's rich culture, and the history of this sport, and I still can’t believe I have the privilege of racing there this year.


You now have another major event ahead of you. What do you hope to achieve through this next challenge, and what part of your own “Hidden Performance” do you hope to reveal?

Heading into this next challenge, my primary goal isn't just about a specific finish time or rank, it's about honoring the work, the sacrifices, and the growth I've experienced throughout this journey.

With this race, I want to prove to myself that I can set ambitious goals and execute them. While I’m naturally competitive, my biggest competition is always myself. Training has already taught me that I am capable of doing hard things. Now, my goal is to carry that confidence to the start line, stay fully present throughout the day, listen to my body while pushing my limits, and give everything I have on the course.

Ultimately, I’m doing this for myself. Whatever happens on race day, no result can ever take away the person I’ve become and the work I’ve put in along the way, and that’s the true performance I hope to reveal.