Balancing a love of IRONMAN triathlons with sports medicine

Rich Palzewic

Staff

January 5, 2026

WAUSAU – Balancing her full-time duties as a sports medicine specialist at Bone & Joint Wausau and her passion for IRONMAN triathlons, Jessica L. Juntunen, MD, said, hasn’t always been easy.

“Though not easy, it’s been worth it,” she said. “Everybody thrives on something different as far as what gets you up every morning and motivates you. I think it’s the whole idea of setting a lofty goal – maybe even something you’re not sure you can achieve, but when you do, it becomes addictive. That’s the best feeling in the world.”

Affectionately known to her patients as “Dr. J.,” Juntunen said she recently represented the Wausau community on the global stage, competing in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain.

The 70.3 miles in distance includes a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run.

Held last fall, Juntunen said the event is considered one of the toughest IRONMAN 70.3 courses in the world, with the bike course posing the greatest challenge.

“I have traveled to races before but never internationally – let alone something as big as the world championship,” she said. “Every IRONMAN is a big production, and you definitely feel special – even more so in the setting of the world championship. It was a little intimidating and scary.”

Juntunen said the nervousness associated with the race wasn’t just physical.

“The logistics of such an event are also scary,” she laughed. “I’m traveling with my bike in a box to Europe. Some people lost their bikes, some had them arrive late and others had broken bikes. The logistics add a whole other element to something that’s already stressful.”

Despite a “few hiccups,” Juntunen said things went well in Spain.

According to online results, Juntunen finished the race in six hours, 25 minutes and 32 seconds.

“I knew it was going to be a tough day, but I went into it hoping to enjoy my day and finish with a smile on my face – I was able to do that,” she said. “I’m not a pro, and I’m not getting paid for this, so I wanted to enjoy it because these opportunities are few and far between.”

Juntunen, who grew up in Oklahoma before settling in Wausau in 2018, said she now has four full IRONMAN (140.6 miles) triathlons and several half IRONMAN races under her belt.

“I’m a little harsh on myself – sometimes I’m my own worst critic,” she said. “I love chasing my own personal best and being better than I was yesterday because that’s really what this sport is. Unless you’re getting paid to do this, the only person you’re really racing with is yourself.”

Bone & Joint

Though she grew up in Oklahoma and spent time in other parts of the country before settling in the Wausau area, Juntunen said she’s glad her path led her north.

“It’s been a great decision, and I’m happy I found Bone & Joint,” she said. “A lot of exciting things are happening.”

According to bonejoint.net, Bone & Joint Wausau serves as a destination for orthopedic, pain management, sports medicine, physical and occupational therapy and podiatry services.

Located just one block south of the Highway 51 and Bridge Street intersection, Juntunen said the facility offers a state-of-the-art surgery center and on-site diagnostic services, including X-ray, MRI and ultrasound to provide timely, accessible and convenient care.

“I grew up in Oklahoma and spent my time there all through medical school, basically,” she said. “My residency was in Arizona, and then I completed a fellowship in Alabama before going back to Arizona, where I practiced for a couple of years at an orthopedic sports medicine clinic.”

In her seven years at Bone & Joint, Juntunen said the most notable change she’s witnessed has been the organization’s steady, ongoing growth.

“It’s really just trying to grow sports medicine, because I feel it’s a specialty not a lot of people are familiar with, especially if you’re not from a big city or academic setting,” she said. 

Juntunen said Bone & Joint is focused on expanding sports medicine services locally, with an emphasis on community education and continued growth of its Wausau-based program.

For a while, she said she was the sole sports medicine specialist at Bone & Joint.

“We added a new sports medicine primary care physician, Dr. Kurt M. Lawton, so now you’ve got two of us,” she said. “I hope we continue to grow. There are so many active athletic people here in Central Wisconsin. We [also] serve a lot of people who wouldn’t consider themselves athletes – just active.”

Juntunen said Bone & Joint provides patients with an intermediate level of care between primary care providers and needing an orthopedic surgeon.

“All of that non-operative orthopedics is what we do,” she said. “From a career standpoint, I hope that in five to 10 years, hopefully sooner, people around the area, when they’re looking for sports medicine, they think of Bone & Joint Wausau and look at us as a destination. We’re trying to make a name for sports medicine in Wausau.”

Juntunen said she admits that juggling her duties at Bone & Joint with IRONMAN training is never perfectly balanced.

“Anyone who says they balance it perfectly is not telling the truth,” she laughed. “A lot of people are intimidated by the time commitment. Not to sound selfish, but I think you have to make yourself a priority. If I’m not healthy and not happy, I’m not good to friends, family or work – another big priority, obviously.”

Juntunen said she approaches things with the mindset of “taking care of myself first.”

“For anybody out there, I feel you have to take care of yourself first so you can then take care of other people and your career,” she said. “I’m an early morning person. My alarm is set for the same time every weekday, regardless – that’s just the way it is, and it’s my routine.”

Juntunen said she prefers to be productive with her training before setting foot into the Bone & Joint clinic.

More IRONMAN escapades

Juntunen said her “IRONMAN escapades” are far from over.

Having qualified for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, she has also secured a spot in next year’s championship in Nice, France.

“For a very long time, for more than a decade, I was a total gym rat,” she said. “Cardio really wasn’t my thing, but when I moved to Arizona for my residency, the consistent sunshine made me not want to be stuck in a gym all the time, so I bought myself a road bike.”

From the moment her two wheels hit the road, Juntunen said she was “immediately addicted.”

“A family member had gotten into triathlons, so she encouraged me to do the same,” she said. “I didn’t know the first thing about it except I had to swim, bike and run. I showed up with my little 10-speed bike and had a blast.”

In the years since, Juntunen said she has completed a trio of IRONMAN Wisconsin events and one in Arizona – noting that swimming, in particular, tests a competitor’s mental strength.

“If you’re running or biking and you don’t feel well, you’re anxious or stressed or something doesn’t feel right physically, you can stop,” she said. “Swimming is one sport where you can’t always just stop. You’re also holding your breath for part of it.”

Juntunen said some people are simply anxious and fearful of being in the water in general.

“In a triathlon, you’re swimming in lakes and the ocean, and it adds a whole other element,” she said. “The bottom line is, there is more to worry about when you’re swimming. I’m not a fast swimmer, but I’m a comfortable swimmer.”

One of the things she loves about triathlon – and IRONMAN in particular – Juntunen said, is the different types of people who compete.

“They come from all walks of life,” she said. “Everybody has their own background and abilities. It’s also a sport where you can be on the same course with a professional, as you are with somebody who takes 17 hours to complete a 17-hour race. You’re competing with your competitors, but they’re also your biggest cheerleader.”

Though still a dream at this point, Juntunen said she aspires to one day race in the IRONMAN 140.6 World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.

“I get nervous even saying [that statement] because it’s so difficult,” she laughed. “I’m also realistic, but that would be a bucket list sort of thing. I’ve actually been there multiple times – once to see the race and then a couple of times to help with the Epic Five – [which consists of five iron-distance triathlons] – so I’m somewhat familiar with the course and logistics.”

For now, Juntunen said she’s focused on her work at Bone & Joint Wausau, while her next IRONMAN challenge is on the horizon.