Living Life to the Full: My Ironman Journey: July 2011

Friday, July 29, 2011

Ironman Wisconsin, Training Camp and IMAZ 2012

I'm currently in Madison, WI.

Think this is the first time I've ever been to WI....very pretty, but hot and hilly today!
I',m riding with some triathletes from Endurance Nation (over 100 of us) this weekend as part of a training camp and it's fun! Today we rode the course...and I'll say it again....HOT AND HILLY!

Kind of glad I'm not signed up for this Ironman frankly!

Looks like I will be doing IMAZ again though in 2012, along with some other IRONHEART RACING team members - what a great story that will be...so much so that I heard there will be a documentary film made about us....how cool will that be! Definitely still Living Life to the Full... :-)

Photo from the Cleveland Marathon

Not the prettiest of photos but at least I look as if I'm running somewhat fast! LOL.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Chicago Marathon!

Well yesterday I was the happiest person in Chicago I think, I thought I had been given a spot into the Chicago Marathon...one of the greatest marathon's in the world....I was so excited! The race sold out months ago, and before we knew that we were location here.....BUT today that all must have been a dream....

Chicago is our new home!

So Don and I moved house and home this weekend to Chicago! Once again our lives and jobs lead us to a new and exciting venture. We arrived in our (small!) apartment on Saturday and so far we are enjoying the city life. Already I have biked along the Lakeshore trail and signed up for a boot camp! Weather is hot (humid!) and sunny....everyone keeps telling us to enjoy it while we can.

Our dog, Dude is not so impressed with the change and is taking his time adapting to his new surroundings...

Live life to the full...always!

Welcome to my Blog !

Www.ellenliveslifetothefull.com

I'm new at this ! but I've taken the technological plunge and started to write a blog. What fun!

My blog is about me. My journey from Open Heart-Surgery to competing in an Ironman Triathlon in less than 8 months.

My story begins with my bizarre symptoms which puzzled my doctors, the dramatic diagnosis and immediate requirement for open heart surgery. Then came the painful and slow recovery and the longing to return to my triathlon passion. My determination and will power to succeed against all the odds and realize my dream: To become an Ironman.

My Story

On March 26^th 2010, I had unplanned open heart surgery to fix multiple holes in my heart that had gone undetected for 41 years. I was born with a severe congenital heart defect and was told that I needed surgery to prevent my heart failing. The right side of my heart was severely enlarged and doctors told me without the surgery, my days would be numbered. I had no idea, I had such a defect, I was a triathlete and had been competitively racing triathlons for almost 7 years – what now?

The days and weeks following my surgery were miserable. Even walking slowly up and down the hospital ward was difficult. My doctors were encouraging though and my surgeon was confident I would be up and running again soon enough. Of course I had signed up for my first Ironman distance race (Arizona) in November 2009 and did not anticipate having to deal with open heart surgery at the beginning of my training plan! By May, I was back on my bike in earnest and was even able to begin some easy swimming and jogging. My doctors were amazed but were also concerned that I may have been pushing myself too hard. I still had my Ironman goal for 2010 and I was determined to at least try and get to the starting line.

In September 2010, my doctor did a thorough medical evaluation and was sufficiently pleased with the results to allow me to compete in the race. She did place some restrictions on my training and my racing however but concluded that I made a tremendous recovery and my heart was now functioning far better than it ever had been.

I began writing a journal in the spring about my experiences and then continued on throughout my recovery and training periods. My journal became more of a memoir and soon I was encouraged by friends to contact a publisher to discuss publishing my memoir. I was skeptical that anyone would be interested in reading about my life and experience but nevertheless agreed to send in the memoir once I had completed it. The publisher asked me how the book would end and when he could receive the manuscript. I replied that the end of the book would be when I crossed the finish line at Ironman Arizona, when I finally become an “Ironman”. On November 21^st, 2010, almost 8 months to the day since my surgery, I crossed that finish line in my first ever Ironman in a time of 12 hours and 37 minutes, and I have never felt so alive.

My book will is called “Living Life to the Full…My Ironman Journey” and is available through my website

www.ellenliveslifetothefull.com . I'm hoping to raise awareness for Adult Congenital Heart disorders and provide inspiration to those needing it. It is possible to swim, bike, run and compete again after open heart surgery, follow your dreams but listen to your heart!

Also visit my facebook page and click on "like" : www.facebook.com/ellenliveslifetothefull

www.ellenliveslifetothefull.com