Living Life to the Full: My Ironman Journey: Ironman Arizona 2012: I'm in !!!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Ironman Arizona 2012: I'm in !!!

Well what a fabulous weekend we just had in Tempe, Arizona, watching the 2011 Arizona Ironman. I can't believe that a year has passed since I raced in 2010, just 8 months after having open heart surgery.....

And....one year from now, I'll be attempting to do it all over again (well not the open heart surgery bit!).

Yes I signed up for the 2012 Ironman along with some of my most courageous team mates from Ironheart Racing. We began our journey together and we will do everything in our power to complete the Ironman together 12 months from now.

We are also going to be the cast members of a great new documentary....it's all terribly secret right now but I will keep you posted! Live life to the full !

www.ellenliveslifetothefull.com

3 comments:

donnaNovember 27, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Hi Ellen...I stumbled on your blog while looking for posts on Ironman Arizona and who do I see in a picture on your post but my coach and good friend Scott Roy. Scott is the founder and coach of my tri club here in Spokane...Team Blaze...and there is a group of us from the team who also were lucky enough to register for IMAZ 2012.I look forward to following your IM journey in the next year :-)
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Amy ManuelNovember 28, 2011 at 7:40 PM
Hi Ellen, I'm also doing IMAZ in 2012. It will be my first 140.6. I can't wait to read about your journey.
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AnonymousDecember 18, 2011 at 12:59 PM
I was looking for others competing in IMAZ 2012 and stumbled on your blog. Arizona will be my first Ironman. I'm training with five other athletes from Chi-town Crossfit. Look forward to reading about your training.
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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