Well....I'm all in (again) at 50.
Ankle surgery twice, heart attack and major injuries from a horse accident, but my goal has been to be an Ironman finisher since my first triathlon when I was in my mid 30's.
I was very competitive in my 30's and qualified for the AG National Championships (Olympic) at 36. In the last 7 years, I've had major injuries and health issues that put all things triathlon on the back burner.
In 2014 I was registered for IMCd'A and training hard, with a "dream" of qualifying for Kona;). During a training run I began having ankle pain. Long story short, I had major ankle surgery to repair massive cartilage breakdown in the ankle joint. I never got real relief from that and resigned to not being able to run anymore. A year later while training a horse (I own horses/mules) I was thrown and had 18 displaced rib fractures, 2 vertebrae cracks and a punctured lung that landed me in critical care nearly d.o.a. Eleven days later I had a major Pulmonary Embolism from the chest trauma. Thankfully, I wasn't killed and did not have a stroke. This led to months of sleeping in a chair and rehab. Two and a half years ago, I was shocked to find myself in the hospital again, except this time it was with a heart attack... My previous injuries had led to complacency and a lack of ability to exercise and my unhealthy eating habits while traveling for work, caught up to me. Thankfully (again), I survived w/out heart damage and only a single stent in my heart. Something obviously had to change. I scheduled a second ankle surgery and it made a big difference, but not 100%.
Fast forward to this Summer. I was in Cd'A to see the build up for Ironman in June and felt such a longing to get back in shape and once again try to get to the start line of an Ironman.
I recently found a chiro/sports therapist in Helena, MT where I live that committed to helping me regain expansion in my chest/lungs (horse wreck issue) and work on my ankle/foot. For the first time since 2014 I have no pain in my ankle/foot!! I have begun swimming, run/walking and biking again! I have a long ways to go, but my journey has begun and I will overcome!
I will be on the start line at IMCdA 70.3 next June and with health and luck, will toe the line at my first full IM in the next few years.
Don't let an injury or injuries lead you down the nasty path I traveled over the last 7 years. Chin up, chest out, overcome!
Here's to a brighter, healthier, injury free future! Cheers.
50 and getting back to racing.
Ankle surgery twice, heart attack and major injuries from a horse accident, but my goal has been to be an Ironman finisher since my first triathlon when I was in my mid 30's.
I was very competitive in my 30's and qualified for the AG National Championships (Olympic) at 36. In the last 7 years, I've had major injuries and health issues that put all things triathlon on the back burner.
In 2014 I was registered for IMCd'A and training hard, with a "dream" of qualifying for Kona;). During a training run I began having ankle pain. Long story short, I had major ankle surgery to repair massive cartilage breakdown in the ankle joint. I never got real relief from that and resigned to not being able to run anymore. A year later while training a horse (I own horses/mules) I was thrown and had 18 displaced rib fractures, 2 vertebrae cracks and a punctured lung that landed me in critical care nearly d.o.a. Eleven days later I had a major Pulmonary Embolism from the chest trauma. Thankfully, I wasn't killed and did not have a stroke. This led to months of sleeping in a chair and rehab. Two and a half years ago, I was shocked to find myself in the hospital again, except this time it was with a heart attack... My previous injuries had led to complacency and a lack of ability to exercise and my unhealthy eating habits while traveling for work, caught up to me. Thankfully (again), I survived w/out heart damage and only a single stent in my heart. Something obviously had to change. I scheduled a second ankle surgery and it made a big difference, but not 100%.
Fast forward to this Summer. I was in Cd'A to see the build up for Ironman in June and felt such a longing to get back in shape and once again try to get to the start line of an Ironman.
I recently found a chiro/sports therapist in Helena, MT where I live that committed to helping me regain expansion in my chest/lungs (horse wreck issue) and work on my ankle/foot. For the first time since 2014 I have no pain in my ankle/foot!! I have begun swimming, run/walking and biking again! I have a long ways to go, but my journey has begun and I will overcome!
I will be on the start line at IMCdA 70.3 next June and with health and luck, will toe the line at my first full IM in the next few years.
Don't let an injury or injuries lead you down the nasty path I traveled over the last 7 years. Chin up, chest out, overcome!
Here's to a brighter, healthier, injury free future! Cheers.
50 and getting back to racing.
