Ellen Charnley is a Chartered Accountant and avid Triathlete. Ellen has completed many triathlons both locally and internationally. Born in England, she and her husband, Don, have lived in London, Bermuda, San Francisco and Hawaii. They now reside in Las Vegas with their dog, Dude.

Training and competing in an Ironman triathlon is not for the faint hearted. Completing an Ironman has been a dream of mine for many years and 2010 was going to be the year I attempted this grueling event. 2.4 miles of swimming followed by 112 miles of biking before finishing with a marathon - 26.2 miles. I signed up for Ironman Arizona in November of 2009, exactly a year in advance. Little did I know at the time that I had been born with a congenital heart defect. For 41 years, I had been living, training and competing in triathlons with a dysfunctional heart that was slowly failing. This is a story about myjourney from diagnosis, open heart surgery and recovery to the decision to train and race in an Ironman triathlon, all within eight months.

This book is an inspirational must read for anyone facing surgery or attempting an Ironman.