Tamara's Inspiring Journey to Ironman Chattanooga

This year I have had the privilege to work with a wonderful friend and athlete.

East Ridge Bicycle Triathlon Team

Her name is Tamara and her story is extraordinary. On September 25 2016, she will celebrate the journey at Ironman Chattanooga with a 2.4 mile swim in the Tennessee River, bike 116 miles in the Chattanooga Valley & run a full marathon while her city of friends cheer her name. My heart overflows with joy to be part of her journey. Getting to the starting line of an Ironman triathlon, is no easy task for anyone. There is suffering & difficulties along the way. Many people do not make it to race day. It takes deep passion & commitment to keep pushing when the body & mind want to quit. Heart & soul will carry you through when you want something bad enough. Below is Tamara's story. She is a member of East Ridge Bicycles Triathlon Team. What she doesn't mention is that earlier this summer, she battled serious injury and training took a back seat as she focused on healing so that she could be healthy for race day. Her mental strength is inspirational.

Tamara's story, told by Tamara:

September marks an anniversary for me that many people don’t know about. I will be 41 this Friday and looking forward to participating in my first IM. I wanted to share how I began my IM journey.

My journey actually started in September 2005, when I had a mental breakdown which finally led to my diagnosis of Bipolar disorder. Immediately, my wonderful husband sought treatment for me and during many years of therapy and medicine, I am who I am today. I admit this has been a long and difficulty journey but I am so thankful for a supportive husband, family, friends and the Lord. I would not be where I am today without His and their amazing, unconditional love. After being diagnosed, my therapist encouraged me to begin an exercise program.

I began running in 2006 hoping to release enough endorphins to be somewhat stable. I continued until 2007 where I began to be discouraged so I quit. In 2010, I learned of a program called Run For God by Mitchell Hollis. This is when I became literally crazy. I began running 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, Half Marathons, Split Marathon, Marathons, and Ragnar. During these many years, I have struggled with many injuries. It was in 2014 that I sustained a left calf injury that led to PT. The Physical therapist recommended I find a new hobby. One day I went to pick up my medication from my pharmacist, who is also a very good friend, She asked, “I have you ever done a Triathlon.” I said, no. She said, “Chattanooga is hosting a Half Ironman.” At that moment I told her I would check into. You guessed it, I began the Crazy world of Triathlons in 2015.

I participated in a Sprint Triathlon in April, Half IM in May and many Olympic Triathlons that following season. In September 2015, I signed up for Chattanooga Full IM.

My journey began in 2005 with mental healing but I can say that my true journey began the day I signed up for IM. I have struggled mentally and physically for many years but the JOY that comes from meeting new people, learning and listening to others stories of how they became an Ironman, the opportunity to encourage others is why I can say I am thankful that God has given me the mental and physical ability to hopefully on September 25, 2016, I will here my name Tamara Edwards you are an IronMan.

My Ironman journey isn’t just about the mental and physical aspect but the spiritual, too. I give praise to the Lord who gives me strength and endurance each day. This IM journey wouldn’t have been possible without knowing and trusting in him. On race day, I will mark upon my heart this verse, “Commit your way to the Lord, Trust in Him, and He will.” Psalm 37:5

Special Thank you to so many people, I hope that sharing my IM story others will find the strength to go beyond and mental and physical restrictions to becoming an Ironman. Ironman isn’t just a race it is a life of experiences.

Tamara

Please Cheer extra loud when you see Tamara on the course next week!!

Overcoming Injury & Persevering in the Spirit of Ironman Triathlon

As a coach and athlete, there are a lot of people who have come cross my path over the years. For some, it's been to help them accomplish something they have always dreamt of doing but never thought truly possible. For others, it's because they want to gain strength, speed & power to shave minutes off their finish times. Every single one of us has a story to tell. Each athlete is different, overcomes different challenges and fights different struggles.

With Ironman Chattanooga looming just days away, sharing some of my athletes stories (with their permission) will hopefully inspire someone out there who may be fighting a physical battle or emotional struggle. I am beaming with pride that Team FX Multipart athletes have fought hard this season to make it to the Ironman starting line. It is no easy task to get here.

This is the story of LoriLyn Hicks and this is an amazing story of comeback. We've worked through some challenges in training and she has done the work.

Written by LoriLyn Hicks

My first Ironman in 2014 was Texas. Everything was going well, and I was feeling confident. Mile 30 of the bike, I reached out to grab the water bottle from the volunteer, and knocked it out of her hand. Without thinking, I twisted back to save it, and felt this sharp shift in my back. Not good, I thought. It wasn't exactly painful, so I kept going. Coming into transition, my hip and back ached, I couldn't catch my breath, and something just felt wrong. At the medical tent past run special needs, I stopped to get checked out. The medic did a quick check and told me either I walked the rest of the way, or I dropped out of the race. I walked.

After a short recovery, I started training for IMFL that same year. During a run, my foot fell asleep. I went to my PT, who discovered I had displaced my SI joint, and dislocated a rib. Therapy began, and I trained through it. I had a great race in Florida, and was looking forward to starting Placid training. I caught a cold, and was in bed a couple days. I almost couldn't get out of bed my back hurt so bad. Still, I trained for another two months, but then became afraid of the pain and discomfort and went to a chiropractor in February of '15. My hip was still dislocated, my back had an eight degree misalignment, herniated L4, bulging 2 and 3, and my muscles and nerves tested at a stress level of 1200% The doctors had no idea how I was walking, the damage was equivalent to being T boned at 40 miles an hour. We also found birth defects, my L5 disc was encased between fused vertebrae, I had spina bifida in my L5 vertebrae, and sacralization of the spine. I've been through a lot in my life, but the day the doctor told me that my racing career may be over, and that even with treatment, I had to accept there was a chance I'd wind up in a wheelchair permanently, I was stunned. I was in treatment five times a week, we couldn't risk surgery with me only having four discs. I was placed on bed rest for a few weeks.

In July, I had a major setback, and found myself in a wheelchair to be able to go out of the house. I was so scared I wouldn't get out of it. The day I got engaged, you don't see it, but the wheelchair is just off to the side. Things got better then worse, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to walk down the aisle. I kept working at my therapy and treatment, and not only did I walk down the aisle, I got to dance with my wonderful husband.

I refused to give up, I refused to believe I wouldn't get back to Ironman. In January I was cleared to train for the Half in Chattanooga. I promised myself that if I could get to the starting line, I would make it to the finish. Which I did! I was now a full year ahead of schedule progress wise.

Soon after, new X-rays were done to see how I had progressed. My back was healthy again, my only discomfort coming from the rebuilding of my abused back muscles. I was allowed to train for the Full. My life is different now, I have to consider my back in everything I do, and have to be ready to pull the plug on training at any time. In some ways I feel like it has made me a stronger athlete, and I know my body better now than I ever did. I'm under a constant series of system checks, analyzing every movement and pain. This past Sunday, the wheelchair I dreaded so much was used as a prop in a church presentation. I went and stood next to it after the service, reflecting on how far I've come in the last 19 months.

Soon the starting line of Chattanooga will call me. And for the first time, I have no real plan other than to listen to my body. The discipline I have learned will help me greatly once I am fully healed and can begin to push myself again. But for now, I am grateful to have the chance to participate in the sport I love, and the support of the people around me who keep me going when I feel I can't. I have learned that we are capable of far more than we think we are, if we are willing to believe in the possibility of what can be.
LoriLynn Hicks

See you at the finish line LoriLyn! You are an inspiration!
Coach Robyn