Bringing Back Lizzie

After 6 months of a tough new training regime, I’m ready to unveil my new look…

Photo cred to Lisa; Who took a photography class, with a certificate and everything. So how she managed not to capture my golden tan and ripped abs escapes me.

Last October I underwent open heart surgery for a congenital heart defect; what was essentially a piece of misplaced plumbing around my heart. I have to be honest, it was not much fun, I would not recommend it to you.

The diagnosis and surgery came as a huge relief though, after close to 8 years of increasingly frequent and serious symptoms while I was running, combined with no answers from my doctors as to what was the cause. This culminated in my collapse and sudden cardiac arrest at O-ringen last July. I would also would not recommend this experience, a solid 0/5 from me.

It’s been a long and tough journey, and although I’m much recovered and well on my way, there’s a bit to go yet. I can’t count or even name all of the people I am grateful to for getting me through so far; strangers, medical professionals, new friends, old friends, family. Words cannot express just how lucky and thankful I am for your continued support through this rollercoaster… for something as complicated as OHS, to as simple as a hug. Or something as life-saving as CPR to as ridiculous as a heart-related meme.

While maybe not as obvious, the mental mark left by all this is as big as the physical. But with focus and love, both will heal and fade with time. I do look forward to sharing my story, when the time is right (there are some funny, gross and awkward hospital stories that are too good to go to waste 😉). But for now, my focus is on healing. I’m enjoying getting to know my re-routed heart, gradually rebuilding trust and confidence in my body, and learning to run without fear for the first time in a long long time. 

The feeling of freedom is just indescribable.

See you out there soon.

Lizzie 2.0