Ironman: A triathlon covering 140.6 miles (226.2 kilometres). The event is broken down into a 2.4 mile swim, followed by 112 miles of cycling, then a 26.2 mile marathon run. The cutoff is 17 hours, and while the pros may finish in 9 hours, I'm looking to finish in 12.
Uveitis: According to various web sources, uveitis is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in developed countries. It's an inflammation of the uvea, in the middle of the eye. Symptoms include blurred vision, and cataracts and glacuoma are common complications. It can be caused by various auto-immune diseases, but in many cases the cause is unknown.
Cystoid Macular Edema: Cyst-like fluid leakage in the macula - the central portion of the retina - causing painless retinal swelling. While painless, it causes blurred and distorted central vision and can lead to permanent retinal damage. The exact cause is unknown, but it often accompanies uveitis.
These three things are now part of my life and it's my sincere hope that one day all that is left of the last two are memories.
This is going to be a long journey to a very long day. Hopefully I can make a positive difference to more than just my life with my attempt on Ironman Wales - a race I've chosen for its proximity to my family, and to my 35th birthday. I will be an Ironman before I turn 35. My triathlon experience is limited to just two races: one sprint distance, and one Ironman 70.3. I've never run a marathon, and my first half-marathon was at the 70.3. My second half-marathon was yesterday. My longest swim to date was the 1.2 miles at the 70.3 race.
I will race Ironman, finish in less than 12 hours, and on my way I will fight for an end to uveitis. I have an Iron Vision.
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