All Athletes YOUNG and OLD should be heart aware. 

Sudden cardiac is more common than we think. 

If you have a family history of heart disease, high cholesterol (no matter how strict your diet) or any sudden death in the extended family – then get a cardiac screening. Any reasonable GP can refer you for a trace of your heart (ECG) and even just getting his stethoscope to your chest may reveal any cause for concern.

This is not the time to be writing about exactly what your body goes through during an Ironman or an ultra-marathon, but suffice to say it is not healthy and will invariably be worse for some than others – due to factors as diverse as nutrition and genetics.
What is healthy, however, is the community of the sport and the drive it awakens in people to exercise regularly, to eat better, to drink less etc.

Most of us are on that start line – aware of the risks. But if we were to spend our lives pondering what could be – we’d never experience those magical moments that ultimate drive and define us.