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Stamford Cancer Survivor Takes On The Challenge

STAMFORD, Conn. – Aimee Elsner of Stamford made the commitment to fitness years ago. A year-long battle with breast cancer merely strengthened it.

Elsner will ride 100 miles in the Connecticut Challenge on July 28 in Westport. She has never ridden more than 50 miles, and the ride will be her first in the Challenge. She has a long list of accomplishments, however, including competing in three triathlons after she developed breast cancer in 2009. She has also run the New York City Marathon three times.

“Just surviving breast cancer was the first thing,’’ Elsner said. “Triathlons were the furthest thing from my mind.  I kept a positive attitude, and I knew I was going to survive. I thought a lot about my health. I became a big juicer, and I don’t eat any meat or dairy anymore.”

Elsner has been a long-time runner, and completed her first NYC Marathon in 2002. The weekend before the Ironclad Triathlon in 2009 in her hometown of Glen Cove, N.Y., she felt a lump in her breast. She called her physician the next day, and was diagnosed a few days later. She spent a year in treatment, including a mastectomy.

She returned to endurance sports 14 months later with a few road races. “I also set a goal to do four triathlons for my four months of chemotherapy,’’ Elsner said. “That was important to me.”

The Connecticut Challenge century ride is part of her training program for a half Ironman race in August in New Hampshire. The Ironman consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run. She is also planning to compete in upcoming triathlons in Stamford and Norwalk.

Elsner is riding the Challenge, which raises money for programs for cancer survivors, as part of a seven-member team called “Rockin’ Our Pink.” Four of the team members are riding the 100-miler, which is billed “New England’s Toughest Century.”

“Sometimes I think it wasn’t all that bad, and that there are worse cancers to get,’’ Elsner said. “There are other times I think how did I survive. The whole community has just been tremendously supportive. I’m excited to be in the Challenge and around other people who have fought cancer. The Connecticut Challenge is a great organization. They are always doing something to help cancer survivors.”

 

 

 

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