We are delighted to announce that for the 2017 season Sportstiks is sponsoring amateur Ironman triathlete Caroline Bramwell, aka Ironostomy.
Caroline is a working mum of two who only learned to swim 2½ years ago. A self-confessed former couch potato, her determination to become an Ironman is driven by her comeback from a serious illness – Ulcerative Colitis. Diagnosed when she was pregnant in 2004, by 2009 Caroline was housebound by this debilitating disease – an autoimmune disorder which attacks your own body, thinking it is a virus – and opted to have surgery to form a permanent ileostomy.
Initially taking to cycling to regain her fitness, she wanted to be able to swim with her children, and took up swimming lessons in 2014. Determined to show others suffering with bowel disorders that there is life after surgery, her dream is to become an Ironman. Described as one of the world’s toughest endurance events, and Ironman triathlon consists of 2.4 miles open water swim, 112 miles cycle and a 26.2 run, all to be completed inside 17 hours.
Caroline has already completed a half Iron distance triathlon – Outlaw 70.3, and is a Snowdonia Slateman Savage – completing two back-to-back triathlons on consecutive days in the harsh Snowdonia terrain.
In 2017 Caroline will be competing in the Ironman Staffs 70.3 event this Sunday 18th June and will be heading for the full Ironman at Bolton in 2018.
Sportstiks supply competitor tattoos for all the Ironman races worldwide, as well as thousands of other sporting events across the globe. With the ability to create bespoke tattoos, Sportstiks have produced for Caroline her very own #Ironostomy tattoo.
