The Ironman triathlon has long been the target of the ultradistance athlete wanted to take on an extreme challenge. For Elsa it’s been something to build on.
- 6th woman ever to have completed the Epic 5 Challenge
- 6th woman at Ultraman Florida
- Triple Anvil Winner, women’s race
She’s the 6th woman ever to have completed the Epic 5 Challenge. Founded by Rich Roll, the challenge is to complete a full ironman triathlon on each of five Hawaiian islands in five days. She’s one of only three people to complete this in 2024.
A full Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim followed by 112 miles cycling and then running a marathon – 26.2 miles. Even elite athletes normally build in recovery time after an Ironman, the Epic 5 leaves no rest days.
In addition to Epic 5, Elsa has completed ten standalone Ironmans. She has also completed Ultraman Florida, finishing 6th among women. In that event, competitors swim 6.2 miles, cycle 261 miles and run a double marathon over three days.
She’s also completed the Double Anvil triathlon, which covers double the Ironman distance, placing 3rd among female competitors and 6th overall. In the Triple Anvil (three times an Ironman), she won the women’s race and finished second overall.
Elsa is the only woman to have completed the Wisconsin 210.9 challenge twice. That’s a half Ironman on Saturday followed by 140.6 miles on Sunday. She’s the first Greek woman to complete these events.
Vegan Power
Elsa has been vegan since January 2020. At this point she had completed two Ironman triathlons and none of the longer distance events. It was something she’d been thinking about for three years.
“My diet shifted towards plant-based in 2017 when I began working with a dietitian to enhance my performance” Elsa tells Great Vegan Athletes. “However, after watching the documentary ‘Game Changers’ in October 2019, I decided to eliminate meat from my diet and delve deeper into veganism.”
Embracing veganism has profoundly impacted my life for the better. Beyond dietary changes, it has influenced all aspects of my lifestyle. I find myself more mindful, experiencing better sleep, abstaining from alcohol, and managing stress effectively.
She read Rich Roll’s ‘Finding Ultra’ and Scott Jurek’s ‘Eat and Run,’ and watched documentaries like ‘Forks Over Knives.’
“This journey solidified my commitment to veganism, and I haven’t looked back since. After becoming vegan, I felt more energetic and was able to run and cycle more miles without injury and with improved recovery. Although I used to experience frequent injuries, I can now cover more distance with no setbacks.”
Now Elsa eats a lot of wholefoods, “including green leafy vegetables like kale and mixed greens, whole grains such as quinoa, barley, farro, and kamut, as well as a variety of fruits like berries, bananas, mangos, apples, oranges, and watermelon. I also incorporate avocados, beans, lentils, and nuts into my meals every day.”
Her vegan diet fuels 2-3 sessions each of running, cycling and swimming each week, plus strength training.
“My typical training week spans 15 to 20 hours, although there have been instances where I’ve trained up to 40 hours per week in the past.”
As well as supporting her training, her vegan diet is accepted by those around her.
“Nowadays, veganism is prevalent, even in the sports community, and it’s considered quite normal. Both my coach and teammates are supportive of my dietary choices.”
She’s achieved so much, but Elsa has so much to aim for.
“I’m eager to keep pushing my limits and exploring the boundaries of what my body can achieve. In the next couple of years, I have my sights set on participating in a DECA Ultratriathlon event. A DECA covers the distance of 10 Ironman triathlons, 240 miles of swimming, 1,120 miles of biking and 262 mile of running.”
Yes, you read that right. Ten Ironman triathlons.
“Embracing veganism has profoundly impacted my life for the better. Beyond dietary changes, it has influenced all aspects of my lifestyle. I find myself more mindful, experiencing better sleep, abstaining from alcohol, and managing stress effectively.
“As a physician, I recognize that this lifestyle choice optimally supports my health and disease prevention.”