A little present for triathletes and anyone who thinks they're "too old" to do ___ (fill in answer)!

lorrpb
lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
edited November 28 in Fitness and Exercise
I participated in my first tri sprint yesterday. I did the swim leg for a relay team and now plan to get a bike to do the whole event next year. We were graced with the participation of the Iron Nun, Sister Madonna Buder. The race director Lisa made arrangements for her to come. It is possibly the last year of this local event, the Tri Turtle Tri, founded by our race director 15 years ago. It was definitely the last year for our women's training group Kitsap Tribabes which our director founded and has run every summer for 15+ years. 6 years ago our director's son was the youngest champion at Kona where the Sister was the oldest champion. So it was very very special and well-deserved for Lisa that the Sister could attend. I thought that those of you are inspired by the Iron Nun would enjoy a few pics.

For those taking a peek here who don't know who Sister Madonna is: She is the current world record for oldest woman to ever finish an Ironman Triathlon (did do at 82 in 2012). She is now 88. She has completed 326 triathlons ( including yesterday's event) 45 of which were Ironman distances. She has completed three tri events in the past month here in WA. She started doing them at 52! She has been featured in a Nike commercial. Never to late to try new things!!

Her advice to us: "Just keep going!"

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Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    What an inspirational woman, as are you @lorrpb.

    Thank you for posting, even though being a tri-mum, SO, and volunteer for so many years means I have no desire to do one myself, it does encourage me to keep doing what I do for as long as I can.

    Cheers, h.
  • solieco1
    solieco1 Posts: 1,559 Member
    Sister Buder is an inspiration of mine! Thanks for sharing!
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    What a great inspiration she is! Thanks for sharing the pictures. Seeing a number of athletes in their 70s and 80's doing long course races is always inspiring and getting a chance to chat with them is typically one of the best parts of race day for me.

    Finally, congrats on participating in your first tri, @lorrpb!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    Even though I'll never tri (these knees don't run), I've found her a very inspirational figure, one of a number of older athletes who got her start at an age when many have been playing the "too old" card for a couple of decades. Good model!

    Thanks for sharing the personal pics, Lorr - should be especially convincing to anyone who suspected PhotoShop involvement in how good she looks in some more publicity-oriented photos. Nope, all her. :)
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,282 Member
    I love this. I read your post about your participation in this and was inspired by that as well :). I just started swimming (learning) in the past few years. I already kind of run. I suppose next, I'll find my way to a bike. Who knows?? I celebrated turning 50 this year by climbing Mt. St. Helens a few weeks ago. I LOVE how strong I felt. It was a great day. I want to keep doing something for the rest of my life!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    edited September 2018
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Even though I'll never tri (these knees don't run), I've found her a very inspirational figure, one of a number of older athletes who got her start at an age when many have been playing the "too old" card for a couple of decades. Good model!

    Thanks for sharing the personal pics, Lorr - should be especially convincing to anyone who suspected PhotoShop involvement in how good she looks in some more publicity-oriented photos. Nope, all her. :)

    you know @annpt77 - they have a great event in the triathlon world that is an aquabike - its a swim/bike race and they have all distances - up to ironman distance (I'm doing one in North Carolina next year that is that) - in case you want to try something :)
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    i wanna be like her when i grow up...well aside from the nun thing...

    @deannalfisher, You already have a big head start in the tri department, but that "growing up" thing is overrated ;)
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    edited September 2018
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    i wanna be like her when i grow up...well aside from the nun thing...

    I hope I'm still racing into my 70s & 80s (not sure I'll ever do a full Ironman distance but time will tell).

    I should also add that there are triathletes in their 60s that are turning in jaw dropping times. Last July I did an Olympic distance in Toronto. The overall winner finished in approx 2 hrs and there were 3 people in my AG (M60-64) that came in around 2:20.....completely blew me away! (I wasn't one of them.....)
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    i wanna be like her when i grow up...well aside from the nun thing...

    I hope I'm still racing into my 70s & 80s (not sure I'll ever do a full Ironman distance but time will tell).

    I should also add that there are triathletes in their 60s that are turning in jaw dropping times. Last July I did an Olympic distance in Toronto. The overall winner finished in approx 2 hrs and there were 3 people in my AG (M60-64) that came in around 2:20.....completely blew me away! (I wasn't one of them.....)

    i might qualify for Kona if i'm still racing in my 70's...lol
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    i wanna be like her when i grow up...well aside from the nun thing...

    I hope I'm still racing into my 70s & 80s (not sure I'll ever do a full Ironman distance but time will tell).

    I should also add that there are triathletes in their 60s that are turning in jaw dropping times. Last July I did an Olympic distance in Toronto. The overall winner finished in approx 2 hrs and there were 3 people in my AG (M60-64) that came in around 2:20.....completely blew me away! (I wasn't one of them.....)

    Regarding a 140.6, you know the IM slogan, "Anything is Possible" :)

    Re: fast triathletes in their 60's, a high school classmate of mine has qualified for Kona 9 times in his career, reaching the podium in a couple of those races, including a second place AG finish in 2014 at 57 years old. This year, he qualified for Kona by winning the Men's 60-64 age group at IM Canada with an overall time of 11:17:38, (1:05:00 swim, 5:48:30 bike, 4:13:08 run).

    It is simply incredible how fast so many of these men and woman are. It's enough to give this 60 year old some hope, lol!
  • goals15000
    goals15000 Posts: 18 Member
    .... and then you have me who complains she’s tired after 20 mins of walking around the mall ☹️

    Shame.


    Thanks for sharing this inspires me to get my act together.
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