Spokane nun becomes first 75-year-old woman to finish an Ironman race

Sister Madonna Buder a member of the Sisters of Christian Community who lives in Spokane, Wash. became the first 75 yr old woman to finish an Ironman distance race Aug. 28 in Penticton, BC

PENTICTON, B.C.

By Jackie Byrn

Sister Madonna Buder will compete in the Ironman World Championships in October in Hawaii, two months after becoming the first 75-year-old woman in the world to finish an Ironman distance race.

A member of the Sisters for Christian Community in Spokane, she completed her first triathlon 20 years ago at age 51.

Sister Buder finished the Aug. 28 Ironman Canada race with a time of 16:46:30. Participants must swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles.

Sister Buder's feat earned her a five-minute standing ovation at the awards dinner that followed the event.

Since 1982, Sister Buder has completed more than 300 triathlons. Having just turned 75, she competed in a new age-group division, for 75- to 79-year-olds, in what was her 15th Ironman Canada.

Previous records were set by Sister Buder in 1992, 1995 and 2001 in the 60-64, 65-69 and 70-74 age-group divisions.

Smooth riding during the bike portion of every Ironman race has not always been the case for Sister Buder. A serious crash in Kona, Hawaii, came to mind when she recalled details of the Kona course.

"I love the openness of that part of the island," she explained after her Aug. 28 race. "But it also contributes to vulnerability, which puts me in constant conversation with the Lord that I can stay with the bike because in 2000 I was airborne and trashed, laying in a pool of my own blood for 45 minutes before an ambulance came."

The triathlete noted that she competes with much support and interest from members of her religious community.

Asked about her community, she noted that it was founded in 1970 "as a consequence of the Second Vatican Council." The founder, a Holy Name Sister, "was eager to put the process of collegiality and subsidiarity into reality," with members being "part of the decision-making."

"There is a marvelous sense of compassion and encouragement among the sisters for each other," she added, which she said was especially prevalent "in the aftermath of Katrina when we were attempting to search out where our sisters were."

Catholic News Service