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

Published: 2005-09-22

PENTICTON, B.C. (CNS) -- In August in British Columbia, Sister Madonna Buder became the first 75-year-old woman in the world to finish an Ironman distance race. In October in Hawaii, the nun from Spokane, Wash., will compete in the Ironman World Championships. A member of the Sisters for Christian Community, she completed her first triathlon 20 years ago at age 51. In Penticton, 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.

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