Sister Madonna Buder, 86, has been running Ironman triathlons for more than 30 years and says “the only failure is not to try.”
She has competed in more than 40 Ironman triathlons. Each triathlon consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run.
She was encouraged by a priest who stated it was a way to “harmonize the mind, body and soul.” She runs to her Spokane, Washington church every day.
She refuses to conform to conventional ideas of age. To her setbacks are not failures. “Your effort in itself is a success.”
We can all learn from the “Iron Nun”. She is very alert to the power of the mind, “Watch your thoughts” she says “because your thoughts become a part of you”.1
by Patrick Gaffney
1 Buder, Sister Madonna and Evans, Karin. The Grace to Race. Simon & Schuster. September 15, 2010.
