Melody Teh
News

Meet the Iron Nun, an 86-year-old triathlete star

Meet Sister Madonna Buder, an 86-year-old nun who’s become the unlikely star of a Nike’s latest ad campaign.

The octogenarian goes for morning runs, she swims, she cycles, and competes in triathlons and Iron Man challenges. She’s actually a record-holding triathlete, having completed 45 Iron Man competitions and a total of 325 triathlons. 

And believe it or not, Sister Buder didn’t actually start running until she was 48 years old, when a priest introduced her to the sport. She ran her first triathlon at 52 and is now known as the Iron Nun, after becoming the oldest person to ever complete an Iron Man race.

“There were a lot of times when I had to think about failures and not reaching the goal that I may have set for myself,” says Sister Buder.

“Then I realised the only failure is not to try, because your effort in itself is a success.”

If you want some fitness inspiration today, look no further than Sister Buder’s video above. She jogs, cycles, and competes in an Iron Man challenge, where she shouts “the first 45 didn’t kill me!”

What an amazing woman! Who inspires you to get fit and healthy? Share with us in the comments below.

Related links: 

How to build your legacy

The simple yet powerful tool to plan your retirement

Retirement doesn’t have to sap your self-esteem

Tags:
exercise, fitness, health, News, video, nike, Nun, triathlete, Octogenerian