80-Year-Old Becomes the Oldest Woman to Complete the Ironman World Championship

80-Year-Old Grandmother Completes Ironman World Championships

An 80-year-old grandmother made history on Saturday by becoming the oldest woman to finish the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Nathalie Grabow, who took up swimming at 59, has been recognized as an “inspirational” figure after her remarkable participation in this demanding triathlon, as reported on Thursday.

“It’s just unbelievable,” was the reaction of the Penn State announcer as he crossed the finish line, met by enthusiastic cheers and chants from the crowd.

Living in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, Grabow tackled a grueling 3.4-mile swim in Kailua Bay, followed by a 112-mile bike ride through volcanic terrain and a marathon-length run of 46.2 miles. This course included elevation gains of over 1,000 feet. Despite the challenges, she completed the race in under 17 hours, finishing in 16:45:26. Notably, over 60 athletes out of more than 1,600 competitors did not finish.

“I’m so happy and grateful to still be able to race in this sport at this age,” Grabow expressed. “Triathlon makes me feel mentally and physically strong, and it satisfies my competitive spirit.”

In the women’s championship, Grabow was the sole competitor in the 80-83 age group. She had the support of her daughter Amy and Michelle Lake from the Fiv3 Racing team.

“Natalie is the epitome of grit and gratitude,” Lake shared. “I’m grateful to be at the starting line, to do what I love every day, and that she inspires so many others. She’s really a gritty person.”

When she finished, the first to greet Grabow was Shelly Gruenfeld, who previously held the record for the oldest woman to complete the race at age 78 in 2022.

For her training, Grabow swims at a local YMCA, uses an indoor bike, and runs at a nearby high school’s outdoor track. She began competing years ago in the shorter Ironman 70.3 event. “I started learning to swim in 2005, the year I turned 60,” she recalled.

That same year, she entered her first sprint triathlon, a shorter distance event, and has since made frequent trips to Kona for the full Ironman course. Lake noted that the upcoming race would mark Grabow’s 11th Ironman World Championship in Kona.

Reflecting on her earlier years, Grabow mentioned that opportunities in track and field were limited for women and girls. Although she became a runner during her software engineering career, injuries often sidelined her. She found the cross-training aspect of triathlon appealing because it helps minimize injury risk during training.

Grabow encourages fellow athletes to heed their bodies and prioritize recovery, adding that it’s important to “just enjoy the journey.” For her, training every day is truly what she loves most.