At 80, I’m the Oldest to Finish the Kona Ironman World Championship

This story is based on a conversation with Natalie Grabow, 80, of Mountain Lakes, New Jersey.

I don’t feel 80. I’ll read a newspaper article that says a particular person is 75. I’ll think to myself, “That’s old.” Then I’ll think, “Oh, wait a minute, I turned 80 in August.”

As a so-called octogenarian, I was excited to enter the 80- to 84-year-old age category in the famous Kona Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.

There were no other women taking part in that category, but my competitor was the clock because you have to complete the course in under 17 hours. When I crossed the finish line in 16 hours, 45 minutes, and 26 seconds, I set a record as the oldest female to finish the biggest, full-distance triathlon event in the world.

I was in school when many girls couldn’t compete in athletics

The best thing about the honor is making my family proud. It was the first thing my daughter, Amy, 50, said to me when we hugged after the race.

I’ve always been interested in competitive sports, but I was in school decades before Title XI was passed in 1972. Back then, the options were limited, and many girls were unable to participate in any high school athletic event.

We weren’t resentful at the time; we just thought it was the way it was. We could participate in gym class and cheerleading. I loved cheerleading at basketball and football games.

Similar restrictions existed when I attended Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, where I stayed focused on my studies and majored in math. After I left and got a full-time job as a software developer, I joined a ski club.

Then, after I married my husband, Paul, 85, and Amy and her older sister, Jennifer, 53, were born, I learned to play tennis. I worked around their schedule and did fitness classes too, including step aerobics.

I began by running 5K and 10K races

When I reached my 40s and returned to work, I started running. I would run with a couple of colleagues for 25 minutes or so during our lunch break or go out in the evening.

Still, I couldn’t shake the urge to compete, so I began running 5Ks and 10Ks. My times improved, and I participated in more races in my 50s, especially after I retired early at 52.

Some friends did triathlons and encouraged me to join them. They’d say, “Come on, Natalie, do a sprint triathlon,” the shortest version of the race. But it was slightly embarrassing as I hesitated to mention that I couldn’t swim.

My parents couldn’t afford to send me to swim class, and taking formal classes outside school wasn’t really a thing when I was raised in the 1940s. We rode our bikes and played around the neighborhood.

I would occasionally go in the water in swimming pools and the sea, but I would never dream of putting my head under.

The world of triathlons opened up to me

However, I finally decided to learn to swim when I was 59 years old. I read a book about the technique, watched videos, and went to the YMCA.

I’d watch people and see what they did. Everyone encouraged me and gave me tips. I slowly got the hang of it.

Now that I could swim, the world of triathlons opened up to me. I bought a triathlon bike, which I used in the gym in our finished basement. Then I joined a group and adapted to the open road.

I started with sprints and built my way up to 70.3, an Ironman half-distance race. At 61, I qualified for the Kona Ironman World Championship, where I did my first ocean swim and first marathon.

It was exhausting — and exhilarating. Swimming the 2.4 miles wasn’t my greatest strength. Thankfully, it is the first stage of the triathlon, so you’re not too tired. I enjoy the 112-mile bike ride, but the 26.2-mile marathon is the most challenging part.

It’s particularly difficult in Hawaii because of the heat and humidity, but it hasn’t stopped me from competing several times. I prepare for months before the race, working out at the gym for around two hours every day.

My diet usually consists of healthy food. I eat a variety of vegetables, meat, and dairy products. However, I don’t restrict it in any way. You get hungry as an athlete. People are surprised when I tell them that sweets are my favorite. I love dark chocolate especially.

I feel a huge sense of satisfaction when I finish.

As for my general health, I’ve been lucky. I’ve suffered some minor injuries in the past, but nothing serious. I take standard multi-vitamins but no prescription drugs.

Triathlons benefit my mind and body. I am very focused during a race and feel a huge sense of satisfaction when I cross the finish line. After a good workout, I know that I’m getting stronger each time. Movement is an essential part of life if you want to avoid health problems as you age.

It was somewhat amusing when I completed the 2025 Kona Ironman World Championship on Saturday, October 11. There was a little steep hill up to the finish line, and I think the carpeting was wrinkled there. My foot got caught, and I tripped and fell. The moment was captured by all the cameras.

It was an honor to receive my award

Cherie Gruenfeld, who previously set the world record for the oldest competitor at 78, greeted me. It was so kind and generous of her to be there.

The awards ceremony took place on Sunday when I received my winner’s bowl for setting the record. It was an honor. I tend to keep my medals downstairs in the basement, where I work out, but this extra-special bowl will go in the bookcase of our living room.

I’ll probably take it easy for the next few weeks to allow my body to recover, then I’ll start my regimen again. I intend to compete in Ironman for as long as I can, and in shorter races every year that I’m alive.

Do you have an interesting story about life as a senior? Please send details to Jane Ridley at jridley@insider.com