Natalie Grabow, who first learned to swim at the age of 59, is being “hailed as an inspiration” after competing in the grueling triathlon, NPR reported on Thursday.
“Absolutely incredible,” the PA announcer said as she crossed the finish line to cheers and chants.
Grabow, who lives in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, swam 2.4 miles in the Kailua Bay, biked 112 miles through lava fields, and then ran a 26.2-mile road course, which is the length of a marathon. The run included terrain that gained an elevation of more than 1,000 feet. Grabow crushed the course within the race’s 17-hour cutoff time at 16:45:26. More than 60 athletes of the more than 1,600 participants did not finish, according to the report.
“I am so happy and grateful that I can still race in this sport at my age,” Grabow said. “Triathlon allows me to feel strong both mentally and physically, and it satisfies my competitive spirit.”
Grabow was the only person to enter the race in her 80-83 age group at the women’s championship. She was supported by her daughter Amy and her couch Michelle Lake from Fiv3 Racing.
“Natalie is the definition of grit and gratitude,” Lake told the outlet. “Grateful to make it to the start line, grateful to get to do something she loves everyday, and grateful to inspire so many others. And she’s truly gritty.”
When Grabow crossed the finish line, she was first greeted by Cherie Gruenfeld, who previously held the record for oldest woman to finish the same race in 2022 at 78 years old.
For training, Grabow swims at her local YMCA, rides an indoor bike, and runs on a nearby high school outdoor track. For years, she competed in shorter Ironman 70.3-mile events, also called a half Ironman.
“In 2005, the same year I turned 60, I started learning to swim,” Grabow said.
That same year, she entered a sprint triathlon, which is one of the shorter triathlons. By 2006, she was going to Kona trying to achieve the full-distance Ironman course, according to the report. Lake said the 2025 race was Grabow’s 11th Ironman World Championship in Kona.
Grabow told the outlet in a previous interview that women and girls did not have as many opportunities in athletics when she was growing up. She became a runner during her career as a software engineer, but often injured herself and experienced setbacks. Grabow said the cross-training element of triathlon appealed to her because it reduced the frequency of her injuries in training.
Grabow advised other athletes to listen to their bodies and take time to recover. She also said it is important to “just enjoy the journey,” and said “day-to-day training is what I love the most.”
Grabow is taking some time off now, but she already has herself scheduled for several races next year, including two 70.3 races in 2026 — the Eagleman in June and the Musselman in July.
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