"Iron Nun" Sr. Madonna Buder
Many people begin to slow down in their 70’s, but Sister Madonna Buder, “The Iron Nun”, has done just the opposite. The Roman Catholic nun has garnered much attention for her athletic abilities, and she’s indicated that she will be running in the Boston Marathon next month.
The author of “The Race to Grace”, her autobiography about her journey to running, Sr. Buder is well known for competing in more than 40 Ironman Triathalons, a grueling race that consists of 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26-mile run. The Spokane, Washington nun is a member of the Sisters for Christian Community.
Sr. Buder began training more than 30 years ago at the age of 48 after hearing a priest speak on the benefits of distance running. “The priest told me ‘You’ve got to keep this up, it takes at least two months before you know what the runner’s high is,’ ” Sr. Buder said. “20, 25, 30 years later, do I know what the runner’s high is? No, but I sure know what the lows are.”
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