Age is not a limit!!

Daryl Steeves of Rothesay spoke after our Swim-Run in Sussex and gave an inspiring presentation on setting realistic objectives. During the question and answer, the head coach of the Fundy Extreme Triathlon Club went into the type of objectives that most of us would consider unrealistic. He discussed the far end limits in the Ironman competition and nutrition considerations after the 7 hour mark.

Participants in the Sussex Swim-Run did not need 7 hours to finish but it was still a challenge that many would not dare dream of. After nearly half a mile of swimming, you hit the roads and ran 5 kilometers. The running portion included the monster Church Avenue hill.

Some of the participants brought a ton of athletic experience to the table. Military athletes took the top overall titles. Alex Boule was able to finish the course in under 30 minutes with Ironman athlete Martin Larose only 89 seconds behind. Isabelle Turner was over 8 minutes ahead of the next woman. The fastest swim time came from Canada Games athlete Kelten Fawcett of the Sussex Swordfish. The fastest run time came from ACAA cross country running champion Hannah Arseneault of St Martins.

Two of the athletes brought a lot of experience but it was not necessarily from triathlons. Without giving their exact age, Mary Anne Blagrave of Darlings Island and Sandra Lammens of Sussex are both closer to 70 then they are to 60! They were both extremely humble about their performances but they are both huge role models to others. Mary Anne was the more experienced swimmer but Sandra almost closed the gap and they were less than a minute apart at the finish line with solid times.

We had 3 participants who were part of a beginner triathlon training clinic. They swam a shorter distance of 400 meters but they all took notice of Mary Anne and Sandra. When you witness such determination, it would be hard not to be inspired to match that with your own.

We all need to be careful and take small steps towards big goals. When you have a role model though, it is a lot easier to persevere. We cannot all complete a triathlon in our 60s but Mary Anne and Sandra show that it is possible if your bones can handle it. For more inspiration, google Madonna Buder. She is known as the Iron Nun and has competed in the Hawaii Ironman into her 80s.

For even more inspiration, listen to Daryl Steeves. Aside from his coaching, he also competes in the 60-69 age category. Earlier that morning, he had competed in the Brent Kelly Memorial Run. He practices what he preaches!