Breaking a Triathlon Record at the Age of 82
A race that lasts nearly 17 hours is already an extreme challenge for young people, let alone for elderly women. After failing on her first attempt, Boudreau didn’t give up on her dream. She trained every day and maintained a diet focused on fruits, fiber-rich foods, and proteins. By 2005, at the age of 75, she became the oldest participant in the Hawaii Ironman race, and the following year, she broke the record for the 74–79 age group. From then on, the public dubbed her the “Iron Queen.”
In fact, over the course of her more than 30-year racing career, Boudreau broke bones several times. “I’ve broken ribs, had two serious hip impacts, dislocated my right arm at least six times, injured my left arm twice, and fractured fingers and toes as well.” But she often joked, “Maybe I hit my head a few times during those falls, and that messed up my cerebellum, which controls movement — that’s probably why I keep getting injured.” Back in 1984, her severely damaged hips once made it impossible for her to walk. Fortunately, the surgery went well. While most people need about 10 weeks to recover, Boudreau was back training in just six weeks.
In 2012, at the age of 82, Boudreau broke another record by finishing the Subaru International Triathlon in Canada in 16 hours and 32 minutes, surpassing the previous world record for the oldest triathlon participant, held by 81-year-old Lew Hollander. “A lot of people ask me how I train like a young person and stay so youthful. Some even say they want to be like me when they get older.” Boudreau said she has written her “secrets” in her autobiography, and she hopes to keep running.