SISTER-MADONNA BUDER

The Beacon Mid-1980s to Early 2010s

It’s late at night on the Ironman Canada run course and you are alone in the dark with your thoughts. As you plod toward the finish line, hoping to make the time cutoff, you hear the steps and an encouraging voice, “You can do it!” It’s the unmistakable sound of the “Iron Nun,” Spokane’s Sister Madonna Buder. And, although Buder’s numerous age group wins at countless triathlons across the globe placed her at the pinnacle of triathlon success, it’s her kindness of spirit on the racecourse and her indomitable will that remains her legacy. At age 82, she made her mark on the Ironman Canada course in 2012 by becoming the oldest woman to have completed a full-distance race. She also contributed to the event by holding a prayer service for athletes the night before.