National Athlete of the Month | Sheila Isaacs | November 2009


On October 16, 2004, Isaacs, then 67, completed the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 16 hours 54 minutes 55 seconds -- beating the 17-hour cutoff time -- making her the first known athlete to complete a triathlon in all 50 states. This was also her 100th triathlon. Isaacs finished the grueling 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile marathon after falling in the run's 17th mile, fracturing her pinkie, and bruising her left knee and shoulder. Isaacs, now 72, followed-up her Ironman performance with completions in the 2005 Honolulu ITU Age Group Triathlon World Championships, 2007 Hamburg BG Triathlon World Championships, 2008 Vancouver BG World Championships and 2008 ING New York City Marathon.