Natalie Grabow has made 80 trips around the sun, but that didn't stop her from swimming 2.4 miles in the ocean, biking 112 miles through lava fields and running a full marathon at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
At 80 years old, Grabow is all about defying the odds. She set a record as the oldest woman to ever complete the prestigious competition.
"It is a great accomplishment, so it feels fine," Grabow told CBS News' Lilia Luciano.
Fine is an understatement. Grabow powered through the grueling triathlon, beating the 17-hour cutoff time and outperforming more than 60 other athletes.
When most people are thinking about retirement, Grabow decided to go for the gold. She taught herself how to swim at 59 and competed in her first triathlon just a year later.
"I love it, I love it, I love the day-to-day training," Grabow said.
The Mountain Lakes, New Jersey resident believes staying active is crucial as we age.
"It's so important to feel strong in your body, especially as you age. You feel strong in your body. You feel strong in your head," Grabow said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
