Four Hilton moms are training to compete together in the grueling Ironman Louisville this October
Christine Burkey-Kelly never played a sport in high school, hated the gym and, in fact, was the last one picked for team sports.
Her classmates should see her now.
Burkey-Kelly, along with three of her friends, are training to compete in the Ironman Louisville in Kentucky on October 11. The combined 140.6-mile race begins with a 2.4-mile swim in the Ohio River, followed by an 112-mile bike race through scenic Kentucky and lastly, a 26.2-mile run, which is a full marathon. Ironman competitions are widely considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world.
It all started about eight years ago. The birth of Burkey-Kelly’s son, Reece, now 10, left her with about 10 pounds to lose, so she started biking. Even though she never considered herself a runner and didn’t even know how to put her face in the water, it wasn’t long before Burkey-Kelly was training for her first Sprint Triathalon – a .47-mile swim, 12.4-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run.
“My friend, 69-year-old Carl Grimm, was waiting for me at the finish line,” said Burkey-Kelly. “But I was hooked and have built upon my training every year since. Needless to say, I lost the weight.”
Last year, Burkey-Kelly ran her first marathon with the intention of trying to qualify to run the Boston Marathon in April. She asked three of her friends that if she qualified, would they try to qualify too so that they could train and run together. They took on the challenge and shortly after, Burkey-Kelly asked her friends to challenge themselves even further.
“I decided that I wanted to attempt my first Ironman triathlon,” said Burkey-Kelly. “To be able to tackle such an incredible feat would require a lot of support, not just from my family, but from my friends as well. So I decided to ask that same group of friends to commit to doing an Ironman with me the same year.”
“She’s a good salesperson,” said Patty Pirnie, who agreed to the six months of training with Burkey-Kelly, along with Lisa Camillaci and Terry Christo. Ranging in age from 41 to 61 years of age, the women are all mothers and have jobs. “The training, which ranges from 14 to 20 hours a week, is like a part time job,” said Pirnie. Luckily, they all have flexible work schedules and support from home to make the long training hours possible.
“I have always looked at the distance as crazy and doubted my ability to complete an Ironman, so when Christine asked me to join her, Patty and Lisa in their endeavor I was a little scared to say yes,” said Christo. “But with their encouragement and support and belief in my ability I decided to take on the challenge.”
“Since meeting these ladies it’s been one crazy idea after another,” said Camillaci, who just purchased her first Triathlon bike last year. The bike allows for the rider to lock special shoes into the pedals so that their legs can pull up as well as push down on the pedals. “When the opportunity of the Ironman arose, it was one I just couldn’t pass up. I know it’s going to be my biggest challenge yet, but with my training partners and my family I know I will make it happen.”
Pirnie is the only one of the four who has competed in an Ironman before. She took on the Ironman Lake Placid in 2006 and qualified for the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii on her first try. The mother of four children ranging in age from 15 to 22, Pirnie said her kids grew up thinking that everyone’s family went on vacations to compete in triathlons and marathons. “It’s just part of our family’s lifestyle,” she said.
Pirnie’s husband, Alex, plans the women’s training schedule one month at a time. They swim, run or bike six days a week. Morning swims begin at 6 a.m. and usually take place at the Braddock’s Bay Marina on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The women wear wetsuits, which provide protection against the chilly water and buoyancy too. Workouts take place at L.A. Fitness in Greece and the Rochester area offers many options for scenic, long bike rides.
In addition to training, the women say they all eat very healthy in general, but don’t neglect to reward themselves with a glass of wine or ice cream cone on occasion. “You have to eat food that’s going to fuel you,” said Pirnie.
In October, the group will travel to Louisville with their families and have rented a house together for their stay. In addition to the cost of equipment, the registration for an Ironman usually runs $400 to $600, plus travel costs, so it’s not only a time commitment, but a monetary one as well.
The team agrees that the journey has been worth it so far. “I’m extremely blessed to have all three of these amazing women join me on this incredible adventure,” said Burkey-Kelly. “I hope we all make our families proud and our children learn from our hard work and determination.”
“Hopefully we continue to stay healthy and strong through our training because I am looking forward to the finish line, seeing my friends waiting for me and hearing that long awaited call out of ‘Terry, You Are an Ironman!’ ”
