- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Oct 5 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1439177481
- ISBN-13: 978-1439177488
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 340 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#5,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8 in Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Triathlon
- #21 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Religious
- #24 in Books > Sports > Biographies
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"Sister Madonna’s story is one of purpose, conviction and passion. She dismisses boundaries and proves to us that nothing is impossible. The Grace to Race is both inspirational and energizing; long live the Iron Nun!"
—Dean Karnazes, New York Times bestselling author of Ultramarathon Man
"The Grace to Race is inspiring and funny. The story of this now-80-year-old nun will make you want to push your body to the limit as you learn to appreciate the miracle and splendor of Creation."
—Mary Higgins Clark
"Sister Madonna’s courage and wisdom shine through the pages of this warm, funny and inspirational memoir. You'll learn a lot about finding joy, achieving your goals, facing hardships, loving God and the rest of those in the human ‘race,’ and keeping a sense of humor about it all—oh, and about running, too."
—Father James Martin SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything
"Sister Madonna is a genuine heroine, a person whose example we badly need. Not everyone is going to do a triathlon, of course, or even aspire to a marathon. But just getting out and moving can do wonders, and she's a beacon of hope."
—Walter Bortz MD, author of Aging for Dummies, Dare to Be 100, and The Roadmap to 100
"Sister Madonna proves you can make records, and break them all over again, at any age. Her spirit is without limits."
—Dara Torres, Olympic gold medalist and author of
Age Is Just a Number
Product Description
SISTER MADONNA BUDER is 80 years old, has run more than 340 triathlons, and doesn’t know what all the fuss is about. In The Grace to Race, she shares the no-nonsense spirit and deep faith that inspired her extraordinary journey from a prominent St. Louis family to a Catholic Convent and finally to championship finish lines all over the world. As a beautiful young woman, she became an elegant equestrian and accomplished amateur actress. But as she describes in this intimate memoir, she had a secret plan as early as 14: she wanted to devote her life to God. After being courted by the most eligible bachelors in her hometown, she chose a different path and became a Sister of the Good Shepherd. She lived a mostly cloistered life as a Nun until her late forties, when a Priest suggested she take a run on the beach. She dug up a pair of shorts in a pile of donated clothes, found a pair of second-hand tennis shoes, and had a second epiphany. This time, she discovered the spiritual joy of pushing her body to the limit and of seeing God’s natural world in all its splendor. More than thirty years later, she is known as the Iron Nun for all the triathlons she has won. Just five years ago, the age 75–79 category was created for her at the Hawaiian Ironman in Kona, where she completed a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a full 26.2-mile marathon in record time. Now she has set her sights on a new goal: inaugurating another new Ironman age group, 80–84, in 2010.
Sister Madonna holds dozens of records, has broken dozens of bones, and tells of dozens of miracles and angels that propelled her to a far-flung race. "It is my faith that has carried me through life’s ups and downs," she writes. "Whenever injured, I wait for the Lord to pick me up again and set me on my feet, confidently reminding Him, ‘God, you know, my intent is to keep running toward you.’"
The Grace to Race is the courageous story of a woman who broke with convention, followed her heart, and found her higher mission.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring for triathletes!,
By Judith Nunn (Oakville, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Grace to Race: The Wisdom and Inspiration of the 80-Year-Old World Champion Triathlete Known as the Iron Nun (Hardcover)
I was drawn to this book by an ad in Triathlon magazine. 80 years old!! over 300 triathlons! Gotta read this! So I bought it and read it the week before my triathlon. Well if you ever need mental coaching for a tri, this is the book for you. With the water 64 degrees at my tri, I nearly gave up in the first 100ms even with a wetsuit. Since it was sleeveless I was feeling the cold. I calmed down, thought of some Sister Madonna stories and moved ahead. Similarly, on the run, a steady prayerful chant helped me endure the blisters I was experiencing. None of this would have happened without the thought provoking read that I got from this book. It is simply written, but written from the heart. Thanks Sister Madonna.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews) 6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
No more excuses,
By Andrew Galbus - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Grace to Race: The Wisdom and Inspiration of the 80-Year-Old World Champion Triathlete Known as the Iron Nun (Hardcover)
I thought I was getting old and starting to do races like duathlons and triathlons was maybe not for me. I started having some minor pains too and thought perhaps I needed to back off a little. After reading about Sister Buder I know I have nothing at all to complain about. The book showed me by example how someone can enjoy life, stay healthy, and be in competitions without necessarily being competitive except with yourself. Her faith was very inspiring as well. I would recommend the book for runners, triathletes, or althetes that have pains and complain about their hardships. I would also recommend it to someone who needs some inspiration and wants to see how someone else stays in touch with God. Wow! Great read. I don't read many books in just a few days but this one I did. It starts out with a race and gets you hooked, then goes back in time to her life and how she found her place in life and then how she got hooked into running and eventually triathlons bringing the story back to current time. It was a great complementary book to Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen because that book spoke of times when we used to run as a child for fun barefoot and just because we loved to run around. Sister Buder still does this at age 80!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
inspiring!,
By Linda Snyder - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Grace to Race: The Wisdom and Inspiration of the 80-Year-Old World Champion Triathlete Known as the Iron Nun (Hardcover)
I read the kindle edition of this book and never put it down. Wow! I came away feeling as though I have never pushed myself far enough, or hard enough. That S. Madonna Buder could do ironman length triathlons over and over, setting age group records all along the way and pioneering new age groups for the events she entered, was very amazing to me. I loved reading of her spiritual journey. Thank you for such an insightful and inspiring book!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Inspirational Biograhpy,
By ST - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Grace to Race: The Wisdom and Inspiration of the 80-Year-Old World Champion Triathlete Known as the Iron Nun (Hardcover)
Sister Madonna is an amazing woman. Her story should be read by EVERYONE - not just athletes. Her story life story proves that you can do anything... ANYTHING if you believe in yourself & have faith.
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