HUNTLEY – When she turned 40, Sun City resident Nancy Moore was not the picture of health. Previously a smoker and still overweight, she couldn’t run around the block. Now, she triumphs in triathlons.
“I’ve done 34 triathlons, and I started in 2002,” said Moore, who began in the 60-69 age group and now competes in the 70s age bracket. “And I was a runner twenty years before that.”
Since 2002, Nancy Moore has competed in 34 triathlons and has taken home her share of the gold. (Photo by Hannah Sturtecky/Sun Day)
Moore’s decision to renovate her health regimen began in her forties with encouragement from her husband and son (an Iron Man athlete), who suggested that she take up jogging. After many years of running, Moore’s son recommended that she train for triathlons to ease the pounding on just one area of her body.
“I didn’t know how to swim, and I hadn’t ridden a bike in fifty years. So my son, Brad, gave me a bike and started me on swimming lessons,” Moore said.
Since then, Moore has snagged gold medals on many occasions, participating in both sprint races and Olympic-style courses. Although her race to the top appears to have been a cinch, it is really the result of her work ethic. She runs, bikes, and swims three times a week, drawing her determination from family, friends, and feeling healthy.
“I’m motivated by my husband, my son, and my dear friend, Jen Noie. She and her dog, Hunter, are my best cheerleaders at the races,” Moore said.
While Moore explained that her athletic training is a form of self-care, she strongly encourages others to pick up the pace as well, regardless of age.
“I like to encourage people to keep moving,” said Moore, who recommends that beginning triathletes obtain a personal trainer and additional swim lessons.
What gave Moore the continued motivation to succeed despite her early tries and fails?
“I kept going because I knew I could and I wanted to,” she said. “It’s a really great feeling to cross the finish line.”
