Bobbie Williams has been an inspiration to women in sport for over 27 years. She has proven that with hard work and dedication, anyone at any age can achieve their goals.

At age 43 having raised a family, Bobbie decided to enter the sport of triathlon. She did her first triathlon, an Olympic distance event, in College Station, TX. On a cold morning in April, with very little training and woefully unprepared, she finished her first triathlon. Later, proudly displaying her finishers mug, she knew she was hooked!

Her rise to the top of her age group was swift and over the past 24 years she has completed nearly 60 triathlons. Along the way, she has earned the respect and admiration of everyone with whom she comes in contact. Even her granddaughters are so proud of their grandma's accomplishments they want to be triathletes themselves someday.

At age 60, Bobbie decided to raise her triathlon racing to a new level and entered her first Ironman. No longer racing just for fun, Bobbie bit the bullet and started training seriously. In 2.5 months she went from recreational triathlete to Ironman finisher. Finishing first in her age group and establishing a new age group record at the Great Floridian Triathlon, she knew she had found her niche, the Ironman distance! In the past 10 years, she has completed 18 Half-Ironman triathlons and 7 full Ironman triathlons including 4 Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

She first qualified for Hawaii at Ironman Florida in 2000. That qualified her to compete in The Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii in 2001. Having already entered the Canadian Ironman for 2001, Bobbie was faced with the prospect of doing two quality Ironman triathlons with only a six-week interval. Eight weeks is the usual time required to recover from a long distance Ironman before attempting another one, but since Hawaii and Canada are each quality races and hard to get into, Bobbie decided to do both. Ironman Canada is a very hilly course and because Bobbie lives on relatively flat terrain, learning to climb hills was an important skill she needed to learn in a very short time. Three weeks of intensive training in the rolling hills around Baltimore, MD was her hill climbing preparation. In late August, Bobbie competed in the Canadian Ironman finishing second in her age group. Six weeks later she finished one of the most grueling Hawaiian Ironman races in the history of the sport. With crosswinds up to 60 mph and head winds of 40 mph she finished 3rd in her age group.

A true student of the sport, Bobbie has learned the skills and techniques required to became a top competitor. Hard work, perseverance, dedication and determination have become the cornerstones of her program. With her belief that anything is possible, Bobbie's goal is to continue to push the boundaries of her endurance through her 60s 70s and beyond.

Athletic Resume:

• 7 Ironman Triathlon finishes
• Four finishes at the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii (two Third place finishes)
• 18 Half Ironman triathlons (70.3)
• Spinerval instructor at local bike shops
• Certified Personal Trainer
• Organized and hosted Triathlon Workshops
• Published author of several Triathlon training articles
• All American List in 2001

Bobbie's love of the sport of triathlon has progressed to the role of mentor. Novice as well as seasoned triathletes seek her guidance on training and racing. When Bobbie first started competing in triathlons in 1983, there were no triathlon coaches. Everyone learned everything the hard way, by trial and error. With Bobbie's extensive experience as a competitor, combined with her knowledge of racing and training techniques, she is helping other athletes achieve their triathlon and fitness goals.