60+ Triathlete began running after 50

Sallye Prenger Born November of 1948

Sallye was running laps on the Shadle High School track during her lunch hour when a young boy began pacing her. He was very chatty, making it difficult for her to listen to the audio book.  After awhile he asked her how far she was going to go. Sallye told him she was only going to run four miles because she had to get back to work. He contemplated her answer and replied, “That’s pretty good for someone your age.” She had to laugh to herself and decided, yes, that was pretty good for someone her age. However it was not long ago that she would have been challenged to run a mile.

ROAD TO FITNESS

Sallye with her bling!

The summer after Sallye turned 50 she decided she did not want to be fat and out of shape any longer. She bought a bicycle and everyday she biked forty miles along Spokane’s scenic Centennial Trail. 1998 was a sizzler and the ride would take her about three hours. Undaunted, she persevered and to her delight lost 25 pounds that summer.

Soon after, she was transferred to Hawaii for her annual two week deployment with the USAF reserves. Unfortunately, she was not able to take her bicycle with her. Not wanting to give up her fitness gains, she tried running – and found she could do this. Over the years she had attempted runs but had never stayed with it for long, this time it was different.

She kept with it, running and biking longer and longer distances. She found that while she was not so fast, she had endurance; eventually she was biking centuries (100 miles in a day).

In 2004 she noticed triathlons. Sallye and her daughters Abby and Molly signed up for the YMCA’s Plunge, Pedal and Plod. Even though this was a low key event, at first they were terrified of attempting the triathlon. What if they couldn’t do it? But they did and to their amazement they had a great time. That started her triathlon adventures. 2010 she finished the Coeur d’Alene Triathlon, she was thrilled. Recounting this story she laughs, adding, “they gave out nice shirts!”

DISCIPLINE AND MOTIVATION

Home from work - ready for a chilly winter run.

Regular exercise requires discipline and motivation. Sallye concedes there are days when it is hard to get started; but she pushes herself and knows that she will be glad afterwards. Exercise leaves her with a high level of energy. Training and races has become a lifestyle and incorporated into her social life. She is often joined by her daughters at races and bikes every Sunday with a good friend. She has the full support of her husband, a former marathoner, who cheers her on at races.

Training is part of her daily routine. I asked how she is coping with the weather. Turns out Sallye is a winter enthusiast, “I like to run in the snow, clamps on my feet. I don’t dress too warm. I stay in the middle of the street. I run at night, after work, so I wear reflectors with blinking lights. I even love to run in the wind – it’s invigorating!”

Signing up for races is a great way to keep the impetus going and overcome inertia. Sallye entered 25 events in 2010. She also picks out one new race a year. In Oklahoma visiting her parents last year she ran a half marathon in the  Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon and is signed up to run a half at the Arbuckles to Ardmore Marathon, race for mercy in March of this year.

Another motivator for Sallye is being able to indulge her appetite for books. She listens to audio books while running, finding mysteries particularly befitting. Sallye is a librarian at the Shadle Park Library, she shared with Fitness Diaries a list of her favorite running books. [See: Immerse yourself in the world of running . . . with your feet up!]

Race day!

Today Sallye is a prolific athlete entering dozens of races and triathlete events every year. She encourages women she knows to get up and get moving, admonishing “It’s not as hard as you think!” She convinced her manager to start running; after getting an emotional high from the Coeur d’Alene Half Marathon, her manager turned around and signed up for the Sandpoint Half then one in Seattle.

Sallye looks at me intently, “Running slowly grows on you … something fun you can do. You can even exercise when travelling.” I asked Sallye what motivates her. “After losing weight I felt pride. Now I feel strong, that keeps me going.” Sallye laughs, “And as you get older they give you things.You get bling!”