Arizona Democrat Krysten Sinema completed an Ironman competition Sunday, becoming the first member of Congress to finish the grueling race.
For Sinema, who got up at 3 a.m. to train, the intensely difficult competition — 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run — wasn’t about being the “first” to do anything.
Editor's Note: ObamaCare Is Here. Are You Prepared?
“I mean, I’m the first in a lot of things, but I don’t care much about that,”
she told the Washington Post. “I just want to finish the race and feel good.”
The intensive training required to compete in an Ironman became doubly difficult as Congress faced the shutdown, a stressful event that spiked her craving for comfort foods, the Post said. Particularly sweets. Her coach gave her an out, she said.
“He said, ‘If you’re going to eat sugar, eat sugar high in fat, because you’ll be satiated faster,’” Sinema told the Post. “I was like, ‘So you’re telling me to go have a cupcake? I can do that.’”
Sinema said it requires discipline and being up for the challenges inherent in a busy schedule to make sure training happens. Already a marathoner, the most difficult part of the training was overcoming her fear of water to compete in the swimming portion.
Online congrats flooded Twitter, where a picture of Sinema crossing the finish line was passed around.
Editor's Note: Do You Support Obamacare? Vote in Urgent National Poll
Related Stories:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.