(This article, reprinted with permission, featuring Kathleen Reilly Hughes, class of 1976, appeared in The Columbus Dispatch on January 1, 2001.)

At-home mom trains for triathlon
Kathleen Hughes, 42, of Bexley ranks sixth nationally in her age group for women.

By Michelle Everhart
Dispatch Staff Reporter

While her children are at school, Kathleen Hughes is on the go like many stay-at-home moms. But on top of taking care of the household, she is training to become a top triathlete. 

Hughes, 42, is also helping her husband and training partner, Jim Hughes, run again. 

When Mr. Hughes, a lawyer, learned in 1997 he had degenerative arthritis in his hip and could no longer run with her, Mrs. Hughes raised more than $35,000 for the Arthritis Foundation by participating in triathlons. 

“She is in a class of her own,” said Scott Wills, spokesman for the foundation. “As an individual, she is certainly one of our highest contributors.” 

Hughes, who grew up in the Columbus area and lives in Bexley, has plenty of family and friends who donate. 

When she’s not raising money, she is training — and becoming a highly ranked triathlete who is sixth nationally in the 40-to-44 age group for women. 

Getting there has taken a lot of training and dedication, which have led to 150 triathlons and five Ironman competitions in 16 years. 

After college, Hughes started jogging to lose a couple of pounds. The jogging led to mini-triathlons in the ‘80s. 

After taking a break to have daughters Rachel, 8, and Reilly, 7, she went back to training for triathlons and the pinnacle of the sport, the Hawaiian Ironman World Championship competition. 

The Ironman, held in Hawaii every year, is a combination of 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running. As grueling as that sounds, add in tropical heat and humidity with 50-mph wind gusts — she was blown off her bike three times this past year — and it is understandable why anyone who finishes is considered an Ironman. 

But being an Ironman isn’t enough for Hughes, who is sponsored by Tri-Tech Multisport on Huntley Road. She is working on becoming tops in her age group as she trains for her sixth Ironman race. 

“A lot of people go to just finish, but I want to at least finish in the top five,” she said. 

To get there, Hughes trains up to 16 hours a week in the off-season and 26 hours leading up to the race. The combined regimen of swimming, biking, running and strength training gives her the edge she needs to make it in the Ironman. 

Last year, she competed with a stress fracture in her foot causing her to finish lower than she had hoped. 

“The hardest part is, after 10 straight hours of going and you want to get done before dark. At that point you have to keep it positive and not think about how badly you hurt.” 

Her personal trainer, Ben Hastings, said Hughes has not peaked. 

“She is very motivated,” said Hastings, owner of the work Out Shop in Lewis Center.  “I think she is a great athlete and her fastest year is yet to come.”