All successful politicians are competitive — that’s how they got elected. But some find that the relentless drive that powers them through a campaign serves them equally well in the weight room, in a road race or on the basketball court.In March, Kyrsten Sinema became the first U.S. senator to finish one of the iconic and arduous swim-bike-run events, crushing her previous best time by more than two hours.
The feats had to be ranked — this is a story about competition, after all — but how do you compare a fast marathon to a heavy bench press, or a tough rock climb to an extreme display of bladder control? Exhibit A is former congressman Bart Gordon , who at 70 says he is still often introduced as “the fastest man in Congress” thanks to a never-beaten 1995 performance in the lawmaker category of a quirky D.C. three-mile race.
Gordon set his record of 16 minutes 59 seconds — that’s 5:40 per mile — at the ACLI Capital Challenge, a collegial team event that has drawn the speediest runners from government and Washington-area media for nearly four decades. If a lawmaker wants bragging rights for their foot speed, they earn it there.
In March, Kyrsten Sinema became the first U.S. senator to finish an Ironman Triathlon, finishing in 12:59:57 in New Zealand. Sinema says she loves the challenge of achieving things that are “audacious and too hard.” Sinema said she loves the challenge of achieving things that are “audacious and too hard,” which is why she chose the Ironman and why she is attempting to qualify for Boston at a marathon this month.
“It’s a mind-set,” Schmidt said, just days after completing her 20-somethingth Boston in April. “You just have to roll with it and move forward and always look at the goal. You want to finish the race. You want to win that election.” Duckworth, a combat veteran who lost both legs in Iraq in 2004, said that during her recovery, the staff members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center first encouraged her to try a marathon, and she has since completed four.
In 1979, Carter, then a very active 55-year-old who in college had run cross-country for the Naval Academy, pushed too hard during a hot, hilly 10K near Camp David and collapsed midrace. He cooled off and was fine, but the story became national news, and a strikingly unflattering picture became one of Time magazine’s featured photos of the decade.
Rep. Katie Hill , a seasoned rock climber, in 2018. Hill’s free-climb — using ropes for safety but no gear or devices for assistance — was featured in a 2018 campaign video, so she was not yet in office. But the climb was significant, rated 5.11+ or 5.12a , and free-climbing lawmakers are pretty rare.
WashPostPR Can WaPo do a ranking of something that matters like policy choices or relevant experience?