By Nila Harris
Natalie Kelsch Stewart has always been an overachiever.
At Pendleton County High School, the teenager from Foster strove to achieve top honors in her class. She took every advanced placement class that was offered and was the class salutatorian.
AND she was active in sports and clubs. AND had perfect attendance for several years.
The list goes on.
The goal-oriented teen grew up to be a goal-oriented adult.
Now a dentist at Mason Elite Dentistry in Mason, Ohio, Dr. Stewart competed in the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas on April 26 and finished 7th overall in her age and gender group.
This competition is three-fold — a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run.
Stewart’s finishing time was 11 hours, 42 minutes, 58 seconds.
Stewart and her husband, AJ, participate in endurance racing, which includes daily workouts and training. They each enjoy participating in competitive events but try to alternate their big training sessions.
When Natalie was training for the Ironman, she would train for 15 hours on peak weeks.
She did two 100-mile bike rides, then 80 miles, then 75.
The week before the race, she would still train, but no more than 30-minute workouts running, biking or swimming, sometimes combining the activities.
Now that she is finished with the Ironman, Natalie steps back on her workouts and AJ starts his intense training for the Ironman 70.3.
The Stewarts usually do many of their workouts in the mornings before their two children awake. But their children DO see them exercise on the exercise bike and treadmill, Natalie Stewart said.
“We want to be an example to them. This is part of a healthy lifestyle and fitness.”
She told of family members who ran and were an example to her. She mentioned people like Nancy Moreland Wood, whom she would see running.
Stewart remembered going biking with her dad, and how that was one more step toward helping her realize the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle.
Stewart admits that the Ironman was difficult — the training, and especially the swim portion. She was confident that once she completed the swimming, she’d persevere and complete the entire race.
Her goal in sharing her story is to help others to understand that training and working toward a goal helps form character.
“You don’t know what you’re capable of. When times are tough, you’re able to look back and think ‘I got through this in my life.’ Getting up every morning and pushing on. Setting a goal and working towards it.”
Stewart’s next goal is to qualify for the World Championship in 2025. She needs to get in the top 5 in her age group at the Ironman Chattanooga this fall. AJ is striving toward that goal as well.