Page 60 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2017

PHYSICAL & FISCAL FITNESS unstoppable
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Robin Stephens Lund and Michael Bruffey
ROBIN STEPHENS LUND AND MICHAEL BRUFFEY showing off their Ironman medal
Getting in shape and becoming fit is always a good idea, but two Biloxi residents took it to the max by training for extreme competitions. Robin Stephens Lund and Michael Bruffey both were 47 when they trained for and competed in Ironman events and have recently turned 48. Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run for the ultimate test of 140.6 miles of endurance. Participants have 17 hours to finish, and finishing is winning.
Lund is vice president and senior designer for The Ad Group. Last November she participated in the Ironman Florida (IMFL). “I did okay. I would have liked to have accomplished a faster overall time,
but in the end, I finished and that was really my goal,” she said. “I had trouble during the swim with seasickness and issues on the bike from still having an upset stomach and then with the wind. I was able to pull through, thanks to some mantras from my coach! I just kept telling myself, ‘Fight for what you want!’ I wanted that finish line, so I forged ahead.”
Lund says once her feet hit the ground for the marathon, she was fine for the most part. “I think I was smiling during the entire run, I was so happy,” she added.
60 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • January 2017 FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net