Kathleen Reilly Hughes graduated from Bexley High School in 1976. She was not an athlete by even the most modest standards but, thirty years later, she is a world champion triathlete with All-American status.

Kathleen went on to graduate from Ohio State in 1983 with a BS in Horticulture and immediately began working in her field, and then in technology for the State of Ohio. Meanwhile, she developed a passion for sports and fitness, generated, she jokes, by defending herself against five brothers. What began as a fitness regimen grew into triathlon competition and, ultimately, into world-class performances in sports’ most grueling endurance event —the Ironman Triathlon World Championship (Kona, Hawaii). Kathleen was crowned World Champion when she won her age division in 2001 in Kona. Three years later she was named the world’s Outstanding Women’s Age-Group Ironman Triathlete. She has completed 14 Ironman races – including 11 World Championships, in which she has placed no lower than sixth ten consecutive years.

Triathlon is comprised of three sporting events - swimming, biking, and running. The distances vary from sprint distance (.5 miles, 15-20 miles and 1-3 miles respectively) to Ironman distance (2.4 miles, 112 miles and 26.2 miles). Kathleen is currently ranked fifth worldwide in her age division in Ironman-distance races and sixth (age group) in the United States in all distances. In her 25+ years of racing, she has also completed well over 30 marathons, 160 non-Ironman distance triathlons and countless running, cycling and swimming competitions. For her outstanding triathlon performances, she has achieved All-American status (top 5% of her age division) in the sport ten years running, from 1997-2006.

In 2005, Kathleen was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Arthritis Foundation, Central Ohio Chapter. Kathleen has raised nearly $160,000 for the foundation through her Ironman racing to help cure the number one debilitating disease in America. Although the cause was personal, as it sidelined her running partner and husband, Jim, it recently has come full circle. Kathleen also has recently been diagnosed with “career-ending” arthritis -- which will cause her retirement, more likely sooner than later. 2005 also presented Kathleen with the Ohio Master Female Triathlete of the Year Award.

Kathleen, a certified triathlon coach and trainer lives in Bexley with her husband Jim and their two daughters Rachel (15) and Reilly (14) who attend Bexley High and Middle schools.
 

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