• Slug: Sports–Krysten Sinema Marathon, 830 words.
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By David Bernauer
Cronkite News

PARIS – For the first time, amateur runners had a chance to follow in the Olympians’ footsteps and run the same course used for the marathon earlier in the day. Among the athletes that competed Saturday?

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

The congresswoman is a fitness fanatic, having competed in multiple marathons and Ironman triathlons, summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2013 and hiked Mount Fuji in July

“The opportunity to run in the Olympics, that’s like a bucket list, so I couldn’t miss it,” Sinema told Cronkite News Friday in Paris.

And she didn’t. She was one of 20,000 amateur runners who competed in the Marathon Pour Tous (Marathon For All), finishing in 4:48.48. The race started in Paris and looped through Versailles, passing through some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

The senator, 48, started running cross country in high school, and by her own admission, wasn’t very good. Not until her 30s and now 40s did she start getting faster, she said, a classic late bloomer.

“Growing up, my family, we were pretty poor, and so I didn’t have a lot of money to play lots of different sports,” Sinema said. “But running, all you need is a pair of tennis shoes. I just kind of increased my distance over the years and found it’s a great way to relieve stress and also hang out with friends.”

It wasn’t long before Sinema was competing in long distance races and finishing well. In 2019, she qualified for the Boston Marathon, and in a three-mile race for government officials and media staff, she posted the fasted female time and broke a senate record in the process. Sinema would soon start competing in Ironman triathlons, which required her to learn how to swim.

“I didn’t have a lot of access to swimming (as a child), so I was an adult learner,” Sinema said. “I can swim good now, you know, I’m pretty decent.”

In all, she’s done four full Ironmans and “a bunch” of half Ironmans.

Sinema trains almost everyday to keep in shape. Within the busy schedule of being in Congress, how does she find the time to train? It’s simple.

“The reality is, I just wake up early in the morning,” Sinema said. “If you are dedicated to it, you can get the training in, you can work your job and you can enjoy this incredible opportunity of running.”

The reality is she may have more time to train in the future. In March, she announced she would not run for a second term.

She does her best to run or cycle every single day and lift weights a few times a week in order to not lose muscle mass. While some are collecting chip crumbs on their couches, she’s making sure she’s in physical shape to allow for her demanding athletic schedule. If she’s on the treadmill though, she might watch a Netflix show or two.

“I like ‘The Gentlemen,’” Sinema said. “There was a movie, and then they made a Netflix show, and they’re both very good. I would highly recommend it.”

Another advantage of coming to Paris? The anonymity. It’s a far cry from the U.S. where security escorts her wherever she goes.

“Nobody knows who I am here, nor do they care,” Sinema said. “So I get to be kind of normal. It’s wonderful.”

The same can’t be said for the incredible athletes who are recognized everywhere they go that Sinema has been following throughout the Olympics.

“I am one of those people who struggles with productivity during the Olympics because I obsessively watch everything and I get super hyped,” Sinema said. “Obviously the U.S. athletes are amazing, and we’re killing it in track and field.”

With less than 100 days until the election, Sinema preaches a message of inclusivity, saying as a country we have more in common with each other than we don’t, and the Olympics promote the same message.

“What I love about the Olympics is how it brings people from all over the world together, and the camaraderie and support that you see through sport is amazing,” Sinema said. “It has the power to transcend pettiness and politics and show the real heart of the human spirit and bring us together.

“The person who’s making the most noise on Twitter is not usually the one who’s going to solve your problems.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.