In high school in the early 1970s, Patty checked and re-checked the “cuts list” for girls' sports—basketball, field hockey, tennis. Her name was usually missing. Except for one year on the basketball team in 10th grade, she never made it into a regulation game. But she loved the practices, the sweat, and the discipline. What felt like rejection at the time planted a seed that would later grow into a lifelong passion.

Determined to train on her own terms, Patty found freedom in running—starting with short loops that eventually led her to 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons, and triathlons. Endurance became her playground. After battling some nagging overuse injuries, she turned to cross-training, and that’s when she fell in love with triathlon. She started small and worked up to full Ironman events: a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run.

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Yoga and strength training became part of the rhythm too. They helped her stay strong—and stay in it for the long run. But perhaps her deepest joy has come from lifting up others in their own running journeys. With the support of her husband Robert (a runner too—they’ve been married 42 years!) and an amazing team of volunteers, Patty co-directed a running race for over a decade and founded The Big Fish Triathlon in Western New York. Both events were all-volunteer and rooted in community and giving back to local charities.

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In 2017, Robert and Patty moved to Poulsbo, Washington, to follow their pack—their five grown sons had all headed west, and they knew where they belonged. These days, she’s still swimming, biking, and running, competing in local events, and leaning more into trail runs and gravel biking. She swims twice a week with a Masters program—a game changer for both fitness and community connection.

Now retired after 33 years as a licensed clinical social worker—and a certified yoga teacher—Patty is still chasing big goals, though she’s learned to be more mindful in how she trains at 67.

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