Strong at 56, SOAS Ambassador Kim Rouse

SOAS Gal Kim Rouse

Meet SOAS Ambassador Kim Rouse from San Diego, California.  She started running in college as a means of relieving stress.  It became addicting and she kept increasing the mileage.  At 30, she found a national coach and qualified for the 1988 Olympic Trials Marathon within two years.  At 40 she joined the master’s circuit and finished 3^rd in the country, racing distances from 5k to marathons all over the country.

Kim had many friends from the early days of triathlon who she used to run with on long runs.  Raising a family and working full time, she couldn’t quite see the logistics of training for a triathlon yet.  She and husband Mike visited Kona one year after her youngest daughter was in high school and became mesmerized by the Ironman start. Mike decided to take the plunge.  He had never swam before.  The next thing they knew, they were getting hand me downs from Michellie Jones.  Kim qualified for Kona in 2005 and took on coach Paul Huddle and the rest is history.

This is now Kim’s 8^th Kona she will compete in this year and has been on the podium in her age-group all but the first year.  Kim says she has made so many great friends along the way and is so grateful for what the sport has taught her.

As if life isn’t full and busy as it is, in 2009 she decided to take on the Hawaii Ultraman World Championships.  In her first year she broke the 50-59 age-group record by over 4 hours!  And she’s got another one in the works this November.

Besides triathlon she’s blessed with a wonderful supportive children and grandchildren who she and Mike take pride in being healthy role models for.

Kim took her Kona slot this year by placing 2^nd AG in Honu 70.3 this year. 

Kimmie LOVES SOAS because of it’s comfort and style while training and racing. 

We can’t wait to see Kimmie Rouse at 70.3 Worlds next and then Kona and Ultraman!