Competitor bio:

Sandra is a retired US Naval officer. She began running as a teenager as a result of constant badgering by her three brothers who said she had no athletic ability and she was overweight. She began running marathons while on active duty in Hawaii in 1986. She used to train with the Navy SEALs to get ready for all her athletic events, which included six Honolulu marathons, three Oahu perimeter runs, two Tinman triathlons, many half marathons and the regatta and long distance seasons paddling outrigger canoe. She has completed a total of 24 marathons including marathons on all continents. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic shutdown, Sandra, a lifelong health conscious person who never even tried smoking, was diagnosed with lung cancer. She lost part of herlung, but soon was back working out. Running and injuries to her knees left her unable to run and in late 2021 both of her knees were replaced. Neither losing 25% of her lung nor all the metal in her knees stopped her from completing the Volcano Marathon in November 2022, her toughest and favorite marathon. Less than a month later she completed the Honolulu Marathon. When she is nottraveling going on marathon adventures, she's helping her husband take care of their rescued kids consisting of one bunny, 2 birds, 2 chinchillas and 3 dogs.