Peggy McDowell-Cramer is our "spearhead" for the reunion project. Shown at left is her graduation photo from our 1958 Yearbook, and today she's spending every spare waking moment as the eye of the reunion hurricane!

Right after high school, Peggy got her BS degree in Physical Education at University of Oregon, taught in high school and competed in synchronized swimming. She also attended a year of college at the Royal Gymnastic Central Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

She spent 13 years teaching at the college level and then obtained her MS degree in Sport Sociology, married in 1972 G.Patterson Cramer then went on to a PhD in Sport Sociology/physiology.

Two children, Christopher and Hillary followed and after further training at Fuller Theological Seminary became a Presbyterian Minister. That's her day job. Her passion is shared with triathlons and masters swimming.

In 1994, 1996 and 1997 she has made the US Triathlon Team and has competed with them at the World Championships in New Zealand, USA and Australia!

What a busy life - ministering, family, triathlons and an intense "full time job" producing the October, 1998 40th Year Reunion of Menlo-Atherton High School. We all knew her as "the organizer" in high school, and, thankfully, she's still at it!

Write peggy at PMcDC@aol.com.

PEGGY IN THE 2001 IRONMAN:

It was quite a day, if i do say so. Per race administration, the worst conditions they've ever had. As in, 50mph winds. I did a longish report on the whole thing to some family and friends, so if you want details let me know and i'll wing it over. The short version is that i finished, last. As in, dead last, no more coming. And i was happy about it.

I've always thought i'd just be mortified if i ever came in last in a race, but in that race on that day, i was ecstatic. The bike ride was extreme, shall we say, particularly where those winds gust across the road, so i ended up making the bike cut-off with a tiny time cushion. Since i'd been dealing with a hip injury i knew the run was going to be iffy anyway, so with no cushion there i was very unsure i'd make the race cut-off at midnight. It did happen, though, and not only was i happy, but the people there made it into a huge deal---it was just wild.

To top things off, I ended up 5th, and they award down to 5th----because the others in my age group bit the dust and dropped out. A very unexpected (to say the least) and enjoyable finish. There are a couple of accounts of this---one on slowtwitch.com, under "age group notes from kona"; and then the Ironman people had a reporter do a piece for their ironmanlive.com site, under "Last, but a long way from Lease!"--so titled for obvious reasons.

Sater, Sweden ITU Long Distance event: (Click photo)

Peggy also completed the 1999 Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii October 24,1999.

She swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles, and ran 26.2 miles to finish!

Here are the results from www.ironmanlive.com:

Here's the information on the women entered in the 55 - 69 age bracket:

Congratulations, Peggy, we here at the Internet shop can't conceive of doing ANYTHING for 16 and a half hours much less physical exertion of that calibre!