By: Grace Liu

Keira D’ Amato is a 37-year-old mother of 2. Fourteen years after an injury forced her to take a break from the sport and five years after relying on running to lift her from one of the lowest points of her life, D’Amato finished the Houston Marathon in 2 hours 19 minutes and 12 seconds, beating a U.S. record that has remained unbroken since 2006.

As she stretches at her local track, members of a nearby group look her way, and one woman asks whether they can take a picture together. This has become a frequent occurrence after D’Amato had become a local celebrity due to her accomplishment.

Currently, D’Amato is an alternate for the USA track team. If one of the 3 members of the team drops out for any reason, she will achieve her lifelong dream of competing in the Olympics.

As much as D’Amato wants to reach these goals, there are many sacrifices that she isn’t willing to make. That is why she is in her town, not at full training altitude. She is also a realtor instead of being a full-time athlete.

Unfortunately, a while ago, her bones in her left foot weren’t connected properly, and she needed a surgery that her insurance didn’t cover, so she opted for an early retirement. According to The Washington Post, “She went to work for the mortgage company Freddie Mac and eventually became a realtor. And for the next eight years, she built a life outside of competitive running. Even after she finally had foot surgery in 2009, she had no desire to mount a comeback.” However, she didn’t quit the sport completely and tried to run a marathon in 2013.

Her coach has watched D’Amato go from a solid runner in her 20s to an elite runner in her 30s. Her Olympic dreams that were far fetched before are now in reach.

Link to Article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658070549434x669287680107915000/Keira%20D%E2%80%99Amato%20is%2037.%20A%20mom%20of%20two.%20And%20America%E2%80%99s%20fastest%20female%20marathoner.%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf