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That’s how athletic adventurer Helen Kaiser describes her trots around the globe pushing her muscles to new limits and channeling her boundless energy and enthusiasm.

Kaiser, 70, completed the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in St. George, Utah, on Sept. 18. The competition consisted of swimming 1.2 miles, biking 56 miles and running 13.1 miles, half the distance of full Ironman triathlons. The momentous day held many surprises as a hailstorm struck in the middle of a 97-degree day, but it didn’t slow Kaiser down. She placed seventh in the world in her age group.

She qualified for the world competition by winning her age group at the Ironman 70.3 in Des Moines, Iowa, in June.

In addition to the hail, she also encountered massive tortoises during her stay in Utah.

A retired physical therapist, Kaiser has always been fascinated with the abilities of the body. She started out as a swimmer with the Beloit Aquatic Team and went on to swim at Marquette University. In 1974, she began jogging and eventually became a marathon runner, competing in the Boston Marathon, Ironman events and cross-country skiing competitions. Living in Europe for several years, she often took her talents around the world.

She decided she wanted to compete in one more Ironman before shifting her focus to travel and other pursuits with her husband and family.

But while running in January, she encountered ice under snow and fell. She tore her medial meniscus in her right knee. Not wanting to have a surgery that could lead to a knee replacement, she began using non-weight-bearing crutches for a month and eventually began running with a brace and doing her own rehab. To avoid putting too much force on her knees she started running in a new way with shorter and quicker steps.

She admits training at age 70 was a challenge at times.

“Not only do you have to bike, swim and run but you also have to work on tissue mobility, core strength, range of motion,” she said.

Despite the obstacles, she continued her training and felt ready to tackle an Ironman course. She found she got stronger on the bike and in the pool, finding it helped rehabilitate her knee.

“I love training and watching my body become stronger and be able to do these things,” she said. “I love the process of becoming fit. If you gradually train and build up, it’s very safe.”

Race day started out promising.

“The chance of rain was 20% that morning, but by the time the women were swimming, the gray clouds were building. The storm hit with 30- to 40-mph winds, and some were pulled in the water due to lightning and thunder,” she said.

Although Kaiser said she is accustomed to swimming through waves that come in sets, she had to swim through what is known as “chop,” what she described as “water chaos.”

During the bicycle portion of the competition, she rode near sand dunes and along 4- to 5-mile inclines with 6% to 8% grades.

“The sand was blowing across the road and you couldn’t tell if you were on the road or in the sand,” she said. “The rain was torrential and then it started hailing. I heard this pinging off my helmet and saw these little white marbles off the road.”

At mile 46 of her bike ride, she was pedaling through Snow Canyon State Park, which is located on a road climbing a dormant volcano.

“These big desert tortoises were crossing the road in the park. These tortoises are slow moving, thank God, so you could ride around them. Some park rangers were carrying them off the road,” she said.

After running with her brace, she crossed the finish line much to her delight.

“I never had weather like that in all my years of racing. It teaches patience, persistence and to be present in the moment,” she said.

While Kaiser still plans to remain active and participate in the USA Triathlon National Championships in Milwaukee next year, she said she is finished with Ironman-level competitions, electing to focus on travel, nurturing friendships and visiting family in her coming years. She might even lure some of her loved ones to go biking or on a backpacking trip.

“Life is great. I’m having a good time,” she said.