Provided photo Laurie Smith, of Atlantic Mine, proudly displays her Ironman medal after winning her age group in Chatanooga, Tennesse, in the fall of 2021.

ATLANTIC MINE — Fifty-five-year-old Laurie Smith has no need to create a list of 2022 New Year’s resolutions. She’s already resolute, with a capital “F” for fitness. Smith proudly admits that if there was a 12-step group for runners, swimmers and bikers, she would easily qualify for the group’s weekly organizer.

“Life is an adventure. You’ve got to keep going,” she said. “Exercise has been a great coping mechanism for my life, a confidence builder and brought wonderful people into my life.”

Her training regime is intense. She never slows down. While most 50-somethings make the annual half-marathon Canal Run in Hancock a bucket-list event, Smith has been known to jog to the starting line from her home in Atlantic Mine and then do the run. All in a day’s workout for this fitness fan.

Smith ran her first marathon more than 25 years ago. That spiraled into triathlons, but her workout addiction came to a screeching halt at age 33 when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

“My doctor told me not to run any more marathons while in treatment. So, I followed his advice and did a triathlon instead,” she said with a big grin.

Two decades later, Smith has done 40 marathons (26.2 miles), 11 Ironman triathlons (26.2- mile run, 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike) and 27 half-Ironman triathlons.

Her Ironman expertise even earned her an elite spot at the Ironman World Championships in October 2019 in Kona, Hawaii. This yearly event has been described as a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit, and Smith conquered it.

“Kona was something that I had been trying to qualify for for more than five years,” Smith explained. “It was everything I thought it would be and more. I was proud of myself that I accomplished it.”

However, crossing the finish line at the Ironman World Championship wasn’t enough. Smith was hooked and not slowing down. She wanted to do the World Championship Half Ironman and in September of last year she qualified for it at an event in Frankfort, Michigan.

“I just went out and did the half-Ironman (in Frankfort) with no plans of winning my age group (55-59),” she said. “I was looking at it as training for Chattanooga (Tennessee) — a full Ironman later that month. But when I finished, people were texting me saying, ‘Laurie you won.’ So now I qualified for the Half-Ironman World Championship, which is set in October of this year in St. George, Utah.”

Two weeks later she competed at Chattanooga, a full 140.6-mile Ironman, and again earned a spot on the podium for her age group and another ticket to the World championship in Kona also in October.

“I will be doing both world championships in the same month,” Smith explained. “I’m excited.”

Two world championships equate to more than 39 miles of running, close to four miles of swimming and 168 miles of biking in the matter of a few weeks. Most people don’t complete one of these events during their whole life.

Smith knows that she is the exception in the fitness department, however, there isn’t an ounce of snobbery to be found on the workout clothes of this Copper Country native. When the mother of four and grandmother of eight isn’t running the roads of America, she teaches a spin class at Portage Health Fitness Center and a bootcamp class at South Range Elementary School in the winter and at her house in the summer.

“I like to motivate people,” Smith said. “My motto is get up and do something. People say that there is no way that I could do what you do, and that’s fine. My message to people is to have a goal, and go for it. Start small and add on when you become consistent so it’s not overwhelming. Also, surround yourself with like-minded people who will encourage you to reach that goal.”