72-year-old Bay Area nun preparing for 1st powerlifting competition, taking health to next level
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As we age, working out and lifting weights are key to staying healthy and strong, but a Bay Area nun has taken those tips to the next level.
Pat Farrell, who is getting ready for her first weightlifting competition on Saturday, is not your typical weightlifter.
"I'm a Dominican Sister of San Rafael," said Farrell.
Those working out around her know she is special.
"I'm absolutely blown away," said Shuyi Zhang, a San Francisco resident who works out at the same gym as Sister Farrell.
Farrell says the Dominican Sisters do hospital work, school work, and social justice work.
"I think it's the lens that we see this work through, which is as the Order of Preachers, we see it as a way of preaching with our lives," said Farrell.
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Many would expect to find the 72-year-old nun at her convent but lately, you can also spot her at the San Francisco gym, The Yard.
"Typically, people past 60 have started to lose a lot of muscle density, and so I read about that and started with dumbbells and stuff like that, and I have things like that at home and I kind of got tickled to begin powerlifting," said Sister Farrell.
Sister Farrell started lifting to improve her health, but recently she signed up for her first powerlifting competition. She can lift 160 pounds, which is more than her body weight.
"I like to think that I'm carrying on part of our tradition of 175 years," she said. "The congregation of the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, this coming December, we are celebrating 175 years of our foundation and its 175 years of strong, intrepid women who have been engaged in mission and in service of others for the gospel."
So far, Farrell says she hasn't yet inspired the other sisters to begin powerlifting.
"However, what I would really like to encourage any of them or anybody my age is to move more because I have really found this kind of exercise is energizing and it has improved my back," Farrell said. "I used to have issues with my lower back, and it has improved that, so just do more."
Her trainers at The Yard are also her powerlifting teammates. All of them are rooting for her.
"Man, has she made an impact, I think her energy is infectious," said Josh Keihl, head of community and experience at The Yard.
At the convent, she has sisters and brothers. At The Yard, she has found her "gym bros."
"There is about 70-75 people competing on Saturday, and I'm the only one in my weight class, so I'm likely to get a medal as long as I lift something," Sister Farrell said.
Sister Farrell also keeps a vegan diet and aims to get in 10,000 steps every day.
