Julie Moss

Julie Moss, born in 1958, is an American triathlete who first became known at the 1982 Ironman Triathlon, which she entered as part of her research for an exercise physiology thesis. She had not taken the race seriously and had no special training beforehand, yet she found herself with a comfortable lead. About two miles from the finish she became severely dehydrated, and she staggered and crawled towards the line before Kathleen McCartney passed her moments before the end. Her struggle was broadcast around the world and inspired many others to compete in Ironman events, and the race is credited with raising the visibility of the sport before its Olympic debut in 2000. She later married the triathlete Mark Allen.