OCALA, Fla. — Running a marathon is significant enough. Running a marathon just three weeks after completing an Ironman brings another level of motivation.

The races, as well as the training that goes into preparing for triathlons, have helped Ocala's Adrienne Bunn in a number of ways, including making the 18-year-old runner with autism believe anything is possible. 

What You Need To Know

  • Ocala's Adrienne Bunn, who is diagnosed with autism, competed in the Ironman World Championship and New York Marathon just three weeks apart 

  • She is the youngest female athlete with autism to complete the Ironman World Championship

  • Kulture City, an organization that works to create sensory accessibility and inclusion, helped train her for the major events

One foot in front of the other — that's all it takes to get started until belief exists.

In Bunn's case, it was metaphorical feet, or literally tiny feet, collected during elementary school gym class.

"I had, like, these little plastic feet that I put around the necklace, and I got, like, the most feet around because I realized I love to run," Bunn said. 

Step by step, the sport unlocked a world of possibility for a young athlete with autism like Bunn.

"I got off of medication while doing running," Bunn said. "It's very therapeutic. I love to run."

Much of Bunn’s autism affects her in the form of anxiety from crowds and sensory stimulation, but when she's out for a run, she feels those nerves go away.

"Usually keep my mind pretty calm," Bunn said, "and I think of names. So, I think of, like, people that support me, people that are pros in this race that I love. I think of history people. So, I love of World War II kind of thing."

Bunn’s name will be in sports history books one day, too, as she competes in some of the biggest races in the world. Beyond just running, Bunn took up triathlons when she was 13, racing in The Great Floridian. Since then, her journey with triathlon has brought her to new heights. 

"It's crazy how I did like the biggest amount of racing, the biggest race in the triathlon world," Bunn said. "To do three sports and doing was like, so cool because you could do a challenge and just have like mix up the training so much that a lot of your body can work so much with different muscles."

Through Kulture City, an organization that works to create sensory accessibility and inclusion for those affected like Bunn, she trained for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, this November.

A full-time high school senior, Bunn still trained about 20 hours each week leading up to the race, with longer runs, bike rides and swims on the weekends as it got closer to the event. 

"She loves doing it," said her father, Bob Bunn. "It helps her mind and body, especially with having autism, and it helps her focus better so she doesn't have to take medication and it makes her feel better just as a person."

Beyond the physical training that goes into race prep, there are a lot of aspects the Bunn family has to organize.

"It's not just the running and the biking. It is the nutrition," Bob Bunn said. "Making sure all your equipment is charged and ready to go. Make sure you have your kit, your shoes, all that stuff."

The Bunns traveled to Kona for a once-in-a-lifetime Ironman triathlon experience. When Adrienne Bunn crossed the finish line, she became the youngest female athlete with autism to complete the Ironman World Championship.

"Running makes me feel like I have a voice in the world, and I am super passionate about running," she said. 

When Bunn races, she's joined by a guide which she describes more like a running buddy. The guide helps her in those moments when anxieties could creep in, reminds her when to fuel up, changes the gears on her bike and controls her pace to a more sustainable one. 

"I am very fast. So I needed someone to match up with the speed that I had," Bunn said. 

Just three weeks after completing the Ironman, Bunn crossed the finish line of the New York City Marathon. With a time of 3 hours, 51 seconds, she was accompanied by someone she admires, connected through Kulture City. 

"The New York was super cool because I got to run with Matt Choi, which is a running influencer," Bunn said. "And he had a lot of cheers and chants for him. And just feeling his energy was so nice because he was so nice and the crowds were just wild. So it's like a national holiday for them."

It's quite the journey — from the days of collecting little plastic feet around a necklace, to now stacking bracelets on her wrist with reminders that anything is possible. 

"So, this one is Kona. These ones I just got from New York. And this is a quote that I love. This is my favorite quote. This is, 'anything is possible'. So, I keep thinking of that. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it," Bunn said.