A Long Island woman who turned personal grief into physical energy has won a two-year lease of a new 2006 Ford Explorer by meeting the challenge of the world's most grueling endurance competition, the Ford Ironman World Championship triathlon.

Kerry Ann Massett of Massapequa Park has been named recipient of the "Ford Built To Do More Award" to be announced on national television Saturday, Nov. 19 during NBC's 90-minute special on the competition. NBC's Al Trautwig will name Ms. Massett as the award winner in the telecast, scheduled for 4:30-6 p.m., following coverage of the Notre Dame vs. Navy football game.

Ms. Massett, 56, lost her 20 year-old son on Dec. 30, 2002, in a tragic car accident in Purchase, NY, where he was pursuing his education at Manhattanville College. An outstanding triathlete for many years (she finished third in the 50-54 age group at the Ironman World Championship in 2001), she lost all interest in the sport following her son's death, but was coaxed back into training by her friends in Long Island. She found the necessary workouts to be a therapeutic focus and distraction, and her effort produced a fitness level that enabled her to win her age group at the Ford Ironman Lake Placid in July.

Her award-winning accomplishment came on Oct. 15 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where over 1,700 athletes took on the daunting challenge of the Ironman distance -- the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile marathon run -- in the 28th edition of the world championship. She finished seventh out of 18 women in the 55-59 age group with a total time of 13 hours and seven seconds. Ms. Massett's individual heats included a 1:28:57 swim, a 6:42:44 bike and a 4:36:01 marathon. In the company of the finest endurance athletes in the world, she finished 1,424th overall.

A registered nurse, Ms. Massett wore a patch on her singlet inscribed with her late son Jason's initials and the number 6 he wore as a member of the lacrosse team at Manhattanville.

The award was determined by a panel of officials from Ironman World Championship title sponsor Ford Division and race organizer World Triathlon Corp.

"She has demonstrated amazing resilience," said Mark Kaufman, SUV Marketing Manager for Ford Division. "We felt Kerry Ann exemplified the durability and spirit intended for the 'Ford Built To Do More Award' and are pleased to provide her with a two-year lease of a 2006 Explorer."

"We were paying for Jason's college tuition and his funeral bills at the same time," said Ms. Massett, whose husband had been laid off from his job as a telecommunications project manager at the same time. "Doing this (the Ironman) has helped me learn to live again."

Ms. Massett also received support from the Farmingdale-based Runners Edge Triathlon Team, which paid her entry fee and held a fundraiser to cover some expenses associated with the trip to Hawaii.