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Sunday was a big day for a certain 92 year old cancer survivor. After completing Sunday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego in 7 hours, 24 minutes, 36 seconds Harriette Thompson of Charlotte, North Carolina became the oldest woman to finish a marathon.
This was her 16th Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and according to Harriette, by far, the hardest. Thompson had a hard time training after her husband died in January following a lingering illness and she battled a staph infection in one of her legs.
However, she not only returned but she broke a record.
The previous title holder, Gladys Burrill, was 92 years and 19 days old (Race organizers say that Thompson is 92 years, 65 days old) when she completed the 2010 Honolulu Marathon. Harriette didn’t even begin running marathons until she was in her 70s.
A member of her church approached her about being one of her sponsors in the marathon to raise money to fight leukemia and lymphoma. Thompson said she had already lost members of her family to cancer so she thought it would be a good idea.
Now she’s enjoying running to raise money for cancer research and figures the competition has helped keep her healthy. Harriette is a classically trained pianist who played three times at Carnegie Hall, so as a way to help her get through her the 26 miles, 385 yards she mentally plays old piano pieces she had performed.
Regarding next year’s race Thompson isn’t sure if she’ll run again. However after last year’s race she wasn’t sure she’d run this one either.
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