Who decides to run a marathon in their 70s? These legends
Science tells us that a marathon runner's peak performance years are between ages 25 and 35. But that doesn't mean they're your best years. Take it from a dozen awe-inspiring runners, all 70 and over, who we caught up with after they crossed the finish line (still flush with joy!) of this year's Boston Marathon.
Some have been running for decades; others took it up later in life. All are in elite company: Runners over 65 made up fewer than 3 percent of all marathon participants in 2023, according to the most recent numbers from the nonprofit group Running USA. And runners over 75? Not quite .3 percent. So what keeps some of the world's most inspiring amateur athletes committed after a whole lot of years, miles, and worn-out trainers? Good health, sure. But also clarity and camaraderie, family and tradition, and maybe the promise of post-race beer and saki. The teenager who thought he'd wow the ladies Wat, age 17, photographed for his 1970 high school yearbook at Kalani High in Honolulu.
John Wat, 72
Home: Honolulu, Hawaii
First Marathon: 1977, in Honolulu
Early Motivation: 'I started running when I was 14 or 15, and like most guys that age, I thought I would impress some girls.'
Vocation: Retired teacher and coach. 'I was always a better coach than a competitive runner. Now when I run on the road, I see a lot of my former athletes. That kind of keeps me going.'
Favorite Recovery Treat: 'I'm still a coach, so I'm always thinking about what you're supposed to do. But sometimes a big, greasy cheeseburger or pizza is what really hits the spot.'
Sue Chappell, 70
Home: Christchurch, New Zealand
First Marathon: 2002, in Honolulu, Hawaii
Bad Habit: Getting lost. 'I just don't pay attention. I like to look around. It's why I love running. I'm nosy.'
On New Perspectives: 'It certainly has helped my self-confidence. It's given me the knowledge that I can age healthily. I used to hate the gym with a passion. Now I love it.'
Best Motivation: Running with friends. 'I'm the oldest in our group. They say, 'You have to keep running because as long as you're running, we feel like we need to keep going.'' The Canadian who slugs a post-finish Pepsi Fagan finishing the Boston Marathon on April 17, 2000. Photograph by MarathonFoto
Francis Fagan, 75
Home: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
First Marathon: 1992, on PEI
Impetus for Running: Recovery from a broken leg. 'I was 42 and getting too old for other sports. Running seemed fairly easy by comparison.'
Post-Race Refuel: Pepsi, followed by a beer or two. 'The sugars always help. It's the good stuff.'
Marathons Completed: 152. 'I keep all my medals in tin Cadbury cans. I'm running out of cans and places to keep them.'
Long-Term Goal: Running the Boston Marathon at a hundred. 'I only have 25 years to go. I just hope I'm lucid and not drooling then.' The octogenarian only slightly slowing down
Frank Bright, 82
Home: Shreveport, Louisiana
First Marathon: 1978, in Crowley, Louisiana
On Camaraderie: 'If there's somebody your age who's been running marathons, you know what they've been through. And they're probably the kind of folks you'd like to know better.'
Training Adjustments: 'I don't do speed work anymore. I worry about not knowing where the envelope is and getting injured.'
On Deriving Joy: 'It's more in the reflecting on it and not so much while you're doing it. A mystic experience of running? I haven't had that. There's the ego, having people say, 'Hey, attaboy.' That may be more of it than I want to admit.' The very deep thinker Freedman running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C., on October 28, 2001. Photograph by MarathonFoto
Barbara Freedman, 73
Home: Montréal, Quebec
First Marathon: 1999, in New York City
Toughest Challenge: Life-run balance. 'There are so many ways life gets in the way, and it can break your heart.'
Lessons Learned: 'Whenever I go out for a long run and bring a couple of problems with me, I come back with not just one solution, but three or four. When I run, I think. And when I come back, I have ideas.'
Biggest Motivation: 'Knowing there will be an end one day. There's not a lot of time left for me. I'm not doom and gloom—it's just knowing life is finite. But I'll have all these memories, and I'll know what I did. It's just the stopping that's going to be hard.' The dad who raised his coach
Jose Alfaro, 75
Home: New York, New York
First Marathon: 2022, in New York City
Coach and Inspiration: His son, Amilcar Alfaro-Martell. 'It's something we can share together. It's been some of the most special times in our lives, and we really cherish it.'
Running Playlist: 'I listen to a lot of salsa music, Puerto Rican music: Marc Anthony, La India. Got to shout out Bad Bunny as well.'
Running Philosophy: 'All faces, all paces. I'm really inspired by the number of immigrants who come out together under the umbrella of running. Their ability to overcome incredible difficulty builds my resilience.' Havkins running the Capital City Marathon in Olympia, Washington, in July 1984. Photograph by MarathonFoto
Sabina Havkins, 70
Home: Seattle, Washington
First Marathon: 1977, in Keystone, Colorado
Most Memorable Race: Capital City Marathon, in Olympia, Washington, 1984. 'We ran the same course as the first women's Olympic marathon trials, a couple of months before. And that whole aura, of the first time women were allowed to run that distance, that was just so inspiring.'
Motivational Tip: Sign up for races. 'Having a goal puts something on the calendar and helps with accountability and discipline.'
On Identity: 'Running is part of my persona. It's not who I am, but it's how I experience the world, experience the outdoors, find oneness with spirit.' The Joburger who started with an ultra in his 60s
Boissie Mbha, 72
Home: Johannesburg, South Africa
First Marathon: 2015, at Comrades (~90K), in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa
Training Mantra: Quality of miles over quantity. 'My knees are also 72 years old, so I do shorter distances. Increasing my rate of rest is very important—I make sure I get enough sleep. I know it works because I can still beat some of the youngsters.'
On Late Starts: 'It's never too late to start a new activity. It keeps your mind sharp.'
Future Plans: No more than four marathons a year. 'For as long as my knees allow me.' The very consistent medal collector Taylor's first marathon, the Detroit International Marathon, on October 22, 1978. Photograph courtesy of Jim Taylor
Jim Taylor, 78
Home: Easton, Maryland
First Marathon: 1978, in Detroit, Michigan
Training Mantra: Steadiness. 'I'm very consistent in my diet. I listen to how I'm feeling and pay attention to my body and do a lot of things in moderation.'
Prized Possession: Boston Marathon medals. 'Running Boston is the 4th of July, Christmas, and a pilgrimage to Mecca all rolled into one. Those medals are as important to me as all of my degrees.'
On Gratitude: 'I'm feeling very blessed at this stage of life. My wife is a former marathoner and my best friend. Life is great.' The late bloomer
Hisako Oguma, 75
Home: Setagaya, Japan
First Marathon: 2014, in Nagoya, Japan
Started Running: At 60. 'After retirement, I wanted to have some fun and try something new. I have always loved being in nature and the experience of the wind racing past me.'
Favorite Soundtrack: Ambient sound. 'In Japan, my generation does not like putting things in our ears. Besides, if you play music, you cannot hear the sound of nature and spectators cheering.'
Training Philosophy: 'It's good to start working slowly. And running or walking with friends always helps.'
On Aging Well: 'The best thing to do for longevity is to eat well, sleep well, and drink lots of saki with friends.' The New Englander who won't change her shirt Linda Parrish finishing the Boston Marathon on April 20, 1992. Photograph by MarathonFoto
Linda Parrish, 72
Home: Albany, New Hampshire
First Marathon: 1988, in Newport, Rhode Island
On Motivation: 'I was a single mom of three kids, so it became really important that I had this outlet. I wanted them to have something they would be proud of me for.'
Training Mantra: Patience. 'I still do the sort of training I did for years, but at a much slower rate, where it used to be a short part of my day but now it becomes a whole afternoon.'
Prized Possession: A singlet from her local club, the White Mountain Milers. 'I've been wearing it for 36 years. It looks like it's gone through a war.'
On Hindsight: 'When I think back to my 20s, if you'd have told me I'd still be running at 72, I just can't imagine I would have ever believed that.'
Robin Schiller, 72
Home: Santa Rosa, California
First Marathon: 2006, in Steamboat, Colorado
Keeps Running Because: 'Preparation and training offer clear and immediate results. It feels so manageable when so much in your life doesn't.'
Prized Possession: Medal from the 2013 Boston Marathon, when bombs killed two and injured more than 260. 'I had planned for that to be my last marathon. But all of us there instantly decided we had to come back. It's an outpouring of good spirit like you will not see anywhere else.'
On Aging Actively: 'As long as I can do this, I feel like I owe it to myself and the universe to do it. Running is a blessing.'
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