Harriette Thompson is a role model for anyone worried about staying active while getting older. The 92-year-old finished San Diego's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on Sunday, becoming the oldest woman to complete a marathon. And, it's not even her first world record; Thompson holds the title for best time in her age group from a 2014 race.
According to the Washington Post, Thompson ran the race with her son, who took photos of her progress. The mother of five has now run 16 marathons, and has only missed the San Diego race one year. The reason? She was undergoing treatment for cancer.
In addition to being more athletic than many people a third of her age, Thompson is also a celebrated concert pianist. She performed at Carnegie Hall three times and is planning a performance this fall.
Thompson's final time was 7 hours, 24 minutes, and 36 seconds. She told Runner's World before the race, “I think if I can do it, anybody can do it, because I wasn’t trained to be a runner. But I have also found that it’s very invigorating. I feel like a million dollars when I’m finished.”
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT