Run It Fast®

91-year old North Carolina resident Harriette Thompson ran and finished the 2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon on Sunday with a time of 7:07:42.

It’s an impressive crown to wear, after all: Her average pace – 16 minutes, 20 seconds per mile – surpasses the walking speed of a typical healthy adult. And this was all in spite of the fact she’s still recovering from recent radiation treatments for squamous cell carcinoma. The burns on her legs are still healing. (per People)

Harriette’s time is the fastest by a woman over 90 years old by a moonshot according to Runner’s World.

Thompson’s time was well under the previous fastest time in the women’s 90-and-over division, 8:53:08, run by Mavis Lindgren at the 1997 Portland Marathon. The oldest female marathon finisher on record is Gladys Burrill, who ran the 2010 Honolulu Marathon in 9:53:16 at the age of 92.

Her comments after finishing the 26.2 mile race made many laugh:

“I feel wonderful,” Thompson told Runner’s World Newswire. “I feel very relieved and I feel very anxious to take a shower and then fall into bed.”

Thompson didn’t start running until she was 76-years old. She has run a marathon every year since then on behalf of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Team In Training, raising over $90,000 in the process.

And in true Run It Fast spirit she said, “You’re never too old to do it. I started my first marathon at 76.” She went on to state that she planned to be back at San Diego for the marathon again next year, “I’ll try and do better next year and be in better shape.”

What an amazing and inspirational woman. A lot of us give up on being active or doing the impossible as we age. Harriette decided at 76-years old to run a marathon and has done it every year since then. Not enough words to praise the example she has set and how many she is inspiring.

This is the awesome finisher’s medal for the Flying Pirate Half Marathon that was held on May 4, 2014 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

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[medal photo submitted by Darius – follow him on Twitter @dzoid11]

This is the finisher’s buckle from the Umstead 100 Miler that was held on April 5, 2014 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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[medal photo submitted by RIF #134 Robin Mancinelli- follow her on Twitter @robinmrr2]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Asheville Half Marathon that was held on March 16, 2014 in Asheville, North Carolina at the beautiful Biltmore Estate.

Here is another view of this great medal:

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[Medals submitted by RIF #230 Peter Wrobel and by by RIF #192 Leigh Marsh – follow her on Twitter @MsPrincessLeigh]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Tobacco Road Marathon that took place on March 16, 2014 in Cary, North Carolina.

Love medals that feature trains. Very cool.

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[Medal submitted by RIF #280 Suzy Spiceland. Follow on Twitter @bookaroo32]

Here is a massive indexed state-by-state library of all of the marathon, half-marathon, and ultramarathon medals (and more) we’ve received over the past four years.

Enjoy and be sure to Tweet us your medals @runitfast on Twitter or email them in to us.

United States

This is the medal for the NC Half Marathon that was held on March 24, 2013 at the Charolotte Motor Speedway in Charolotte, North Carolina.

The center part of the medal spins and it the lights on the right side light up! Love the checkered flag theme. Great race medal!

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[Medal submitted by Runners Knees. Follow on Twitter @runnersknees]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Tobacco Road Marathon that took place on March 17, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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[Medal submitted by Charles Candles. Follow on Twitter @CharlesCandles]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Tobacco Road Half Marathon that took place on March 17, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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[Medal submitted by Sarra. Follow her on Twitter @sarra_h]

This is the medal for the Inaugural Asheville Marathon that was held on March 3, 2013 in Asheville, North Carolina.

Not only did the runners receive this wood medal but they also received a commemorative wine label for running this very cold and windy marathon around and through the beautiful Biltmore  House and estate.

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[Medal photo submitted by Elizabeth Sager.  Follow her  on Twitter @Liz_triathlete]