Run It Fast®

Harriette Thompson is now the oldest woman to ever run at marathon after she completed the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon this morning at the age of 92-years old. She finished with a time of 7 hours 24 minutes.

Thompson has run the San Diego Marathon 16x and ran a 7:07 last year to set the record for 90 years and older. She started running marathons when she turned 76-years old.

According to ATHLinks Thompson ran a 44:26 5K two weeks prior. She ran a 6:27:03 at the 2009 San Diego Marathon

Congrats to Harriette in showing the world that anything is possible if we will just get out there and try it.

source/photo: Competitor

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.

Kenya’s Terfa Negari won the 2011 Rock n’ Roll San Diego Marathon on Sunday, June 5, 2011, with a finishing time of 2:11:16.

Ethiopian Tesfaye Sendeku came in second place with a time of 2:12:21.

Negari’s fellow countryman Gilbert Chepkwony took home third with a strong showing at 2:12:49.

Top 5 Rock n’ Roll San Diego Marathon Results

1. Terfa Negari (Kenya) – 2:11:16
2. Tesfaye Sendeku (Ethiopian) – 2:12:21
3. Gilbert Chepkwony (Kenya) – 2:12:49
4. Christopher Torotich (Kenya)  – 2:14:16
5. Luke Humphrey (United States) – 2:14:37

The Rock n’ Roll San Diego Marathon winner was Russian Buzunesh Deba in 2:23:31.

Fellow Ethiopian Misiker Mekonnen was the second female finisher across the line at 2:25:20.

Kenyan Helena Kirop was third with a time of 2:27:00

Top 5 Rock n’ Roll San Diego Marathon Results

1. Buzunesh Deba (Ethiopia) – 2:23:31
2. Misiker Mekonnen (Ethiopia) – 2:25:20
3. Helena Kirop (Kenya) – 2:27:00
4. Olena Shurkhno (Ukraine) – 2:28:33
5. Salina Kosgei (Kenya) – 2:28:33

American Meb Keflezighi won the Rock n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon race, run at the same time as the full marathon, with a time of 1:02:40.

Gina Slaby, fromt he United States Navy, was the female Half Marathon winner with a time of 1:16:33.

COMPLETE 2011 ROCK N’ Roll SAN DIEGO MARATHON RESULTS

Here is a quick look at some of the big marathon and ultra marathon races taking place this weekend in the United States.

June 4-5, 2011 Races

Saturday, June 4

Green River Marathon (Kent to Alki, Washington) – Results Page

Newport Marathon (Newport, Oregon) – Results Page

North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler, 50K, Marathon, & Half (Washington, D.C.) – Results Page

Sunday, June 5

Casper Marathon (Wyoming) – Results Page

Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon (South Dakota) – Results Page

Minneapolis Marathon (Minneapolis, Minnesota) – Results Page

North Olympic Discovery Marathon (Sequim to Port Angeles, Washington) – Results Page

Rock N’ Roll San Diego Marathon & Half Marathon (San Diego, California) – Results Page

Steamboat Marathon & Half Marathon (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) – Results Page