London, United Kingdom (CU)_An 84-year-old woman was placed among the top finishers in a marathon conducted in Altrincham, United Kingdom. According to media reports, Barbara Thackray, along with her son James, recorded a chip time of 01:26:45 during the race held recently. The 84-year-old woman began her marathon running when she was 77. During lockdown, she began running 20 kilometers (12 miles) every week, claiming that the exercise helped her stay active.
During a media interview, she stated, “I think it enables us to keep our body going”. According to the media, Ms. Thackray was reportedly raising funds for St. Ann’s Hospice in Heald Green, where her late sister Audrey had been a patient. According to media sources, she has already crossed 1,200 pounds (INR 1.11 lakh). Ms. Thackray exerted a lot of effort in preparing for the marathon. She runs 10 kilometers twice a week and has no intention of hanging up her running shoes just yet.
James, son of Ms. Thackray, visited the United Kingdom all the way from Hong Kong to be with his mother at the starting line. According to media sources, he expressed pride over his mother’s accomplishments throughout the years. He said, “I’m incredibly proud, she’s done a great job at motivating others to take up running and gets us all involved in joining her at races.”
Ms Thackray stated, “At 84, you can’t afford to lose it. In your 70s you can start new things, but I’m not convinced you can in your 80s, so I didn’t want to risk it”. She added, “I’m so happy to have ran the race next to my son, James, and share the love I have for running with him”. According to her, running for St. Ann’s Hospice was a great cause. The Heald Green-based organization is raising funds to build a new hospital adjacent to its present facility.