Sports > Running Archives - Infinite Women

Harriette Thompson

Harriette Thompson ran her first San Diego Marathon when she was 76 and continued doing so every year except 2013—which the then-90-year-old only missed due to a recurrence of the oral cancer she had been fighting since 1986.

Edwina Brocklesby

Edwina Brocklesby, who would go on to be the U.K.’s oldest Ironman triathlete and founder and director of Silverfit, which promotes physical activity among older people, “didn’t do any exercise at all until I was 50.”

Gladys Burrill

Gladys Burrill was 86 when she ran her first marathon in 2004. She would go on to complete four more Honolulu Marathons, earning the nickname “Gladyator” and setting a world record for the oldest woman to finish a marathon on December 12, 2010 at age 92 with a time of nine hours, 53 minutes and 16 seconds.

Madonna Buder

Sister Madonna Buder, also known as the “Iron Nun,” competed in her first triathlon in 1982 at age 52—and then did around 400 more over the next four decades.

Melinda Cockshutt

The month after her 50th birthday, Australian athlete Melinda Cockshutt won the women’s division of the 2024 Ultraman Australia triathlon, as well as being the oldest woman to complete the race.

Regine Tugade-Watson

Regine Tugade-Watson is a world champion in athletics and was one of was one of five Guamanian athletes who participated in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Angela Katson

US Navy officer and ultra-marathon runner

Bobbi Gibb

In 1966, Bobbi Gibb became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in an unofficial capacity. She did not officially enter the race and instead joined the starting field shortly after the race started. Gibb finished the race in 3:21:40 and placed 126th overall.

Kathrine Switzer

In 1967, Katherine Switzer became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an officially registered competitor. During the race, race manager Jock Semple tried to stop Switzer from running but was unsuccessful in his attempt and she continued on finishing with a time of 4:20:00.

Velma Springstead

Trailblazing Canadian track and field athlete