100 miles + 6 seconds to spare. Senior citizens rock!

After feeling a complete wuss yesterday in my HM, coming over all tired and wobbly, and then feeling cross with myself all day for such a s-l-o-w time, the story that I am going to share with you just now, came as a complete inspiration.

This is a total feel good story about a lady even older than yours very truly, who made THE most dramatic race finish possible.

Imagine squeaking in with just 6 seconds to spare on the cut-off time for a 100 mile race. (Actually, imagine even running a 100 mile/160km race…)

And imagine being 70 years old and doing it.

Way to go, Ms Swanson.

And this is no ordinary road race, no siree.  Just look at the race profile.

“The Western States Endurance Run is the world’s oldest 100-mile race — and among its toughest. Runners begin the race in Squaw Valley, Calif., climb more than 18,000 feet and descend nearly 23,000 feet before they reach the finish line in Auburn, Calif.”

That is seriously challenging by anybody’s standards, and I can’t tell you how proud I feel (as a senior) of a stranger called Gunhild Swanson.

Makes me want to stop being such a wimp and just get out there and train even harder.

Here’s the link to the full story.  And to round off this total feel-good story, now watch the goosebump-y moment as Ms Swanson crosses the finish line.

(Ooh look, she’s wearing a hydration backpack.  So that’s the third of my feeble excuses from yesterday just blown out of the water.)