A Burnham-On-Sea pensioner has this week been named the UK’s top female half-marathon runner in her age group.
Sue Nicholls, 67, has only been running for four years and said this week she is “stunned” to have been named the country’s leading 65+ female half-marathon athlete by Athletics Weekly magazine.
Sue, pictured, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I was both surprised and delighted when several friends rang me to let me know that the magazine has ranked me as number one in my age group.”
“It’s calculated from the results of half-marathons around the country. I have done well recently, but did not imagine I would
Sue took up running four years ago, aged 63, when her husband died of cancer. She wanted to raise funds for Cancer Research and has never looked back.
“I love running – the sport helped me out of a sad period and I have met some superb people. It has also has lots of health benefits,” she said this week.
Sue completed the Liverpool Half Marathon last month in a time of 1 hour and 46 minutes and was the first local finisher across the finishing line in last year’s Burnham Half Marthon in a time of 1 hour, 40 minutes.
She will be competing in this weekend’s Taunton Half Marathon and, later this month, will be running the 2013 London Marathon.
Sue is also a running captain at Burnham Harriers, the town’s running club, which is open to newcomers.
Sue is not Burnham’s only athletic pensioner. Arthur Gilbert, 92, is currently the world’s oldest triathlete and regularly competes in local events.
