Runner, 97, set to break European Parkrun record with 250th event

Meet the 97-year-old woman who is set to break a Parkrun record, when she becomes the oldest person in Europe to complete 250 Parkruns.

Grace Chambers will be cheered along the 5k route at Ormeau Park in south Belfast on her way to the remarkable record-breaking feat.

Not that just completing the race is all Grace is aiming for - she's hoping for a good race time too.

She only took up running at the age of 88 after having open heart surgery, but said she has no plans to stop after reaching the big 250.

For many people, never mind an 88-year-old recovering from serious, invasive surgery, running is not top of the to-do list.

But Grace's Parkrun journey began when a staff member on her rehabilitation team, who volunteered at Ormeau Parkrun, suggested she might enjoy coming along.

With a bit of encouragement from one of her daughters, Grace went to do her first Parkrun in 2016 and said she became the talk of the event.

"Everyone kept saying: 'This woman in her 80s has turned up thinking she can do a parkrun.' Well I certainly showed them," she said, laughing.

Grace became a regular at the community event and broke numerous records for runners in her age category in her first year.

"I just love it, all the people you meet, it's just wonderful - people from all over Northern Ireland come and mix at Parkrun and you wouldn't have had people from all the communities mixing like that when I was growing up," she said.

The former teacher, who professed a love of mountain hiking and golf, said not even the suspension of Parkruns in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic slowed her down.

"I just went down and did it myself anyway," she said.

Grace recorded all of her times and got her daughter to send them all to Parkrun afterwards.

"I've probably done a lot more than 250 Parkruns, but the ones during Covid don't count," she added.

Not even a broken leg, suffered while out walking during the pandemic, stopped her, as she bounced straight back to Parkruns after recovering.

She's now assisted around the course by her two friends Cathy and Sue.

"I wouldn't be here without them, they take me to the run each week and go round with me."

A 'local legend' cheered on by Olympians

Grace now has a bench named after her on the finish line with a a plaque that says "Grace's Bench, Park runner extraordinaire".

On a typical week, you'll find Grace sitting on it after the run posing for photos with her fans.

Lots of people have come to visit Grace over the years including the Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, who ran alongside her.

"Kelly wanted to talk as we were going round the course so I had to say, come on Kelly, you're holding me back."

Grace's preparations for her 250th run hit a snag when she had a stent fitted four weeks ago, but she only missed one week during her recovery.

"I told the surgeon I was going to test out his work, I've got a new valve, why would I not use it," she said.

Deirdre McConvey, one of the volunteer run directors at Ormeau Parkrun, said Grace has "become a local legend".

"We've had visitors come specially to meet her, nobody smiles broader than Grace.

"Her warmth and friendliness has endeared her to all the regulars who love to cheer her over the finish line, especially on her birthday.

"Her grit and determination are definitely inspiring and sometimes quite humbling."

Belfast South MP Claire Hanna is also a regular Parkrunner and will be cheering Grace on.

"Congratulations to the inimitable Grace," she said.

"What an inspiration she is to so many."

However, Grace doesn't really understand the fuss over her Parkrun record.

"So what!" she said.

"Many people do much more remarkable things than this, but if it inspires some people to start running then that's great.

"I just hope I get a good time on Saturday with everyone watching me."

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