RunYoung50

Running blogs by women over 50

If you are interested in finding out more about the experiences of women runners over 50 have a look at some of the blogs listed here.

In 2013 when I first started looking for blogs by women runners over 50 I only found a handful but gradually that number has grown. Over the years I’ve noticed that many people don’t keep their blogs going for very long. I update this list a couple of times a year and try to ensure that the blogs featured have recent posts.  

I’ve noticed that a lot of the women on this list are ultrarunners and this makes me wonder if women over 50 are particularly drawn to running longer distances. I did a bit of research into this, looking at races in the UK, which you can read here.

The list includes American and British bloggers. It has included Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders in the past. I’m always keen to hear about blogs that could be added to this list so do let me know if you follow other blogs by women runners aged 50+.

I hope you enjoy reading these blogs as much as I do.

British Blogs

Ruth Gledhill competing in a triathlon in 2023 women's running blog

Ruth Gledhill took up running in her early sixties after she had nearly died from an acute medical condition. In 2023, 63-year-old Ruth returned to competing in triathlons after a gap of 35 years. To her surprise she qualified to represent Great Britain as an age group athlete at the European Championships. Ruth writes “Every day I wake up, every foot I put in front of the other, every time I turn the wheel of the bike, or catch the water in the downward stroke of the pull, I feel a surge of utter joy, a complete and total thrill just to be alive, out there, doing this. Because I so very nearly wasn’t.” Follow her “couch to Kona” journey on her Tri and Error blog.

Sinead Bradbeer ultrarunner in her fifties

Sinead Bradbeer from the UK has been writing her Running and Stitching blog since 2013 and turned 50 in 2021. She runs trail ultramarathons, including 100 mile races. Sinead writes about her training, preparation and racing, as well as talking openly about some of the challenges she faces. She sometimes acts as support crew for other ultrarunners. Sinead is also “an avid knittter of small creatures” and some of her posts feature photos of her creations.

Sue Harrison GB ultrarunner over 50

Since joining Leamington Cycling & Athletics Club in 1986, Sue Harrison has run well over 50,000 miles in training and racing  and that’s what led her to call her blog “Twice around the world and still running“. Sue, who turned 50 in 2021, is a top-class distance and ultrarunner. She’s ranked tenth in the all-time British rankings for 20 miles, third for 50k and fifth for 100k. She has represented England and Great Britain and has competed several times in the IAU World and European 100k Championships.

Whilst Sue has always been very motivated by training for races, in 2020 she wrote, “Since lockdown began I’ve realised that actually I don’t need races to motivate me to get outdoors and run.  Running is part of me; it’s who I am and is as much a part of my life as eating, sleeping or cleaning my teeth!” 

Audrey Mcintosh Scottish ultrarunner over 50

Audrey McIntosh is an ultra runner from Glasgow who took up running in her mid-thirties. In her blog she writes about her running and reflects on related topics. She ran her first marathon in 2003 and has run more than 45 races at marathon or ultra distance. Since 2013 Audrey has organised the Loch Katrine Running Festival. She has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity. In 2022, Audrey completed her challenge of running a 100k ultramarathon distance in extreme conditions on each continent. Audrey writes: “I’m fully aware that other runners have completed more races, have clocked up more miles, and run faster. But ticking boxes is not my driver. For me, running is all about the sense of purpose and well being it brings.”

Karen Nash British ultrarunner over 50

Karen Nash is an ultra runner from Preston with a love of fell running, trail running and climbing. Her blog contains detailed accounts of long-distance, off-road races. She races regularly, often finishing first female. In May 2018, aged 57, she was the first woman to finish, and fourth overall, in the Northern Traverse, a self-supported, 190-mile race with over 16,000 feet of ascent, coast to coast from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay. A lifelong runner, Karen says: “As I got older, slower and more injured I moved to longer races and found the ultra series. I may not be all that fast compared to some but I love the long days and friendship this has given me.”

Nicky Spinks British fellrunner over 50

Nicky Spinks is an accomplished fellrunner, who has set many records on British long-distance fell runs. In 2016 she became the fastest person to run a Double Bob Graham Round, running the Lake District route twice – 132 miles in 45 hours 30 minutes. In 2018 she became the first person to run a Double Paddy Buckley Round in Wales and in 2019 the first to run a Double Ramsay Round in Scotland. Nicky is a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed at 39. She farms in Yorkshire and records her farming life and running life in a diary on her website.

Hannah Kirkman running blogger over 50

Hannah Kirkman turned 50 in 2016 and has been running since her twenties, when she began training for her first marathon. She began Chi running (applying the principles of T’ai Chi to running) to overcome injury and subsequently went on to qualify as an instructor. She runs Chi running courses and is also a personal trainer. She writes blog posts about her running and races and on general running topics. In April 2017 she delighted to run her fastest half marathon for over 15 years.

Jen Baker running blogger over 50

Jenny Baker started running in 1999 and has run 5 marathons. In her blog she reflects on the part running plays in her life and says: “Running has been many things to me – a space to achieve new things, a way to keep fit and stay healthy, a source of friendship and community.” In 2015, just after her 50th birthday, Jenny was diagnosed with breast cancer and she documented her experience of treatment, recovery and running on her blog. Her book about this: “Run for Your Life” was published in January 2017.

Ronnie Haydon running blog over 50

Ronnie Haydon, author of the Marathon Gran blog, is a writer and journalist who lives in London. She describes Marathon Gran as “a belated marathon training blog from a woman with something to prove”. Ronnie ran the London Marathon in 2015 in under 3 hours 45 minutes, a time which falls well within the Good For Age qualifying time for women in her age category (50-59).

Karen Guttridge women runners over 50

Karen Guttridge is a British runner who began running in her early 50s, partly because her doctor told her that she had osteopenia, and suggested that exercise could help to reverse it. She also quickly recognised that she was motivated by racing. In her blog, Running Like a Wrinkly, she says “The reason you go running – your WHY – is the single most crucial aspect of your running plan.”  Karen’s blog features lots of advice for runners as well as articles about her training and races.

US Blogs

Sarah Lavender Smith trail runner and ultrarunner wearing an orange cap and running gear and smiling

Sarah Lavender Smith is a trail and ultrarunner and author in her fifties who lives in Colorado. Her Colorado Mountain Running & Living blog has regular posts describing her active life in the mountains and giving practical advice about trail running. They also include a dose of what she refers to as “midlife grit”. Sarah writes for running magazines and websites, and wrote a book, The Trail Runner’s Companion. Since her first marathon in 1994, she’s run over 100 ultras and marathons, including many 100-mile races. When she turned 50, she won the 170-mile self-supported Grand to Grand Ultra, running through Utah and the Arizona Desert. Sarah writes, “I almost always finish a run feeling better, and the ripple effect improves non-running hours in the day. This, perhaps more than any other reason, is why I’ve been hooked on running for more than half my life.”

 

Debbie Norman ultrarunner in her sixties

Debbie Norman is an ultrarunner in her sixties from rural Lafayette County in Missouri. Debbie began running at 42 and ran her first ultra in 2011 aged 51. She has run 50k, 50 mile, 101k and 100 mile races. In her blog, Debbie writes about training, running and racing and reflects on some of the challenges we face as runners and as older runners. Her posts feature some beautiful photographs of the routes she runs. Ultras are very much a family affair for her as her husband and three children all run and the family crew for each other and support each other at races. Debbie says “All of my life I have had a stubborn streak. If someone says to me ‘You can’t do that’, something inside me wells up and says ‘Oh yeah? Watch me!'”

Running blogger Mary Lou Harris

Mary Lou Harris is a runner and race director in her seventies from Pennsylvania. In her Still a Runner blog, she writes about travel, races she’s run, race directing and general running topics. Her races have included the Boston Marathon, National Senior Games and 50k trail races. Mary Lou’s thoughtful articles include reflections on her own experience of ageing.

Miriam Diaz Gilbert American ultrarunner and author over 50

Miriam Diaz Gilbert is an ultrarunner, author and independent scholar in her sixties who has been running competitively for over 30 years. Since taking up ultrarunning in 2005, she’s run 50 mile, 100 mile and 24-hour races. In her blog Miriam interviews ultrarunners and older athletes and reviews running books. She also has a page with articles about her ultra races and a page with accounts of hiking in the National Parks. Miriam writes: “Ultrarunning, writing, blogging, and hiking are all very similar. All require discipline, patience, perseverance, and pacing. And so does life!”

Pam Chapman Markle ultrarunner and running blogger over 60

In her fifties Pam Chapman Markle chose a 100 mile ultra as her first marathon race. Over the following years she began to run more ultras, often setting course age group records. She specialises in 100 milers or more and in 2016 got a place at the Badwater 135, setting a v60 age group record. She ran Badwater again in 2017, 2018 and 2019, setting an age group record each time and improving her time by nearly 7 hours since 2016. Pam writes occasional blog posts about her races. She says “I want older women to look at me and realize that they can still accomplish whatever they set their heart and their mind to.”

Nicky Spinks British fellrunner over 50

Sherry Fijas from Buffalo writes a blog called The Wrinkled Runner. Sherry began running at 40 to lose weight. Her husband started running soon afterwards and she became more serious about running as they prepared for their first half marathon together. Sherry writes about her running and publishes recipes. She also has a Youtube channel. She says “I really believe that if you listen to your body, you can do things you didn’t think you would be able to.”

Kimberly Hatting running blog over 50

Kimberly Hatting, author of the Running on the Fly blog, is an enthusiastic distance runner who loves racing. Kim runs outside all year round despite the cold winters in Iowa where she lives. She started running seriously in 2005, extending her distance over time until she ran her first ultra in 2015. The half marathon remains her favourite distance. She races frequently, sometimes 3 or 4 events in a month. Kim says “I love long runs! I am an endurance person and love the challenge of going further and further.”

Running blogger Beth Risdon

Beth Risdon is the author of a very popular running blog called Shut Up + Run. Beth lives in Colorado and turned 50 in 2017. She started running in her early 40s and her first race was a marathon in January 2009. Beth takes a no-holds-barred approach to writing about running and life. “I love to run. I also love to write. I believe in holding nothing back. I believe in telling the truth. I believe in being real. I’m sure it offends some, but I’m also sure it resonates with more.”

Deb Runs running blogger over 50

Deb, the author of the Deb Runs blog, ran at school and college. She decided to run a marathon as her 40th birthday present. Her time in that first marathon in 1997 was fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon and she run over 40 marathons since, as well as many other races. She works in the fitness industry and leads a running group. Her frequent blog posts cover a wide range of topics including race reviews, running tips and boot camp workouts.

Running blogger Judy

Judy, the author of the Chocolaterunsjudy blog describes herself as “an older, slower runner with a passion for half marathons and chocolate”. Her blog features lots of recipes as well as her reflections on running. She lost a lot of weight in her late forties and took up running. She is now on a mission to run a Half Marathon in every state and runs 2 or 3 a year. She says: “If you think you’re too old, too fat, too slow to run, I’m here to tell you differently, to cheer you on every step of the way & hopefully to sometimes inspire you.”

Karen Guttridge running blogger over 50

Taking the Long Way Home is “a running blog by someone who doesn’t want to act her age”. Wendy Rivard uses her blog to link up with other women running bloggers. Wendy has been running for more than 20 years and her favourite distance is the half marathon. She is using cross fit techniques in her training and finding that the increase in her strength benefits her running. Wendy was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2016 and her site includes useful links to resources and support.

Darlene Cardillo running blogger over 60

Darlene Cardillo was already in her fifties when she started running in 2008 and says she was “searching for the Fountain of Youth”. Now in her sixties she’s still setting personal records. This is even more impressive when you learn that she broke her ankle in 2011 and needed 6 months to recover. Darlene loves to race and would race every weekend if she could. Read about her races and other running adventures in her blog.

Don’t forget to let me know in the comments about your favourite blogs by women runners over 50.

7 Comments

  1. Ceri

    Thank you so much for this list. I have just begun running at 58. There is a lot out there by, and for, younger women runners but it is good to be able to follow some more age appropriate writers.

    Reply
    • Katie Holmes

      Thank you Ceri. Please do let me know if you come across any other bloggers that I can add to this list. I am sure there must be more out there! Good luck with your running. Katie

      Reply
  2. Catriona Whitelaw

    Some lovely blogs! I started running at 49, I turn 61 in a few weeks. I lead a jog Scotland group 3 times a week, and have been proud to see their progress over the past 6 years! I can’t wait for the lighter nights to get back out for some solo running too. I don’t intend to stop running until I have to. I want to be like Libby!

    Reply
    • Katie Holmes

      Thank you Catriona. It’s great that you are sharing your love of running with other people and encouraging them. I started running at 47. I’m 58 now and, like you, I hope to keep running for as long as I can. Kepp up your good work with Jog Scotland. Katie

      Reply
  3. Chris Brown

    Thank you for creating this awesome list! I’m wondering if you would consider adding Becoming Elli – Fit Strong Women Over 50 to your list? https://www.becomingelli.com is the address. We have 400 blog posts and 120 podcast episodes. While the blogs aren’t exclusively about running, we also focus on strength building, cross training, healthy eating and the mental game. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Katie Holmes

      Hi Chris, thank you for your comment and for letting me know about Becomming Elli. I’ve been looking at the website. I listened to some of the podcast episodes and will recommend one of them in my newsletter. I decided that your content would fit best on my Useful Stuff page – you can find the link here: https://runyoung50.co.uk/useful-stuff/
      Katie

      Reply

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