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| Parkrun record broken by 97-year-old Belfast runner | Parkrun record broken by 97-year-old Belfast runner |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Grace Chambers, 97, has become Europe's oldest parkrunner to reach the 250 run milestone | Grace Chambers, 97, has become Europe's oldest parkrunner to reach the 250 run milestone |
| Grace Chambers, aged 97, has become Europe's oldest Parkrunner to reach the 250 run milestone. | Grace Chambers, aged 97, has become Europe's oldest Parkrunner to reach the 250 run milestone. |
| She has just completed the 5k run at Ormeau Park in south Belfast. | She has just completed the 5k run at Ormeau Park in south Belfast. |
| Grace had heart surgery four weeks ago but that didn't stop her taking part in the run on Saturday. | |
| On completing the run Grace said she was "over the moon" to have finished. | |
| "I feel glad I've done it as there was always a possibility that I wouldn't but I never look negatively at things, if I set a goal I try to achieve it and if I don't do it the first time I try it again and again and again," she said. | |
| Grace was on the start line with her daughter Shireen and friend Cathy | |
| For many people, never mind an 88-year-old recovering from serious, invasive surgery, running is not top of the to-do list. | 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. | 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. | 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. | "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 and her friend Sue sitting on 'Grace's Bench' which marks the finish line at Ormeau Parkrun | Grace and her friend Sue sitting on 'Grace's Bench' which marks the finish line at Ormeau Parkrun |
| Grace became a regular at the community event and broke numerous records for runners in her age category in her first year. | 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. | "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. | 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. | "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. | Grace recorded all of her times and got her daughter to send them all to Parkrun afterwards. |
| Grace said it's the friends she made at Parkrun, like Cathy, who keep her going | Grace said it's the friends she made at Parkrun, like Cathy, who keep her going |
| "I've probably done a lot more than 250 Parkruns, but the ones during Covid don't count," she added. | "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. | 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. | 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." | "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 | A 'local legend' cheered on by Olympians |
| Grace said Dame Kelly Holmes wanted to chat but she had to tell her to hurry up so they would get a good time | Grace said Dame Kelly Holmes wanted to chat but she had to tell her to hurry up so they would get a good time |
| Grace now has a bench named after her on the finish line with a a plaque that says "Grace's Bench, Park runner extraordinaire". | 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. | 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. | 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." | "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 heart surgery four weeks ago, but she only missed one week during her recovery. | |
| Dr Jonny Mailey, who performed keyhole heart surgery on Grace four weeks ago celebrated with Grace at the finish line | |
| Grace's preparations for her 250th run hit a snag when she had a heart surgery 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. | "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. |
| Dr Jonny Mailey, from the cardiology unit at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital, performed the keyhole valve replacement on Grace in July and came along to support her run. | |
| "She's fantastic and what she has achieved is unbelievable," he said. | |
| "It really is testament to her as a person." | |
| Deirdre McConvey, one of the volunteer run directors at Ormeau Parkrun, said Grace has "become a local legend". | Deirdre McConvey, one of the volunteer run directors at Ormeau Parkrun, said Grace has "become a local legend". |
| Volunteer run director Deirdre McConvey said Grace was a "local legend" and people queue for selfies | Volunteer run director Deirdre McConvey said Grace was a "local legend" and people queue for selfies |
| "We've had visitors come specially to meet her, nobody smiles broader than Grace. | "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 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." | "Her grit and determination are definitely inspiring and sometimes quite humbling." |
| Belfast South MP Claire Hanna is also a regular Parkrunner and cheered Grace on. | |
| "Congratulations to the inimitable Grace," she said. | "Congratulations to the inimitable Grace," she said. |
| "What an inspiration she is to so many." | "What an inspiration she is to so many." |
| However, Grace doesn't really understand the fuss over her Parkrun record. | However, Grace doesn't really understand the fuss over her Parkrun record. |
| "So what!" she said. | "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. | "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." | "I just hope I get a good time on Saturday with everyone watching me." |