Harriette Thompson, a classical pianist and cancer survivor, became the oldest woman to complete a marathon at age 92 before returning two years later to set another record as the oldest woman to finish a half marathon at 94.
Thompson completed the Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego Marathon on May 31, 2015, in 7 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds. Her finish made her the oldest woman known to complete a marathon at the time, surpassing the previous record held by Gladys Burrill, who was 92 years and 19 days old when she finished the 2010 Honolulu Marathon, according to The Guardian.
Thompson was 92 years and 65 days old when she set the record.
The Charlotte, North Carolina, resident had started running marathons at 76, an age when many people would not expect someone to begin a new endurance sport. She went on to complete 16 marathons, all in San Diego, while raising more than $100,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Harriette Thompson crosses the finish line at the Synchrony Financial Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon on June 4, 2017 in San Diego, California.Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series
Her record-setting marathon was especially notable because Thompson was a cancer survivor and had faced serious health challenges while continuing to run.
When she crossed the finish line in San Diego, confetti filled the air as crowds celebrated her achievement.
“I thought it was like Lindbergh coming in after his flight,” Thompson said during the celebration, per Rock ‘n Roll Running Series.
The reference was to aviator Charles Lindbergh’s famous reception after his historic flight across the Atlantic.
Thompson did not begin running marathons until she was 76.
According to The New York Times, she was singing in a church choir when she noticed another choir member collecting checks for a marathon walk in San Diego.
She recalled that she had thought of starting at 76 as the “Spirit of 76.”
But when she arrived at the race, she saw people running.
“I noticed when I got there that everybody was running, so I decided to run,” she said.
That decision became the start of a remarkable marathon journey.
Cancer had already affected Thompson’s family deeply. Several family members had died from cancer, and she also faced cancer herself. She had dealt with oral cancer and later underwent treatment for squamous cell carcinoma.
In 2015, she ran with open wounds on her legs caused by radiation treatments. She wore white tights to cover them during the marathon.
Despite those challenges, she finished.
Her 2014 marathon performance had already attracted attention. At 91, she completed the San Diego marathon in 7 hours, 7 minutes and 42 seconds. That time was faster than the previous official U.S. record for a woman aged 90 or older.
Her 2015 finish was slower, but it carried a different distinction: Thompson became the oldest woman known to finish a marathon.
She continued to run for a cause that mattered deeply to her. Across her years participating in the San Diego marathon, she raised more than $100,000 for leukemia and lymphoma research.
“I don’t think I’d be living today if I didn’t do this running,” she said. “I’m helping them and they’re kind of helping me.”
Thompson was not finished with record-setting after her historic marathon. Two years after becoming the oldest woman to complete a marathon, she returned to San Diego at age 94.
On June 4, 2017, Thompson completed the half marathon in 3 hours, 42 minutes and 56 seconds. The 13.1-mile race made her the oldest woman to complete a half marathon.
After the race, Thompson joined Michael Franti and Spearhead on stage. She danced to the music with the medal around her neck.
The performance drew attention from fellow runners, spectators and well-known marathoners. Olympic medalist and Boston and New York City Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi praised Thompson for what she had accomplished.
“She has proven what music and exercise does for the body and soul.”
Her life outside running was also remarkable. She played the piano from a young age, attended Dickinson College and later studied music at Syracuse. She earned an artist’s diploma from the Vienna Conservatory and a master’s degree in music from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
She also taught piano and performed benefit concerts.
Thompson raised five children with her husband, Sydnor Thompson Jr., a lawyer and judge. She later became a grandmother to 11 grandchildren.
Thompson died in Charlotte in October 2017 at age 94, 10 days after falling on concrete steps while delivering birthday gifts at her retirement community. She suffered a fractured pelvis and a head injury.
Thompson’s running career lasted far beyond the age when most people would expect someone to take up marathon running. She began at 76, became the oldest woman to finish a marathon at 92 and then became the oldest woman to complete a half marathon at 94.
Related: In 1967, 20-year-old Kathrine Switzer ran the Boston Marathon as bib 261 and was told two miles in to get out of the race; she finished in 4 hours and 20 minutes
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