Ladies Over 80 And Active

Two Ladies To Be Admired

• Deirdre Larkin 82 from Randburg in South Africa won the world record   54-17 in the 10km run in Durban in 2013.
•  Deirdre ran the Geneva Marathon in May 2017 and broke her own record. She ran the race in 2.05 breaking her previous record of 2.12 for the 85 plus World Half Marathon Record.
• She also went to Brazil in Oct 2014 to represent South Africa in the over 80’s. 
• She used to be a concert pianist and only started running at 78 years. When she was in her seventies she was diagnosed with osteo-porosis. She decided to change her life style. No medication helped her and she went to see a dietician and became a vegetarian. She started with light exercises and in 2009 started running. 
• In 2010 she ran her first marathon for the Randburg harriers club, the 10km valentine’s day she completed it in 1.25. That was the first of 36 marathon she ran in that year. The following year she ran in 58 marathons. 
• She also ran in the above 70’s two ocean’s marathons. She trains four times per week and runs from 5.30am even in the winter to run 8km. 
• Deirdre was a concert pianist in Britain and moved to South Africa in 1970 with her husband and family.

Dr Jean Sharpe

• Dr Jean Sharpe 84 worked at the Sandton Clinic  in Johannesburg as an gynaecologist and did operations every week. 
• She said that although she was not as fit physically as before, her brain was as sharp and active as ever. She attended a certain amount of seminars  and read literature to keep up to date with new methods and discoveries in her profession. 
• Dr Sharpe also received provincial colors in England for tennis when she worked there. She swam regularly and rode horses until the age of 80. Sadly Dr Sharpe died in May 2014. These are ladies to be admired.