From the horse’s mouth, you are never too old to start running

Running, it is often said, is a lifelong sport. Ballito resident Joanne Huang (63), who took up running later in life after joining the local running club Dolphin Striders emphasizes the fact that one is never too old to get started.

Joanne, a Taiwanese national, moved to the North Coast with her husband in 1995, and joined the local running club to get fit and meet new people.

“I started running at the age of 55 years old. I have completed more than 40 marathons in various countries around the world. Running changed my life. I love running in different countries and experiencing the different cultures and meeting new people along the way. It has given me so much inspiration and the friendships I have made along have way have added so much to my life,” said the 63 year old Joanne, who will be running in the New York City Marathon in three weeks.

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Sunday was Joanne’s first time running the prestigious Chicago Marathon, one of the six world marathon majors and also the fourth largest race by number of finishers worldwide. The marathon caps its field at 45,000 participants. Joanne, who has been preparing for the event for a number of months now said she took it slow and steady and soaked up the atmosphere and the long line of spectators that lined the streets along the way.

While many believe that starting long-distance running during middle age may seem like an exercise in futility, Joanne has proved them wrong.

“I love the sense of freedom and strength that I feel when I run, and I plan to run for as long as I can.”

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