Gladys Burrill

At the age of 86, in 2004 Gladys Burrill (see above) ran her first marathon, fast-walking her way to the finish line.  This past December she ran the Honolulu Marathon in 9 hours, 53 minutes and 16 seconds, setting a new world record in the process.  Nicknamed "The Glady-ator," Burill is now officially the oldest person ever to complete such a race.

I can't imagine walking almost ten hours straight.  Can you?  At any age, that's quite a feat.  Not only can I not imagine such a thing, I have no desire whatsoever to follow in Burill's footsteps.  Still, I'm inspired by this woman's stamina, her enthusiasm, her unadulterated joy, and her desire to show others that age might slow you down, but it doesn't have to keep you on the sidelines.