Cocorico, the oldest of the 2018 New York marathon, the French Ginette Bedard, 85, from Metz (Moselle), finished her 16th New York marathon on Sunday in 6 hours and 19 minutes. It’s four hours 4 hours and 15 minutes behind the winner, the Kenyan Mary Keitany, but what a performance for the octogenarian.
The French were one of the stars of the 48th edition of one of the most popular marathons on the planet. At 85 years old, Ginette still feels young, she confides that “morally and physically” she feels “young”, as if she was “still 20 years old”. “I can still put on the bikini I had when I was 16,” she smiles.
But what are the secrets of Olympic form? A strict diet? An intensive preparation program? None of that, Ginette runs three hours a day and laughs at diets. Running has always punctuated her life even when she left the Old Continent to settle in the United States 40 years ago. Today Ginette feels alone and since the death of her husband, running has become an outlet for her boredom: “I have plenty of time, I am retired, my husband is no longer there. What to do ? So I run. It passes the time ”.
Ginette Bedard was aiming for 5 hours on Sunday, it took her an additional 1 hour and 19 minutes to complete the race. Far from her record of 3 hours and 46 minutes achieved at 72 years old (old world record for septuagenarians), the dean does not get demoralized, she sees each marathon as her first “what I prefer is to see the line arrival. Thank you my God (she sends a hand kiss). They give you the medal. What euphoria! “.
Ginette Bédard in the middle of the New York marathon.
Ginette would like to share her daily sessions with a companion “I would need a boyfriend” she said, but men my age are all crumbling. And the young are married. “Still it would be necessary that this one keep the sustained pace that it imposes itself:” There is no one running here. Who will run? A mile or two, and then they get the hell out of it. “.
Proud of her achievement, the “super granny” will continue her training to, without a doubt, amaze us again next year.
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