Still A Runner is a proponent of active living, community volunteerism and inquisitive travel. After a post age 60 retirement from a career in public service, she expanded those interests to include ultra-trail running, hiking and extended-stay travel.
She currently holds the record time of 7:03:11 in the Female 60 & over category for the 50K Blues Cruise as well as Delaware State Senior Games age group records for F65-69 10K (55:08:00).
Mary Lou has also served as a race director. She founded the Capital 10-Miler – a run for the – in 2011 and served as its race director to six years. She continues to volunteer at this and other races.
Join her in exploring the experiences of a senior runner who recently clicked over to the F70-74 age group. Her progression to this age group is filled with running experiences, travels, mishaps, unintended adventures and the kindness and friendship of other runners.
After running multiple races stretching from the mile to the marathon, from road to trail, parks to parking lots, and some unique locations on this planet, she is still finding surprises and challenges with every run. She is still a runner.
Still a Runner 
Thank you for stopping by simplydaisies!
I used to be a runner – 100 m, 800 m, and cross-country. But that was a long time ago. I started running on the treadmill again last winter and promptly gave myself plantar fasciitis which is still limiting my activity level a year later…
I admire your energy and enthusiasm.
BTW, thank you so much for following Beauty Along the Road.
You’re welcome – my pleasure – and wishing you the best with healing the plantar fasciitis.
Hi Mary Lou,
Nice to meet you here via luda’s ‘plants & beyond’.excercise seemed to figure more in my daily life when I was working & later post retirement & caring for mum who passed away 5 years ago. gym attendance, hyming & running were regular activities. Now aged 64 yrs (65-70 bracket in July 🙏). Urrentlyvdoing small allowed park walks & looking at starting a home excercise programme now that my gym is closed. Nothing to stop me now Mary Lou apart from myself I.e prioritising me.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Take care 🙏❤️
That is so true, Margaret. I have days myself when I need to talk myself into doing some strength work or getting out the door for a run. But, once I start I’m so glad I’m doing it. I’ve finally got back into a yoga practice during this stay-at-home. Stop by my blog again if you’d like. Great chatting with you.
HI Mary Lou,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
Glad to hear you are benefiting from your yoga practice also. Will keep you posted on my progress.
Lovely sunny day just after midday in uk.
Take care ❤️🙏💁🏻♀️
Margaret, I visited the UK several years ago and spent a month exploring in and around London. You will find a few posts from that time in my archive. By the way, Park Runs started in the UK and have now spread around the world. They can be run or walked – and a 5K distance. Let me know if you find one near you.
Hello there. Just found you! Going through a separation – doing my best to figure it all out anyway at age 63. 34 years together. I can’t quite seem to get over my fear of traveling without him. I’m on SSDI and need help even driving for long periods due to a bad back. You’re super inspirational. I guess a lot of my issues stem from sadness and heartache too. And I have a cat I cannot leave for days. She’s all Ive got and not an ez travel companion. I want to take off too. My husband is home 48 hrs a week and he is passive aggressive when he is here. I guess I can can start w a day or two overnight stay. With the cat. I guess I’m fairly codependent too which makes my fear a bit worse. Anyway, I’ll keep following you to see how and where you’ll be. Many of your posts seem to be older and outdated. Maybe I haven’t stumbled upon the right pages yet. Stay strong and brave! Thank you for your info and posts.
Cynthia, thanks for stopping by. Yes, some of the posts are older – I have been writing this blog for about nine years. I hope you are able to work out your desire to travel. I’ve found during the pandemic when I couldn’t travel – that just a drive to a nearby place I have not been before has made a lovely little day trip.
Hi Mary Lou,
Hope you are well.
How timely to see you are following my blog.?I am now 66 years old and recently been celebrating receipt of my state retirement pension accompanied by receipt of my free bus pass. Although I drive it is nice to have the option.
I had been building up my walking practice until my shins became painful. My podiatrist has added to my custom made orthotics and I am ready to go.
Family illness prevented me pursuing my gym enquiries but now that things have settled I plan to get going.
Coincidentally Mary Lou our town of Chorley held its 10k run on Sunday starting in the park and finishing in the town.
I saw your link to ‘Margaret at 60 and me’ on a recent post. I used to follow her blog and found it so uplifting but couldn’t keep up with the frequency of the posts. Maybe I will resume following.
Margaret, congrats on retirement & bus pass., and your walking practice – all worth celebrating. I love 10Ks – maybe I’ll drop by fo it next year since I love to travel. I think you could set Sixty & Me to receive less frequently. My articles there are a bit different from my posts at Still A Runner. Thanks for reading and good to hear you are doing well.
Hi Mary Lou. I retired from work as a Health Visitor aged 55 years in 2010 as nurses could at that time with a reduced nurses pension.
I retired on 10th July and mum fell and broke her hip on 12th July and was ok ish for a while and from then onwards physically deteriorated.
I cared for her at home with my brother returning from work abroad 12 months before mum died in August 2015.
You may see from my posts that I spend long periods in The Gambia, West Africa.
In a strange kind of way the pandemic has assisted in my reflections on life.
U.k seems to have it’s own way of doing things. With certain rule changes later introduced women born 1955 or after only get state pension aged 66 years.
Bus pass is another story. Anybody aged 60 years is eligible for a buss pass in neighbouring county Greater Manchester but bus pass eligibility is state pension age in Lancashire county where I live. Oooooooh!
Yes, you must come over for a 10 k.
I will investigate Margaret’s blog.
Thank you for your reply.
Take care 🙂
Hi Mary Lou,
Just revisiting this reply to my comment from a while ago.
I didn’t realise park runs started in u.k.
There is a 5k one held annually in my local park which is nearby.
I will take a peek at your London posts.
Currently attending chiropractor re hip problems and gradually increasing walking.
Yoga is still on my to do list.
I found a local class the other day and hope to pursue as video clips do not appeal to me.
Thank you for helping with the motivation.
You’re welcome, Margaret. Thanks for reading. And yes, with Yoga I believe it is best to start with a good yogi/instructor. Don’t remember if I wrote about this, but I began doing yoga from a book by Jess Stearn back in the late 60’s. Not many yoga studios around then. Good to hear from you.
Hellos from another senior-70+young- active hiker&climber and twice-week runner. Name is Dee Tezelli, with my hiking partner&hubby (also 70+) we invite you to click&follow: http://www.deetezellimountainstories.wordpress.com We share your mentality;age is just a number! My recent e-book on Amazon Kindle follows a -senior- female spy around the globe, whom I know you’ll enjoy meeting. Keep active! BTW – I read my senior motivating stories (from a print text) to Assisted Living facility residents. I’m spreading the word around to –stay physically active to remain mentally sharp. Cheers.
Dee, it’s great to hear from another 70+ active adventuress. Love your photos and your part of the country.
Here is to us, Cheers, to the invincible great women! Recommend highly my e-book on Amazon: Her Last Hit..you’ll love it. Dee
Hi Mary Lou, just ran across your blog. My name is B.J. King, I met you at the 2019 National Senior Games. I won the Bronze in the 10K. Like you, thinking early results I had won the Silver only to find a very talented just turned 70 year old took 2nd. That was great. Was just so excited to be there and participating with everyone. Was really looking forward to this year’s National’s since I only live 2 hrs. from Ft. Lauderdale on the SW coast. of FL. I would have participated in my new Young Age Group 75-79. Have really
missed the real runs this summer, but have done 2 5K virtual runs thru the Gulf Coast Runners Club in
Naples. Would enjoy hearing from you. Stay Safe, Keep Running.
Yes, I remember meeting you. I loved that course NSGA used for the 10K. This has been such a disconcerting year. I’m being super careful and run solo most of the time, although some of my walking and running has been like you, virtual runs. It keeps me out there. Let’s stay in touch and I hope to see you in FL in 2021. Mary Lou
Hi Mary Lou, like many of the others, I just came across your blog. I’ve been a lifelong runner but unlike you I’m not at all competitive and have no desire to be. This is a bit of a problem as I would love to find a running group that runs recreationally for the social and support that a group offers but the groups I’ve reached out to are younger and training for marathons. Can you give your running background.
Thanks Tara
Tara, I began running in my 20’s, like you for recreation and the joy of it. I joined a running club in my 30’s. I learned so much from others in that group and volunteered for a lot of the club’s activities. In my 40’s I ran my first 1/2 marathon, the my first marathon in my 50’s. Frankly, before that I did not have the discipline or the time earlier in my life to get the necessary training in. Then in my 60’s, I decided to do a couple of trail ultras, in the 50K distance. I really enjoyed building to that distance, slowly addressing new personal goals. What’s next? I don’t know. My most recent blog addresses that uncertainty. I’m so pleased you stopped by. I hope you find the group for you – or that you may want to start your own group. Thanks. Hope you stop by again.
Hello Mary Lou,
I write about and celebrate older female runners on my blog. This includes a curated list of running blogs by women over 50. I was pleased to come across your blog and have added it to my list: https://runyoung50.co.uk/blog-lists/
I hope it’s OK that I’ve used a photo from one of your posts. If you would like to add more information to your entry or send me a different photo, please do.
Best wishes
Katie (@RunYoung50)
Kate, you have a great collection of blogs. I’ll be taking a look through them. I’m constantly looking for artocles on specific nutrition and exercise benefits for senior women. Thanks for including stillarunner on your list.