Lyn Jenkins: the masters runner proving age is just a number

As one of the most accessible sports in the world, running really is for everyone – something which Lyn Jenkins discovered later in life. Starting running in her 60s, Lyn has since caught the running bug and earned her first England masters vest in November last year.

We caught up with Lyn to learn about how running has not only changed her life, but how she has found a supportive community who push and encourage her to try new things even into her 70s.

Overcoming adversity

As a busy NHS physiotherapist, Lyn had a very demanding job, and running was not on her agenda until some gentle encouragement from her son.

"My son, David, started running in 2013 and kept nagging me to try. In 2017 I retired, and he started encouraging me again and I thought that now I had time to give it a go."

"I started with the NHS Couch to 5k, as I hadn’t run since I was 11! I did a bit of running each week, mostly at the gym on a treadmill, the occasional parkrun and a 10k charity run once per year and that was about it."

"I kept running, even in 2020 when covid hit, however my husband was quite poorly with cancer, so he was shielding. I was essentially running in the back garden which was quite small so it was a bit of a challenge. My mother died of cancer in March 2021 and my husband died in February 2022. Then I literally went out the next day and ran and I have been doing so ever since."

"I would have been lost without running, it is so good for my mental and physical health. I don’t like spending much time inside now, I am forever out and about. I always enjoyed walking but never thought I could be a runner. Now I do parkrun every week, run 3x per week and thoroughly enjoy it."

Joining a supportive club community

Clubs are not only great as they open many competitive doors to athletes, but they also provide a supportive community for you to be part of.

"I joined a club for the first time last summer. I looked around the local area and wanted to know if any of the clubs had older runners. I am in my 70s and thought, am I mad to be joining a club at my age, and would there be any people there other than young, fit 20–30-year-olds who can run so much faster than me?"

"I joined Westbury Harriers because they have a wide age range and they nurture people from the juniors right the way through to masters. There’s a lady, Anne Dockery, in my masters group who is 76 and still running really amazing times. She is a good role model."

"When I first joined the club, everyone was very welcoming. I honestly did not know anything about running clubs. It is different running with a group and being challenged to do different types of training, different distances and different races."

"In the past 9 months I have tried cross country and track races, and I am now being encouraged to try road relays  - all things which I would not have thought of doing on my own. I am still trying to find out what I like and what suits me best, especially which distance."

Running success as a masters athlete

Despite only recently setting foot into the running world, Lyn has already made her mark as a masters athlete.

“When I first joined the Harriers, Tamsin Chick, one of the coaches, heard my 5k and 10k times and said I was fast enough to run for England and I laughed it off!"

"I then started to look into it, but it was part way through the season and two of the England team qualification races had passed. But there was still Brighton 10k to go… Again, my son encouraged me to try - I don’t think I would have gone as far as I have without him. We went to the race together and I came second in my age group.

"Although I knew I had technically earned my England vest I couldn’t believe it and even when I got the email, I was expecting any minute someone was going to say ‘sorry we’ve made a mistake and you’re not entitled to this’. "

When my vest arrived in the post, I thought to myself, 'Is this really true!' I’m in my 70s, how can this be possible? Now I am saying to people, you have got to give it a go. If I can do it anyone can, you just have to give yourself a chance."

"Even if you don’t want to go for an England vest, just go out and do some running and join a group which encourages masters runners, it is great. I hate to be written off as a little old lady! There are endless opportunities, and I am always keeping my eyes and ears open for the next thing to try."

Getting active with the next generation

One of Lyn’s greatest running joys is being able to get active with her son and grandchildren:

"I love running parkrun and races with my son, David, and his friends. I have even done 5k charity races with my grandchildren. The fact that I was able to enjoy running with them and they could see their granny running is great."