By Lisa Timpf
Creemore runner Lee Anne Cohen came away from the Across the Years race with an accomplishment to be proud of, setting a new world record for her age group.
Lee Anne entered the 48-hour race with the goal of bettering the Canadian record for 100 miles for women over 60 years old. She had reason to believe she was capable of hitting that goal, having run 100 miles in 29 hours and 8 minutes, in 30-degree weather this past August. With cooler weather conditions this time of year in Phoenix, the Canadian mark of 28 hours and 14 minutes looked well within reach.
However, 19 hours and 75 miles (120 km) into the Across the Years race, Lee Anne had to abandon her shot at the 100-mile record due to a combination of injuries (which included a torn calf muscle) and fatigue.
But the distance she covered in the first 12 hours of her effort broke the world record for female runners aged 60 to 64.
For those who have never heard of it, the Across the Years race is a daunting feat to attempt. The race has been going for 30 years and its name reflects the fact that many of the races start in one year and end in the following one. This year, the events spanned from December 28, 2013 to January 3, 2014. Runners can choose to participate in 24-, 48-, or 72-hour runs, or a six-day event, covering as much distance as possible within the given time frame.
While this sounds like a gruelling activity only fit for the youngest athletes, the average age of the runners might surprise you. In 2001, the average age in the 72-hour race was 51.1 years; in the 48-hour race it was 50.4 years; and in the 24-hour race, 44.1 years. The oldest runner that year, 71 years of age, ran the 48-hour race.
Perhaps, like Lee Anne, many runners take some time to discover the appeal of ultra distance runningIn Lee Anne’s case, running wasn’t something she did as a sport until her children were older.
She describes her first training run, at the age of 40, thus: “I made it about 750 metres – just around the corner. I turned around and walked home. It took six months before I could run 5K and another two years before I made it to 10K. In 1997, at the age of 45, I ran my first half marathon.”
Of her first full marathon, which she ran in 2000, Lee Anne noted, “It was the hardest thing I had ever done, but it came with such a great feeling at the end. I remember thinking that perhaps I had just scratched the surface of what I could do, what I could accomplish.”
And it is astounding how much ultra distance runners can accomplish. In the Across the Years race, for example, the course record for the men’s 72-hour race was 329.64 miles, set in 2012, while the 24-hour men’s record, set in 2002, was 145.401 miles. That’s quite a distance to cover in one sitting.
Lee Anne’s accomplishment of running 120 km in 19 hours is many kilometres more than most of us would attempt. Hats off to her for her achievement! And here’s hoping that elusive 100-mile record might still be attained in the future!