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发帖数: 216 | 1 New York City (AFP) - An American grandmother, who on Sunday was the oldest
woman to compete in the New York marathon, died a day later. She was 86.
Joy Johnson from San Jose, California, took just under eight hours to
complete the 26.2-mile (42.2km) race through all five boroughs of the
biggest city in the United States.
She stumbled and hit her head at around the 20th mile. But she went to the
medical tent only after completing the race and declined their insistence
that she go to hospital.
"She never really ran to compete, she ran because she loved it," her
youngest daughter Diana Boydston told AFP by telephone Tuesday.
Johnson, who would have turned 87 on Christmas Day, had been a physical
education teacher and coach for many years, but only took up running in
retirement.
Sunday was the 25th consecutive time she finished the race. Her fastest
time
in New York was just under four hours in 1991. She came first in her age
group six times.
"She was a woman of great faith, that was first in her life, faith and
family and then probably running. She really loved to run. She made a lot
of
friends that way all over the world," Boydston said.
"She really was amazing."
While Johnson's training had relaxed slightly in recent years, it was still
rigorous for many people half her age.
"She would go every morning out to our local track and run with people who
were running or talking there. She would run bleachers, obviously doing
stretching before you left," said Boydston.
She traveled to New York accompanied by her sister, Faith.
After the race, it was her custom to have a hot bath and go to bed. On the
next day, it was her tradition to go to Rockefeller Plaza where US TV
network NBC films the Today show.
When she and her sister returned to their hotel, Johnson lay down to rest
and never woke up.
Her daughter last spoke to her one day before the race and said she had
been
"very happy."
"I got to tell her I loved her. That's what's been keeping me going,"
Boydston said.
Just 18 of the marathon's more than 50,000 starters this year were over 80,
according to race organizers.
Johnson came in fourth in her group of runners aged 80 to 89. A man aged 89
was the oldest person to compete Sunday.
"We're saddened to hear about the passing of Joy. She finished her 25th on
Sunday and she was just such an inspiration to us all," Chris Weiller, a
spokesman for organizers New York Road Runners.
Johnson was originally from Minnesota and grew up on a dairy farm. Her
husband died 15 years ago. She is survived by three of her four children
and
six grandchildren.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oldest-woman-run-york-marathon-die | a*****t
发帖数: 216 | | y*******w
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the
【在 a*****t 的大作中提到】
: New York City (AFP) - An American grandmother, who on Sunday was the oldest
: woman to compete in the New York marathon, died a day later. She was 86.
: Joy Johnson from San Jose, California, took just under eight hours to
: complete the 26.2-mile (42.2km) race through all five boroughs of the
: biggest city in the United States.
: She stumbled and hit her head at around the 20th mile. But she went to the
: medical tent only after completing the race and declined their insistence
: that she go to hospital.
: "She never really ran to compete, she ran because she loved it," her
: youngest daughter Diana Boydston told AFP by telephone Tuesday.
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