Gladys Burrill made global headlines in 2010 for becoming the oldest female to complete a marathon. To this day, she still holds the world record.
Nicknamed the “Gladyator” for her amazing achievements, Gladys lived until 100 before passing away of natural causes in 2019.
But, who exactly was this incredible woman? And what was her secret to a longer lifespan?
Let’s take a look at Gladys’ life highlights and what we can learn from her inspirational story.
Later Life Achievements
Gladys Burrill was 86 years old when she decided to run a marathon for the first time. She was an advocate for the Honolulu Marathon and completed the 26.2-mile race five times out of seven attempts.
It was the 2010 Honolulu Marathon where she was named the Oldest Female Marathon Finisher by the Guinness Book of World Records. She was 92 at the time and power-walked through the race in 9 hours, 53 minutes and 16 seconds.
After this recognition, she was inducted into Honolulu Marathan’s Hall of Fame and honoured by the Hawaii government leader at the time, Neil Abercrombie.
Jim Barahal, president and CEO of the Honolulu Marathon, told the press that she was already popular in the marathon community at the time. Why? She had tons of personality, enthusiasm, relentless positivity and a deep faith.
Earlier Life
Gladys or “Glady” (as most people called her), was born to Finnish immigrants and the youngest of six children. She grew up on a farm in Washington and told the press in the past that so much of her life “was spent in poverty.”
However, she found respite by running, hiking and climbing in the hills around her house.
Soon later, Gladys met her husband Eugene and they moved onto a property on the Rogue River, Oregon, where they had five children. By the time Eugene passed in 2008 at the age of 69, they had 18 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.
As Eugene was a huge supporter of Gladys’ running, she decided to take up serious running at 86, and start spending more time in Hawaii. Throughout her life, she had been a multi-engine aircraft pilot, mountain climber, desert hiker and horseback rider before running her first marathon in 2004.
Gladys Burrill Longevity Tips
When previously asked what she would recommend to others wanting to live a long and healthy lifestyle, Gladys had some friendly advice.
Stay Physically Active
Gladys said the best thing for longevity was to: “just get out there and walk or run.” She would walk 30-50 miles at least three times a week and garden in her spare time.
Before she started running marathons, she climbed Mount Hood six weeks after giving birth and hiked above the Arctic Circle with her husband on a separate occasion.
Eat Healthy
Gladys attributed her marathon success to exercising frequently combined with eating healthy and taking a multivitamin for women. She was on a primarily vegetarian diet and included fish or fowl "once in a great while.”
What about desserts? Gladys didn’t eat them, apart from the odd bit of ice cream. She would have yoghurt and fruit for snacks.
In terms of drinks, she had the occasional coffee, but mostly she chose water or juice. She never drank alcohol.
Have a Positive Mindset
In addition to physically taking care of yourself, Gladys said it was “so important to think positive” as it was “easy to get discouraged and be negative.” She believed that having a positive mindset makes such a difference in how you feel and your outlook on life.
It was this positive attitude that encouraged her to start and continue running marathons, even when challenges held her back, such as a stomach ailment that made her drop out of the 2009 race halfway through.
Find Your Faith
Finally, one of Gladys’ favourite questions to ask was: “Do you have God in your life?” She was a Seventh-day Adventist, like the Loma Linda community in one of the world’s original five Blue Zones, where the residents live longer on average.
Gladys’ faith was important to her, and her son Mike has divulged that she always felt God had a purpose for her. She was constantly going on walks, making new friends and spreading joy around the Hawaiian islands.
There’s no denying that Gladys Burrill was a very impressive individual, inspiring others around the U.S. (and the globe) with her healthy lifestyle, positive mindset, and tenacious attitude. She will always be remembered for her monumental life achievements, and we can honour her by taking care of ourselves and aspiring to follow in her longevity footsteps.
