Thanet Roadrunners member Sharon Foster has completed her 25th marathon.
She reached the milestone at the Music Legends Challenge held at the Gravesend Cyclopark on February 11. Sharon ran the marathon in a creditable 5 hours 9 minutes and 23 seconds.
Sharon, who works as a Medical Secretary at the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, has been a Thanet Roadrunner member for 14 years. She is a run leader for the club on the Monday night sessions, always offering advice and encouragement to new and returning runners.
Sharon’s first marathon was London in 2002 after she had promised a terminally ill friend she would run it for her. By a fluke, she got in via the London Marathon ballot first time. She crossed the finish line that year and said never, ever again.
However, moving to Thanet and joining Thanet Roadrunners meant she was encouraged by her new running friends to enter the tough Beachy Head marathon. which she ended running seven times and London a further five times as well as other marathons.
Asked about her favourite marathon, Sharon said: “It’s hard to pinpoint a favourite marathon as they are all unique. However, my high points were in 2008 when I ran with my friend Helen Langsmead in London and our first ever SVN Marathon at Summer Ranscombe with both Helen and Shelley Rowe.”
Sharon added: “I was thrilled to finish at Cyclopark and was overwhelmed by the amazing support around the course. Huge thanks to Traviss and Rachel from SVN events for encouraging ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
“I am not planning any more though! To do a marathon without it hurting means training and I am far too lazy for that.
“I do enjoy running but do it because I have no willpower when it comes to food and drink. The only runs I enjoy are the ones I do with friends, and we can put the world to rights while exercising.”