Marathon effort to celebrate turning 60

Sue McKinney entered her first marathon at 50 and - 31 marathons and 10 years later - she has decided to run a 100km race to mark her 60th birthday. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.

To celebrate turning 60, the Dunedin woman has decided to run this year's 100km Great Naseby Water Race.

Mrs McKinney carried out a New Year's resolution to put adventure into her life when, in 2000, then aged 50, she ran her first marathon, around the Otago Harbour frontage in 4hr 29min.

"It was an amazing feeling to finish," she recalled.

In the decade since, she has run 31 marathons or ultra-distance events, including in New York and London and along the Great Wall of China.

Her best time of 3hr 35min was run in Chicago three years ago.

She has also run seven 60km Kepler Challenges, with a best time of 7hr 21min, and the Mountain Motatapu marathon.

When she turned 60 on July 1 this year, she wanted a birthday challenge, so she opted for the water race at Naseby on August 28.

Mrs McKinney (nee Miller) grew up in Dunedin.

Before her 2000 marathon, she had not done any racing since she left Wakari Primary School.

"I am just running against myself and trying to improve my time," she said.

Mrs McKinney, the owner of Threads Bernina Needlecraft shop, works a six-day week and does her training after work.

"When I started running, I noticed the health benefits, and this kept me going," she said.

"I got hooked."

Mrs McKinney is looking ahead to another milestone.

She has decided that when she turns 65 she will compete in the Wanaka Challenge, a race consisting of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km run.

She mastered cycling last year and has had several rides of more than 200km.

Her next goal is to learn to swim.

"That is a big thing for me. I can only swim breaststroke and don't like going out of my depth," she said.

"It is time for me to face that fear."