Meet the granny running the mother of all marathons: 51-year-old ultra runner to tackle world's toughest race, the 153-mile Spartathlon, TWICE!
- Mimi Anderson, from Kent, will run 153 miles from Sparta to Athens
- She'll then run back again - bringing her total to 306 miles
- She took up running at age of 36
- It helped her overcome anorexia
- She says you're never too old to start running
An ultra running grandmother is proving age is no barrier to sporting achievement as she prepares to take on her toughest challenge yet.
This weekend, Mimi Anderson, 51, from Kent, will take part in the Spartathlon - a 153 mile race in Greece from Sparta to Athens.
The undulating and at times off-road route follows in the the footsteps of Pheidippides, an ancient Athenian long distance runner, who was said to make the same journey to deliver a message during the battle of Marathon in 490BC.
Doing the double: Mimi intends to run from Sparta to Athens and back again, a total of 306 miles
The story of the Greek's feat of endurance inspired the foundation of the modern marathon - but that's a snip in comparison at 26.2 miles (the distance from Marathon to Athens).
But even running 153 miles non-stop isn't enough of a challenge for Mimi, who is a grandmother to Theo, aged five, and Finley, two. So she's not only going to run from Sparta to Athens, once she gets there she will turn around and run back again, bringing her total running journey to 306 miles.
Accomplishment: The grandmother has previously ran the Badwater ultra marathon in Death Valley twice in a row
The challenge is also heightened by the fact the run out must be completed in under 36 hours and people who don't reach the check points in time will not be permitted to continue.
Mimi told the MailOnline how she hopes to become the first woman to complete the double
Spartathlon.
She said: 'There is something very special about this race. The Spartathlon is a really tough event not only because of the distance of 153 miles in under 36 hrs but because of all the cut-offs along the route which can get competitors into panic (including me).
'As long as my body holds up and it still puts a smile on my face, my trainers will stay firmly attached to my feet'
'Only one person as far as I was aware had done it both ways and certainly no female had achieved it. It was suggested that I should give it a go - I love a challenge!
'I am under no illusions that this is going to be nothing other than an extremely tough challenge but I will give it everything I've got and fingers crossed my legs will carry me back to Athens.'
This isn't the first time Mimi will have completed a dual ultra event. In 2011 she ran the Badwater ultra route twice - a total distance of 292 miles in scorching conditions - the first woman ever to do so.
She has won numerous world records for her endurance feats including the fastest crossing on foot across Ireland (345 miles in three days, 15 hours and nearly 37 minutes) and the furthest distance covered on a treadmill by a female over seven days.
Many ultra runners will attest that completing such long distances isn't just about your athletic ability but also about being disciplined about eating and drinking enough to fuel your performance.
So Mimi had to overcome another obstacle to make her running dreams possible - beat anorexia.
Keep on running: Mimi said she'll carry on as long as she's enjoying it as she strives to see what she can achieve
MIMI'S TIPS FOR ASPIRING RUNNERS
- Start by walking and running, slowly decreasing the walking sections and increasing the running
- Find a friend who may want to give it a go with you, or if not they may be happy to bike alongside you while you run
- Start slowly and build it up and you will be amazed at what the body is capable of doing
- Join a local running club, it's a great way to meet other runners, keep you focused and it's very social
-
Remember you are never too old to take up running, give it a go
She suffered from the eating disorder in her youth for 15 years and said it was taking up running at the age of 36 that gave her the incentive to battle the condition.
She explains: 'Running means I have to eat, otherwise my body simply wouldn't have enough energy. So I'm no longer afraid of food, it's not the enemy but an essential part of life. Running quite literally has given me back my life which otherwise may have turned out so differently.'
Mimi said she does suffer from the odd niggle which means she might have to back off from training occasionally but she avoids major problems by having regular sports massages and treatments with an osteopath.
Despite having already achieved so much, Mimi said her drive to continue comes from her love of competing.
She said: 'I enjoy the buzz and atmosphere of racing, competing against other people and seeing if I'm capable of achieving what I set out to do in a particular event.
'I always have a goal whether it's a time or going for a podium place, or a world record. I'm always striving to find the limits of my endurance.'
She added that she'll continue running ultras for as long as she can.
She said: 'I'll keep going as long as I am enjoying them. I won't be able to compete at the level I'm at currently for very much longer, simply because the women coming into the sport now are just fantastic and a good 20 years younger than me.
'But as long as my body holds up and it still puts a smile on my face, my trainers will stay firmly attached to my feet!'
Mimi is running the double Spartathlon to raise money for the 10 Million Metres Campaign, which was set up by Alex Flynn when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years ago. To donate visit www.justgiving.com/marvellousmimi1
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Hiten@HitenRaja.com
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