Fontainebleau’s Deirdre Larkin is the fastest 86-year-old around

South Africa’s fittest 86-year-old granny aims to contend the 70-plus age category title at this year’s SPAR Women’s Race Joburg.

Fontainebleau resident, Deirdre Larkin is also confident she will defend her 80-plus title at the race, which she won last year.

Speaking at the event’s media launch, Randburg’s favourite running granny said she has been running rigorously in preparation for the 10km race on 7 October.

“I need to run lots of uphills in training, to make my legs work hard and be ready,” the Randburg Harriers runner said.

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Indeed, Larkin runs one or two races every weekend and keeps active with a daily run every morning during the week.

“I prefer 10km races but sometimes do the 21km Soweto half-marathon because it is such fun. I like meeting all kinds of people when running; my weekends are the most exciting because of the races.”

Larkin broke the world record for her age category at the SPAR Women’s Race Pretoria and came second in the 70-plus age group.

She has been running the Joburg and Pretoria SPAR Women’s Races every year since she started running nine years ago.

“The SPAR women’s races are always well organised. I don’t have to wait all day for prize-giving, unlike some other races. SPAR always thinks of the comforts: T-shirts and enormous goodie bags, and they have entertainment and dancing.”

READ: Olympian sisters, René and Christine Kalmer run together ahead of SPAR race

Larkin only took running seriously after being diagnosed with osteoporosis and was forced to get off the piano seat once a while.

She has never looked back since and still continues giving piano lessons.

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Will you be at the SPAR Women’s Race Joburg? Tell us what you are looking forward to about the race in the comments below.