Pensioner runner refuses to slow down
“They’ve put me in the wrong box.” Says our 85-year-old L&Q Living resident runner, who is smashing stereotypes and challenging labels.
85-year-old runner, Pam Duck
Pam Duck, 85, strides to the start line of every race with grit and determination.
For Pam, running isn’t just exercise, it’s a rebellion against societal expectations.
“I just want to put old people on the map,” she says. “They’ve shut the lid on me, and I’m here to prove they shouldn’t have.”
Living at L&Q Living’s Dreywood Court, Pam says her relationship with running began when she was just a little girl.
“I think my earliest memory was when I was three. My mum and dad encouraged me, and by six, I was competing in Co-op sports running competitions.”
She eventually joined her local running club, Essex Ladies, at age 16. But life’s demands - work, marriage, and raising four children - meant a 46-year break from competitive running.
Her return to the track came under unexpected circumstances. After moving to Spain in retirement and losing their life savings to a bad property investment, Pam sought solace in joining a local running club.
“I started running again when I was 70 to take my mind off our financial troubles. It was something I could control, something that gave me strength.
“I’m no good running on my own. I need competition. If there was a register, I’d have 100% attendance.”
At 70, she was running 5km in 30 minutes, a pace she says surprised many younger competitors. But her resilience extends beyond the track as she recounts a time in Spain when she took a tumble and broke her wrist, which meant taking some time out to recover.
“I still finished that race though,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve got grit, always have had.”
Pam’s mantra is simple: “I don’t give up. Not in life, not in races.” Every finish line is a challenge to her self-imposed limits. “My wonderful spirit keeps me going. When I’m running up a hill, my legs might be falling off, and I’m in pain. But I always smile, I know I can do it.”
Even loss hasn’t broken her stride. When her beloved husband Bill passed away three years ago, she found comfort in running once again.
“He was always there for me, waiting at the finish line, at the end of every single race, we ran into each other’s arms. When he died, I heard about a parkrun the following Saturday and I ran for him because he would have wanted me to. Running was our thing.”
Though her last race was over a year ago, Pam is gearing up for a comeback. She’s registered for a 10 km in Stratford this March.
“I don’t want anyone to help me. I’ll get there on public transport and do it on my own. This is my life. I’m having a second go.”
Pam’s idols, from Roger Bannister to Chris Chataway, inspired her as a teenager. Now, she’s inspiring others.
“Little kids ask me how I do it and I tell them, ‘If I can do it, you can.’” But she’s adamant about one thing, age is just a number. “Some old people can run. Others can do other things. But we’re not done yet, I just want people to know that.”
Kaye Neicho, supporting housing officer, said:
“I have only known Pam for a few months but have found her to be a very glass half full type of person. She is a ray of sunshine when she breezes through reception.
“She is a very classy lady, with a matching pair of trainers for every outfit. Whenever she goes out of the building she literally runs everywhere! She runs to the ‘next’ bus stop rather than standing around waiting. She is amazing.”
At 85, Pam isn’t slowing down. She’s sprinting towards a future where age is just a number, and her determination and her spirit know no limits.