'I never look negatively at things': Retired schoolteacher from Belfast becomes the oldest person in Europe to have completed 250 parkruns
A 97-year-old woman from Belfast has become Europe’s oldest person to reach the 250 milestone at Parkrun.
Grace Chambers, who is a former teacher, etched her name into the history books by completing her 250th event at Ormeau Park in south Belfast on Saturday morning.
Parkrun in the UK is a free, community-based running and walking event held every Saturday – with a distance of five kilometres.
What makes Grace’s achievement even more spectacular is that she completed her 250th landmark just four weeks after heart surgery.
She navigated her way around the 5k course in an impressive 51 minutes on Saturday.
Speaking after crossing over the finishing line, Grace told BBC NI: "I feel glad I've done it as there was always a possibility that I wouldn't but I never look negatively at things, if I set a goal I try to achieve it and if I don't do it the first time I try it again and again and again.”
At the age of 88, Grace took part in her first parkrun event back in 2016 and has continued to enjoy the community and physical aspect of it ever since.
Even the coronavirus outbreak in 2019 didn’t slow her down as she went out and completed her 5k during lockdown.
"Everyone kept saying: 'This woman in her 80s has turned up thinking she can do a parkrun.' Well I certainly showed them,” she added.
"I just love it, all the people you meet, it's just wonderful - people from all over Northern Ireland come and mix at Parkrun and you wouldn't have had people from all the communities mixing like that when I was growing up.
"I've probably done a lot more than 250 Parkruns, but the ones during Covid don't count.”
Such is Grace’s popularity, a bench has been installed at the finishing line of Ormeau Parkrun, titled "Grace's Bench, Park runner extraordinaire".
Grace has had some special visitors come to visit her during her mornings at parkrun, including Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, which Grace fondly remembers.
She said: "Kelly wanted to talk as we were going round the course so I had to say, come on Kelly, you're holding me back."
Grace had a keyhole valve replacement in July and Dr Jonny Mailey, who performed the operation at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital, was there to cheer her over the finishing line.
He told BBC NI: "She's fantastic and what she has achieved is unbelievable.
"It really is testament to her as a person."
Volunteer race director at Ormeau parkrun, Deirdre McConvey, outlined how Grace is an inspiration to others.
"We've had visitors come specially to meet her, nobody smiles broader than Grace,” she stated to the broadcaster.
"Her warmth and friendliness has endeared her to all the regulars who love to cheer her over the finish line, especially on her birthday.
"Her grit and determination are definitely inspiring and sometimes quite humbling."
Writing on her social media platforms, SDLP leader Claire Hanna, who participates in parkrun, posted: “Amazing Grace! I was delighted to be at Parkrun Ormeau this morning as local legend Grace Chambers hit the 250 run milestone at 97 years young!”