2006-06-19
Author: Ardin Masson

On Sunday many Portagers took part in the Manitoba Marathon, but one in particular stands out.

Eleanor Giffin, did the half marathon which in total is about 13 miles, but what sets her apart from most of the other participants is that in some cases she's over twice their age.

Giffin turns 71, this year and she walked the half-marathon in 4 hours 18 minutes and 16 secs. She says she's pleased with her results because when she entered the event her goal was to just finish, adding next year she will be looking to improve on her time.

In addition to walking, Giffin also stays active by cycling, which is only for pleasure and not done competitively. However, she makes note that she does enjoy tackling some tough nature courses including one in North Dakota that is 400-500 miles long and takes 7 days to complete. Giffin has already done this particular course but plans on riding it again this summer with her granddaughter Lana.

Because of her age one might think Giffin would have plenty of people telling her to slow down, but on the contrary she says she receives plenty of support from many different sources. Besides, she adds her family knows better than to try and talk her out of something once her mind has been made up.

Other than keeping physically active, Giffin says she wanted to do the Manitoba Marathon because she wanted to support its charitable cause. The entry fees from the Manitoba Marathon go to support Manitobans living with an intellectual disability.