Adam Sharples will run the marathon this April in memory of the ‘marathon celebrity’ and to raise funds for Scope

The son of the oldest woman to run the first London marathon is set to run this year’s race in her memory.

Adam Sharples, 70, from Crouch End will run the race in memory of his mother, a “marathon celebrity”, and to raise funds for the disability charity Scope.

In 1981, Madge Sharples (or ‘Marathon Madge’) became the oldest woman to run the first London Marathon, and went on to compete in another 49 races around the world over the course of 15 years.

Adam will run the marathon on 21st April, in the meantime raising funds through Just Giving.

He said: “The initial impulse to run the marathon was my mother. She was the oldest woman to run in the first London Marathon in 1981, at the age of 64. At the time she was planning a holiday to the Himalayas and wanted to get fit, so she started running to work and put in for the marathon, which was being advertised at the time. She liked to push boundaries and was a bit unconventional. We were used to her liking to take on new challenges and, as I was living in London at the time of the marathon, she came and stayed with us for the race itself. “

“She had quite a lot of media coverage, really enjoyed it and ended up being invited to run in marathons all over the world raising thousands of pounds for charity. She had both her knees replaced in her mid-70s but went on running marathons until she was 79. She died in 2000 when she was 83.

“I’ve run in a local 10k most years over the last 25 years, but have never run in anything longer than that before. What inspired me to sign up for the London Marathon? I was having a conversation with a friend and telling him the story about my mother, and he surprised me by saying Marathon Madge was his hero growing up. He knew so much about her it really inspired me and got me thinking about what she had done and achieved.”

“Turning 70 this year I’ve been contemplating ageing and people’s perceptions of ageing. In a way my mother broke down barriers at the time and showed people what was possible for older people. She raised expectations of what older people can do.”

“So this marathon will be my tribute to her and a chance to raise funds to support the important work done by Scope.”

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