[UPDATE (Dec, 2025). Jeff Galloway is planning to hit his 8th decade on Dec 14, 2025, in Honolulu. He will be the first to reach that milestone.
I am also adding these new names to the 7 Decades Marathon Club: Ben Beach, Stephen DeBoer, Steve Kearney, Dave McGillivray, and Don Slusser. See the Runners page for information about their first and most recent marathons. Mark Bauman has the longest marathon streak, 56 years at Boston, but ran his first at age 20.]
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| John A. Kelley |
At present (2017), there are six known members: Kelley, Darryl Beardall, Amby Burfoot, Jeff Galloway, Daniel Larson, and Keizo Yamada.
There are surely others. We simply haven't discovered them yet. When we do, we will add them here.
Some of these runners reached 7 decades the "hard way"--starting in their 20s, and then running a marathon in their 80s (Kelley, Yamada, Beardall). Others followed the "easy way"--starting in their teens, and running a marathon in their 70s.
See the Runners page for more information on each of the 7 Decades Marathon members.
We hope to welcome many more runners, from around the globe, to the 7 Decades Marathon group. Also: The race is on to see who can reach 8 Decades.
Some of these runners reached 7 decades the "hard way"--starting in their 20s, and then running a marathon in their 80s (Kelley, Yamada, Beardall). Others followed the "easy way"--starting in their teens, and running a marathon in their 70s.
See the Runners page for more information on each of the 7 Decades Marathon members.
We hope to welcome many more runners, from around the globe, to the 7 Decades Marathon group. Also: The race is on to see who can reach 8 Decades.
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| Keizo Yamada, Amby Burfoot, John A. Kelley, probably 1996 |
Run long and healthy.
