Despite only starting running in her mid-50s the sport has since taken 72-year-old Judith Porter all around the world. Some of her highlights? Representing England in her age group at the Manchester Half Marathon, travelling to Bhutan in the Himalayas for the Thunder Dragon Half Marathon, and finishing the Tokyo Marathon after a chin-splitting fall at mile 16. ‘Crossing every finish line, no matter how fast or slow you have run is a cause for celebration,’ Judith tells Women’s Health.
Before the age of 55, Judith says she didn’t do much in the way of intentional fitness. It was only to support a colleague who had been diagnosed with a rare form of arthritis that she first gave running a go. Beyond running the Great North Run to fundraise, Judith didn’t think she would continue. But, soon enough, she’d joined a running club and totally ‘caught the bug’. Now, she’s completed the six World Marathon Majors, done four out of six SuperHalfs (all of which she’s run for charity via global charity running network realbuzz), is a committed parkrunner, and has even walked the Inca Trail.
While Judith still has a fiercely competitive spirit – ‘I try and go as fast as I can so that I can be the first lady over 70’ – she also highlights how important it is to stay running, which requires a mindful, holistic approach to training. So, what does that involve? Below are her top tips for establishing a realistic, sustainable running routine.
Judith Porter / Marathon Photos
Judith starting 2026 strong by running New Zealand’s First Light Half Marathon
She has progressed gradually
Judith says that she has always been and remains mindful of her body and its limits. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t push herself, but it does mean she believes in realistic progression and a balanced schedule. ‘When I first started at 55, I could only do 100 yards before I had to stop, and it took me a whole month on a running machine to work up to being able to run one mile at a steady pace,’ she says. ‘People always think, “Whoa, I couldn’t run”, and I say, well, you’ve just got to do it in very small increments.’
On that note, she advises investing in some inexpensive but running-specific trainers and starting with run-walks, whether that’s Couch to 5k or alternating between walking and running as you pass lamp posts. ‘You’ve got to learn to breathe – and that’s not easy,’ adds Judith. ‘That’s why I think the first three miles of a marathon are the hardest because you’ve got to get your breathing into a nice rhythm.’
She optimises minimal mileage
On the topic of building gradually, Judith also highlights that it’s often about what you can do with what you’ve got. Currently, she rarely runs more than 16 miles in a week – ‘I’ve got to satisfy myself with trying to do the best training I can for the minimum amount of mileage and just keeping generally fit’ – but her balanced training means she could still go out and run a half marathon. ‘If I was trying to run 30 miles a week, it’d just be a waste of time – I’d just wreck myself,’ says Judith.
She prioritises variety
What does her training look like? Mixed, says Judith. She combines longer runs and hills sessions with speed work that’s often done at her local running club or with friends. She also says that she enjoys training with younger runners as it keeps her motivated and engaged.
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Optimising minimal mileage also involves maintaining fitness in other ways, adds Judith. While she admits she could do more strength training – two of her best results have been during periods of good strength and conditioning work – Judith is a fan of rebounding (jumping on a mini trampoline), as it has less impact on her hip, and social circuit training.
‘Sometimes, a neighbour comes over, and we make up an hour session where we exercise in pairs – she might be doing squats, for example, with weights, while I’m jogging on the trampoline,’ says Judith. ‘Then, we swap over and move onto another set of exercises. We’ll do that three times – it’s quite good fun when you’ve got somebody else to do it with.’
What’s next for Judith on her running adventures, then? For now, the focus is on completing the SuperHalfs, with just Prague and Berlin to go. As for another marathon? Not right now, but with Sydney now on the World Majors list, Judith admits that she would ‘Never say never.’
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Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.
