NEVER GIVE UP! This Woman Just Finished the 2018 New York City Marathon
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Images via depositphotos.com
A local woman finished the 2018 New York City Marathon on Sunday, Dumb Runner has learned, inspiring cheers and applause from a nearby hot dog vendor.
Florence Henderson, 73, crossed the line in an unofficial time of 5 years 22 days 2 hours 34 seconds. It was her first ever marathon, she said in a post-race interview.
“It was rough, I’m not going to lie,” said Henderson. “There were lots of times I wanted to stop. So I did. And then, after a few months, I would start right back.”
Henderson said she suffered several challenges along the way, including injuries, bad weather, heavy traffic, and aid stations that appeared just one day out of each year.
“But here I am,” she said. “I made it, and I’m so happy.”
Henderson’s feat came as no surprise to those who know here, who said she has always been a tenacious person.
“Mom is an inspiration to us all,” said Maureen McCormick, one of Henderson’s six adult children. “When she decides to do something, she does it—all the way.”
Ann B. Davis, a longtime family friend, echoed that sentiment.
“Florence is a strong woman, and very, very determined,” Davis said.
“Some would say ‘stubborn,’” she added, laughing.
Henderson said she had no immediate plans for another marathon, but she wouldn’t rule one out, either.
“Ask me tomorrow,” she said, “when the soreness kicks in.”
