80-year-old Florence Barron sets a record at the Tely 10

It was a humid day in Paradise on Sunday as almost 4,700 runners laced up for the 91st running of the Tely 10, Newfoundland’s oldest and most popular road race. But a little humidity didn’t stop Florence Barron from smashing the existing record for the 80+ age group (2:23:49, set by Nora Connors in 2016) by more than 45 minutes. Barron celebrated her 80th birthday in April, and this was the fourth time she has set a record at the Tely 10. Last year Barron broke her own 75-79 record (just under 1:30), finishing in 1:27. Women were first welcomed into the Tely 10 in 1969, two years after Kathrine Switzer’s historic first official Boston Marathon finish. The heat and humidity made today’s race especially challenging. 

posted Wednesday July 25th