Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Mum-of-10’s 100 marathons
You would think having 10 children would keep you busy enough, but Debbie Stirling, of Church Lane, Nackington, has managed to also squeeze in a staggering 100 marathons, 40 of those in this year alone, as well as running a busy launderette business.
The 47-year-old, who has one girl and nine boys aged from 10 up to 28, has become the first woman in Canterbury to run 100 marathons after completing her hundredth on Saturday at the Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve Beerathon marathon near Rochester.
Only 500 people in the UK have managed the astonishing feat, allowing them to join the official 100 Marathon Club.
But Mrs Stirling, who runs The Canterbury Launderette in Nunnery Fields, takes it all in her stride, joking that she is a “slow plodder” who is “still overweight”.
“Like most women I started jogging to try to lose a bit of weight,” she said.
“I did a half marathon about 16 years ago and then I had four more children.
“I started running again when my last child, who’s now 10, was about a year old.
“I did my first marathon eight years ago. I actually did one in the September, October and November.”
Mrs Stirling, who is a volunteer leader at Jelly Legs Running Club in Canterbury which caters for beginners up to more experienced runners, took time off due to health but was back and raring to go after a year.
“I started again and averaged about eight to 10 a year – so about one marathon a month,” she said.
“This year I’ve run 40. I had three months off over Christmas because I was so busy but I started again after that.”
Mrs Stirling, who said she has such a large family because she just loves having children, said the marathons have to be official to be counted by the 100 Marathon Club.
“The club is quite strict so the marathons have to be organised. You can’t just go for a long run.
“Speed is not my thing. I’m more about the long distance – I’ve done 50 miles before.
“My fastest time was at London when I did it in four hours 44 minutes. Now, if my time starts with a five I’m happy.”
Asked what she will be doing next: “I’m going for a run tomorrow actually, another marathon.”