Kay and Joe O’Regan have completed 142 marathons together in their 57 years of marriage. The 80-year-old Irish couple started running 30 years ago, when Kay decided she wanted to do something big for their 50th birthdays, which fall only a few weeks apart.
The couple had already been married for 27 years and had two adult children, when they signed up for the London marathon in 1986. But Joe agreed to chase after his wife’s newfound interest, and they finished their first race, hand in hand.
Photo Courtesy of Kay O’Regan
After they both retired in the late 1990s, they began traveling around the world to compete in races.
Photo Courtesy of Kay O’Regan
They’ve run marathons from Boston to Athens and even under the midnight sun of the Northern tip of Norway.
Photo Courtesy of Kay O’Regan
Age is never a limit! Kay & Joe O’Regan (80) are on @RTENationwide tonight before running @TheCorkMarathon on Mon. pic.twitter.com/J0CxBeV04P
– Deirdre Connolly (@DeirdreLConnoll) June 3, 2016
In a heartwarming show of affection, Kay and Joe finished their last marathon hand in hand.
The Cork City Marathon has always been one of their favorites, and this time around Kay accomplished something pretty spectacular. With a finishing time of 5:25:29, the couple not only won their age group, but Kay is now officially the fastest 80-year-old in Ireland.
Congratulations to Joe+Kay O’REGAN from Johnstown parkrun, Wexford who finished the Cork City Marathon today pic.twitter.com/eQgvovGAwG – parkrun Ireland (@parkrunIRE) June 6, 2016
“Running is a part of our lives. And it hopefully will be for a few more years,”she said. “In Ireland there is a saying: those who pray together stay together. Well we say, those who run together stay together.â€
At 80 years old they show no signs of slowing down.
What an inspiration! 80yrs young, 57yrs married & 142 marathons together. Congrats Joe & Kay O’Regan – amazing story pic.twitter.com/VXpeal4PUr
– Dublin Marathon (@dublinmarathon) June 6, 2016
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