Published
Update
Video length: 3 min
“When I run, I am no longer afraid of the future, nor of growing old, nor of dying, I feel free”: at 84, she starts her 59th marathon
“When I run, I am no longer afraid of the future, nor of growing old, nor of dying, I feel free”: at 84, she starts her 59th marathon
(SPECIAL SENDING / FRANCE 2)
She is a grandmother, and even a great-grandmother, but there is no question that her 80-something years will prevent her from lining up at the start of the Paris marathon. An extract from “Special Envoy” from April 11, 2014, which followed Barbara Humbert throughout her 59th marathon.
Barbara Humbert was born in 1939, she has been running the marathon for forty years (she participated in her first by chance, at age 45) and she has no intention of stopping. In this spring of 2024, the octogenarian lines up at the start of his favorite race, the Paris Marathon.
Favorite but not easy, with all its false dishes… More than forty kilometers of effort, but also the pleasure of feeling “carried by others and by all this sharing”. And even a form of meditation for Barbara, who “balanced”she said, and freed from fear – “of the future, of growing old, of dying”.
“I’m not superhuman. There are a lot of people who do extraordinary things. I always say, ‘I just run’.”
Barbara Humbertin “Special Envoy”
Mother of three very proud daughters, grandmother and great-grandmother, Barbara imposes a certain discipline on herself (50 kilometers of training per week) and a healthy lifestyle. It shows that over 80 years old, provided you are in good health, you can still run.
“If I can give an example, if I can make you want to, I’m willing allow women to go beyond, said Barbara. Beyond the raised fingers of others, of those around you who say ‘But no, it’s more your age. Don’t do that, you’ll get tired…’. We must not listen to these siren songs, we must listen to ourselves.”
This summer, Barbara is preparing to realize a dream: running the Marathon for All, the race open to fans of the 2024 Olympic Games. This will be her 60th marathon.
Excerpt from “Mamie Marathon”, a report to see in “Special Envoy” on the 11th april 2024.
> Replays of France Télévisions news magazines are available on the franceinfo website and its mobile application (iOS & Android), “Magazines” section.