Sue Grigsby, a W50 runner training for Lahti worlds, is the subject of a nice writeup in her local newspaper. Hers is probably one of a flood of stories that will appear in the run-up to worlds. Sue, who teaches at Everett Community College, is a veteran of worlds, since she’s been to South Africa (1997), Australia (2001), Spain (2005) and Italy (2007). “She’s been dealing with some hamstring issues,” we learn, “but she’s confident that if she heeds her physical therapist’s advice — which she admits she doesn’t always do — she’ll be in shape to run the 800- and 1,500-meter races, and the 2,000-meter steeplechase.” Go Sue!

Michael O’Leary’s photo of Sue for The Herald

Here’s the story in case the link goes buh-bye:

Local runner’s feet take her around the world

Sue Grigsby, a health and wellness instructor at EvCC and a ‘respectable runner,’ will take part in the World Masters Track and Field meet in Finland in July, the fifth foreign country she’s raced in

By Larry Henry
Special to The Herald

It was an “oops” moment.

The race starter was calling out lane assignments for runners in an 800-meter event at a community college track meet in the mid-1970s.

“Mr. Smith, Lane 1; Mr. Jones, Lane 2; Mr. White, Lane 3, and on and on until he came to “Mr. Grigsby, Lane 7 … “

“Excuse me,” a decidely un-male voice interrupted. “It’s Miss Grigsby.”

And, yes, she was in the right place. Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, Calif., didn’t have a women’s track team, so Sue Grigsby ran with the men.

It was just one of those things that women sometimes had to do to compete back then. No women’s team? Then go sit in the bleachers and cheer the men. Or join their team and try to out-run them.

This was in the early days of Title IX, and all the kinks hadn’t been ironed out yet. Besides, everyone knew that women’s bodies couldn’t take all the pounding that distance runners had to endure.

Yeah, right.

Only a few years before, Katherine Switzer had become the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, but not before the race director attempted to forcibly pull her off the course.

Of course, Switzer went on to finish not only that race, but 35 other marathons, including a victory in the New York City 26-miler.

And Sue Grigsby? She went on to become, as she modestly describes herself, a “respectable runner in my day.”

This “respectable runner” set a host of school records in her final two college years at Humboldt State University, including the 800-, 1,500-, 3,000- and 5,000-meter events. It earned her a spot in the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Thirty years after graduating from the small Arcata, Calif., school, the 52-year-old health and wellness instructor at Everett Community College is still pounding the pavement, still competing, and not on just a local fun-race basis.

Grigsby tests her talents on an international stage. Starting in 1997, she began competing in the World Masters Track and Field meet, which is for athletes 35 years and older and is held every other year in a different country.

So far, her travels have taken her to South Africa (1997), Australia (2001), Spain (2005) and Italy (2007). This year the games are in Lahti, Finland, beginning July 28 and running through Aug.8.

Grigsby intends to be there. She’s been dealing with some hamstring issues, but she’s confident that if she heeds her physical therapist’s advice — which she admits she doesn’t always do — she’ll be in shape to run the 800- and 1,500-meter races, and the 2,000-meter steeplechase in the women’s 50-54 age group.

Her hamstrings will be thoroughly tested in the steeplechase, which consists of several 30-inch barriers, plus a water jump.

It was in the steeplechase that she won her only Masters medal, a second place at Durban, South Africa, in ’97. She also set an American record in the 40-44 age category.

Like any competitive person, Grigsby wants to win. But she’s at a stage in her life where winning isn’t the be-all, end-all.

Just being able to lace up the running shoes, get out the door and run 20-25 miles a week is pretty sweet. She’s been running for most of her life, and she intends to be running into her twilight years, whatever they may be. “I want to be running when I’m 97 years old,” she said, “because it’s been so much fun.”

Back when she began running, back in high school, back when girls were still perceived as fragile, they were allowed to practice only two days a week. In a story on her that appeared in the Humboldt State alumni magazine, she recalled her initial attraction to distance running, which was “Women don’t do this. Maybe I’ll try it.”

She tried it and liked it. No, that’s not quite right. She loved it. Even if she had to run with the boys in junior college.

Today, she brings her passion for running to her Lifetime Health and Wellness classes at EvCC, attempting to inspire others to adopt running as part of their lifestyle.

“It’s fun to encourage students, to see them get turned on to running and go, ‘Wow, I improved my mile by a minute and a half,’ ” said Grigsby, who, as a youngster, would gather the neighborhood kids on the front porch and play teacher to them.

When asked by one of her online students why she runs, Grigsby replied, “It’s not just about the health-related benefits I receive, but about enjoying the fresh spring air, the view of the mountains, and the sense of accomplishment. It’s not always fun, believe me — there are days when it is a struggle and it is not fun at all. Still, I know that in another day or two, I’ll have a good run where my body moves fluidly, reasonably effortlessly, and I’ll get that ‘endorphin’ high that kicks in and makes it easier.”

For Grigsby, another reason to run: It’s taken her to three continents. It’s allowed her to meet people from all over the world. And athletes ranging in age from 35 to 90-something. “The 80- and 90-year-olds compete, then go out and have a drink and talk about their grandkids,” she said. “Or complain about their hamstrings.”

Grigsby usually allows another week or so for travel after the games end. “It’s a good reason to go places you might never have thought you’d go,” she said.

“She’s a lot more adventuresome than a lot of young women are,” said her father, John.

Inspiration for Grigsby to run into her 90s was supplied by a man she met in Spain, a then 88-year-old gent from Ashland, Ore., by the name of Dan Bulkley. He was competing in the decathlon that year.

A man that old and still able to do 10 events is worth listening to. What he told Grigsby was priceless: “You don’t stop doing things because you get old. You get old because you stop doing things.”

Smart teacher that she is, Grigsby used that as a slogan for her health-wellness classes.

And she gave it her own spin: When you tell an elderly person he/she shouldn’t be doing some physical activity at their age, Grigsby said, you “enable them to become disabled.”

That goes for dogs, too. Grigsby walks her Australian Shepherd, Splash, twice a day. Her first dog, Moxie, now deceased, walked 979 days in a row with Grigsby.

And you can be sure that’s an accurate number. “She keeps records,” said her mother, Virginia. “Oh, does she keep records.”

Since high school, Grigsby also has been conscientious about keeping a daily diary of her workouts. Her musings might include: “Ran the south Lake Stevens loop, end of the school year, felt tired, been working too much, didn’t eat well.”

One day perhaps she’ll write in her diary: Celebrated my 90th birthday today with a two-mile run.