Running addict, 77, tackles 10 miles every weekday, travels world to race and had a 50th wedding anniversary marathon

A 77-year-old running addict who tackles 10 miles every weekday, travels the world to compete in races and celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary by running alongside his wife dressed all in gold at the London Marathon wants to see “more older people getting out there”.

Paul Jenkins, a retired Royal Navy electrician and Prison Service employee, takes part in the London Marathon and Reading Half Marathon every year and when he isn’t training for those, he heads abroad for races – including to China, Australia, the US and Spain.

Paul’s wife Elizabeth, 74, a retired school supervisor, is also a keen runner and they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary wearing gold hats, a gold bowtie and a gold tutu at the London Marathon in 2019.

A grandad of seven, Paul has been a keen runner for most of his adult life, taking it up after he broke his ankle playing rugby while in the Navy.

Now Paul, first met his wife while working as an electrician in the Royal Navy, runs 10 miles every weekday and five miles most Sundays, which Elizabeth said is “a way of life” for them.

The 77-year-old has no plans to stop, and admits he often gets comments from others at races – with one event even making an announcement at the start line to congratulate him on his longevity in the sport.

Paul, who lives in Bournemouth, Dorset, told PA Real Life: “I’m lucky to have travelled to a lot of places for races over the years.

“I simply enjoy it and I want to keep running for as long as I can.

“My neighbours expect to see me out there every day and they keep an eye out for me. I’d like to see more older people getting out there.”

After becoming a regular runner, Paul did not start competing until Reading held its first annual half marathon in 1982 – and he’s only missed one race there in 42 years.

He has also completed 32 London Marathons and plans to travel to the US in 2025 for the World Police and Fire Service Games in Alabama.

Paul uses his yearly London and Reading races to raise money for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.

“I’m lucky that I’m in a beautiful part of the world. I just tend to train on my own and enjoy the sunshine and I’ll go for a run down to the beach most days in Bournemouth,” he said.

“I run simply because I enjoy it.

“Many years ago, a friend of ours had a child with liver problems and ever since then I have ran for the charity in order to raise money for them.”

In August this year Paul went to Winnipeg, Canada, to compete for the Prison Service in the World Police and Fire Service Games in the over-75 category, which consisted of four races: a 5km, a 10km, cross-country and a half marathon over the course of a week.

He competed in his first World Police and Fire Service Games in 1995 and has since travelled for the bi-annual event to China, Australia, the US, Spain and Northern Ireland.

He said: “We love Canada, we’ve been there four times and it was marvellous but each games is held in a different place and we have travelled all over to do it.”

Paul’s love for running has also played a role in his marriage, as he and his wife marked their 50th wedding anniversary on the finish line of the London Marathon.

Paul added: “It was a great day, we wore gold hats, and I had a gold bowtie and Liz had a gold tutu.

“The grandkids can watch where we are through our trackers so they were following along with where we were in the race.

“The grandkids aren’t runners. We’ve had many events where family have been on the sidelines cheering us on, and even though this has lessened as they’ve all grown up and got partners, they are still supportive and keep an eye on where I am using the tracker.”

Paul also has support from his local community who he said “keep an eye out” for him on his training days.

He said: “The neighbours all look out for me on my daily run and if they sometimes don’t see me, they’ll ask where I was because they expect to see me now.

“I’ve never had any complications from running, I use a lot of atrogel arnica gel – so much so that they gifted me some and I’m always handing it out to other people during races to help with muscle pain, which has helped me a lot of times to keep going.

“I always say all you need is a decent pair of shoes and to just keep going.”