Gold Coast half marathon starter Sean still has a lot of life left in his legs at 79

HE’s nudging 80, but Sean O’Hara won’t let a little back pain stop him from running in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon.

Sean O'Hara, 79, will run the 5.7km event on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday during the Gold Coast Airport Marathon weekend. Photo: David Clark

HE’S nudging 80, but Sean O’Hara isn’t willing to let a little back pain stop him from running in the Gold Coast half marathon.

Two weeks ago the 79-year-old Coombabah resident wound up housebound for three days after slipping a disc in his back.

But on Saturday the marathon veteran will be running in the 5.7km challenge and he’ll hit the track again on Sunday in the half marathon for the 24th consecutive year.

“I thought if that (the disc problem) had have happened this week, I wouldn’t have known what to do but I’m good to go,” he said.

79 year old Sean O'Hara will run the 5.7km run on saturday and the half marathon on sunday during the Gold Coast Marathon weekend Photo: David Clark

“I’ve gone this far, I want to keep going for as long as I can.

“The running part has just about lost me but the main thing is that I start and finish. I just think it’s fun, it’s good exercise and it’s good to get out in the fresh air.”

The retiree ran a nursing home in Southport until 1999 and after chatting to a number of the “oldies” with Alzheimers, Mr O’Hara thinks it’s important to exercise body and mind.

“I keep very good health and I haven’t drunk alcohol in 39 years but I’m not a fanatic about it,” he said.

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“If you want to keep away from doctors, just get a bit of fresh air and do what you want to do.

“Even if you go for a little walk it’s the best therapy in the world.”

While by no stretch an elite runner, Mr O’Hara said it made him feel good when there were “more behind me than in front” in his age group.

“Sometimes, someone will come up behind you when you’re getting near the end and say ‘come on, mate, keep going’,” he said.

“They think this poor old bugger, he’s not going to make it, but when I actually get near the end I smarten up.”

And he’s not slowing down any time soon.

Mr O’Hara is planning on doing cross-country in the Pan Pacific Masters Games in November and will tackle the World Masters Games in Auckland in April.

And he’s confident he’ll be back to run the half marathon next year for his 25th time, at the age of 80.

“I’ll make sure of it,” he said.