GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — At 68 years old, Molly Sheridan is preparing to defy the odds once again, proving that age is just a number.
The Green Valley ultramarathoner is gearing up to compete in the World Marathon Challenge, an extraordinary feat that involves running seven marathons on seven continents in just seven days.
Sheridan’s journey to this monumental challenge is anything but ordinary.
She says that she wasn’t a runner leading up to her 50s, besides “maybe running a 5k with my kids when they were little.” A simple phone call from a friend changed everything.
“I was getting ready to turn 50 and my girlfriend called me and said, ‘Do you want to run a marathon?’” Sheridan recalls. “I said no.”
Eventually, she changed her mind, realizing she needed something to motivate her. What started as a reluctant step into the world of running quickly became a life-altering passion. Sheridan describes running as “deep meditation” and even “magical.”
Her resolve was tested early when an ankle injury led a doctor to suggest she was too old for the sport.
“He told me, ‘Pick a different sport,’” Sheridan said. But she didn’t let that stop her. “I wanted this goal so bad, I wasn’t going to let this guy just take it.”
Since then, Sheridan has run over 100 ultramarathons worldwide, including a race that took her 22,000 feet into the Himalayas.
Despite a warning from the Indian government that this endeavor was “humanly impossible,” she has pushed her limits and proved otherwise.
She was one of only three people who completed the race, which she has since done multiple times.
Now, as she prepares to take on the World Marathon Challenge, Sheridan will become the oldest woman to complete the grueling event.
The challenge, which will start on January 31st in Antarctica and end on February 6th in Miami, Florida, will test her physical and mental endurance like never before.
After some soul-searching about how long she could continue her ultramarathon routine, she decided to enter the challenge.
“Who’s telling me I’m done?” Sheridan asked. “It wasn’t my voice. It was society. But I tell me when I’m done.”
Sheridan sees this challenge as more than just a personal milestone; it’s a way to inspire others to dream big.
“You can do something that you think is impossible,” she said. “In fact, scary, freakish, weird goals will take you farther in life.”
Beyond her record-breaking run, Sheridan hopes to encourage people to stay active, no matter their age or abilities.
“Go walk, take 30 minutes outdoors,” she said. “It’s good for your mental, spiritual, and physical well-being.”
Sheridan is also raising money as part of the challenge, with recipients including the humanitarian organizations SwaTaleem Foundation and the Sure Wave Foundation, along with 261 Fearless, an organization to promote running. Founded by Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to enter and complete the Boston Marathon.
For more information about Sheridan’s efforts, visit her Instagram.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
