At 80, Sharron Fisherman is proving that there is no finish line when it comes to setting yourself a new challenge.
For many runners, turning 80 might be a time to slow things down. For Sharron, it was the perfect excuse to set herself a new goal.
This September, the Texas-based runner, RRCA Texas Representative and lifelong advocate for the sport traveled from Austin to Newcastle, UK to take on the AJ Bell Great North Run, celebrating her 80th birthday in true running style.
“I wanted to do something special for my 80th birthday,” Sharron explains. “As a runner, what better way to celebrate than by participating in a running event?”
The challenge is even more impressive given that Sharron has recently recovered from two knee replacement surgeries, just six weeks apart. A full marathon wasn’t on the agenda, but a 5K or 10K didn’t quite feel like enough of a challenge either. After researching her options, the Great North Run kept coming up – and there was another reason it stood out.
Newcastle holds a special place in Sharron’s story. She lived in the city between 1973 and 1974, making her return to the North East for the Great North Run a chance to revisit a place from her past while taking on a very different challenge.
There was just one problem: getting a place.
A chance meeting that changed everything
Entry to the Great North Run isn’t easy to come by, but Sharron’s running journey took an unexpected turn at the RRCA National Convention in Minneapolis in 2025.
There, she met Scimitar’s Jon Rew. Knowing that Scimitar works closely with the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), Sharron asked whether Jon might have any connections with the Great North Run. “I asked if he had any connections with the GNR and could he help me get an entry,” she asked.
Jon put her in touch with Scimitar’s Adam Yeomans, who was able to help Sharron secure her place. And just like that, a conversation between runners at an RRCA event turned into an opportunity to return to Newcastle and take on one of the world’s biggest half marathons. It wasn’t the only reaction Sharron received when she revealed her plans.
At the 2025 Honolulu Marathon, she happened to meet a runner from California who had completed marathons in all 50 US states. When Sharron mentioned that she would be taking part in the 2026 Great North Run Half, he was impressed – and perhaps a little envious.
Despite trying for several years, he hadn’t yet managed to secure a place through the event’s lottery. For Sharron, however, the opportunity was now very real.
A lifetime of running, volunteering and giving back
Sharron’s connection with running stretches back decades. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, she eventually moved to Houston, Texas, where she discovered running in her 40s after encouragement from friends. She later spent 12 years in Anchorage, Alaska, becoming deeply involved in the local running community.
As a volunteer race director for the Anchorage Running Club’s Anchorage RunFest, a two-day event, Sharron helped lead the event to being named the 2016 RRCA Road Race of the Year. Her own running CV is just as impressive. She has completed multiple marathons, including London and Paris, as well as a 50K ultra and countless 5K, 10K and half marathon events. But for Sharron, running has never just been about the races themselves.
“I love volunteering as it is my way to give back for all the races I ran and all the volunteers that make the events safe and successful,” she says.
It is this belief in giving back that has also shaped her role with the RRCA. Now living in Austin, Texas, Sharron serves as one of three RRCA Texas Representatives, acting as an ambassador for the organization and helping to promote running and healthy lifestyles across the state.
From Newcastle to the Great North Run
With family connections to England – her paternal grandfather was born in Bristol, and she has relatives in the North East – Sharron’s journey to the Great North Run feels like more than simply another race. It’s a return to a part of the world that has played a role in her story, while marking a new chapter in her running journey. And while the 13.1-mile challenge has undoubtedly been a memorable one, the journey to the start line is arguably just as important.
From knee replacement surgeries to an 80th birthday goal. From Texas to Tyneside. From a chance meeting at an RRCA Convention to securing a coveted Great North Run place. Sharron’s story is a reminder that running doesn’t come with an expiry date – and that sometimes the best challenges begin when you decide to set yourself a goal that feels just a little bit out of reach.
Support the RRCA
Scimitar is proud to work closely with the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), supporting its work to grow and promote running communities across the United States.
You can show your support for the RRCA by checking out the official Scimitar x RRCA collection here, featuring RRCA merchandise and apparel.