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Lou Peters Longevity Award

Recognizing runners 90 years old+ who still compete

Guideline for Nominations

Past Award Recipients

2024 - Larry Cole

In 2005 Larry signed up to participate in the American Stroke Association’s team-in-training program, in support of his wife who survived a stroke in 1987. The organization coached participants to run either the December 2005 Orlando or January 2006 Arizona Rock-n-Roll Marathon. Larry chose the latter. He said, “I got almost no sleep the night before the race, but I finished in a reasonable time.” His finishing time of 5:16:48 was more than reasonable given he was 72 and the 26.2 mile run was his first real race! To what does Larry attribute his running longevity? Pausing for a beat, he noted “I think it’s really dumb luck. I’ve been active all my life. I keep working at it, and I’ve had no serious illnesses.” As to advice for runners who aspire to run at 90? “You just have to keep at it. I think people have to find what works best for them. You do need to mix up stuff, resistance exercise is really important for runners.”

2024 - Geoffrey Etherington

Geoffrey Etherington laughed at the idea that running and making it to age 95 have earned him an award. A 2024 recipient of the Lou Peters Longevity Award, Geoff has been running for much of his long life. It was not, however, until he was in his fifties that his racing career really took off. In 2009 Running Times ranked him the top 80 year old runner in the nation. He confirmed that ranking in 2011 by running a 1:45 at the New Haven 20K, not only winning for 80+ but also beating all of the runners in the next younger age group. Now living in Jupiter, Florida, Geoff only occasionally races. In 2022, at age 92, he ran a 38:36 5K. Last Fall, at age 94, he posted a 43:05 5K. That translates into an age-graded score of 84.05%!

2024 - Bill Tribou

The committee decided to posthumously recognize Bill Tribou, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 101, with a Lou Peters Longevity Award. Tribou, who was both an All-American at UConn in 1941 and a NE 65+ Club Hall of Fame inductee in 2002, exemplified the spirit of the Lou Peters Award as few others ever have. In 2011 Bill set the 90+ course record at the storied Thanksgiving Day Road Race in Manchester, Connecticut. His 1:05:05 time over the hilly 4.73 mile course still stands. (He also holds the M85-89 course record.) That year Bill also won the M80-99 division of the Labor Day New Haven Road Race 5K in a time of 40:34. He continued to run the New Haven race annually until 2014. Tribou was named the USATF national runner of the year for ages 90-94 from 2012-2014.

2023 - Dottie Gray

Dottie Gray, age 98, is a multi-year National Senior Games athlete and runner with over three decades of experience under her belt. Dottie got into sports in her forties and running in her fifties. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she has completed five marathons, including the 100th running of the Boston Marathon, over 35 half marathons and countless 5K and 10K races. Dottie holds the age 90-94 record in 1500 meters (14:34), set in July, 2015, at age 90. Also that year, she became the only female 90 or over to complete a 3000M track event, thus setting a world record for the feat. A member of the NE 65+ Runners Club since 2011, Dottie lives with her daughter in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The nonagenarian said living an active life helped her stay healthy and mobile into her nineties.

2022 - Ronald Sanville

Leslie Behan presented the Lou Peters Award for longevity to Ronald Sanville. Unfortunately, Ron (pictured below surrounded by his family) could not attend due to a recent fall. Among his many accomplishments Ron, now 93, was the oldest participant in last Fall’s Jerry’s Run For All Ages.

2021 - Jim Lynch

Running legend and longtime member, Lou Peters, passed away early last year at the age of 95. He was still competing in road races including the Run for All Ages well into his 90s. Jim Lynch, 91, of Plaistow, New Hampshire, counted himself as a friend of Lou and always sought him out at races. It seems fitting that Jim Lynch was the first recipient of the Lou Peters Longevity Award. At the luncheon former president Tom Wylie highlighted Jim Lynch’s running career, which began with a 10K in Revere at age 62. In the years since, he has run eight marathons, set three state records in the 5K and 10K at the New Hampshire Senior Games, and won scores of age-group awards, usually first place. Leslie Behan spoke of the great fun they would have training together. Three days before his 90 th birthday, Jim completed the Atkinson 5K COVID-19 run in 46:01. He was always looking to improve his times and remained fiercely competitive while being extremely warm and friendly to his competitors. Despite suffering a stroke in Florida last December, Jim continues to do laps around the facility in Haverhill where he now resides, having covered almost two miles the morning of the luncheon. After Jim was presented with the plaque and pictures were taken of him with his running friends and family, Jim quipped, “Don’t I get to take it home?”

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