Frederick County Runner Sets Marathon Best at 58

Sue Redding of Frederick County, Maryland, lowered her marathon personal record at age 58. She completed the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon in 4:55:54, reaching a goal that had eluded her in earlier attempts. Her previous finishes included 5:01:12 in 2022, 5:49:43 in 2023, and 5:28:09 in 2024.

The change was cadence training: paying attention to how often her feet hit the ground. Redding practiced keeping a steady step rate during training and tested the approach in a half marathon before using it for the full distance. During the marathon, she held a consistent pace between 10 and 11 minutes per mile. She said the method gave her confidence that she could maintain that rhythm for 26.2 miles.

Coaches describe cadence as one part of running efficiency. A quicker step rate can reduce stride length and may help runners use less energy, preserve strength late in a race, and lower forces linked with overuse injuries. There is no single ideal number for everyone, though many runners work toward a range near 160 to 180 steps per minute. The article also recommends establishing good posture before making gradual cadence changes.