‘She destroyed the record:’ 70-year-old Sask. runner breaks Canadian record

Lynne Wawryk-Epp ran the indoor mile in 7:12.28, setting a national record for women in the 70s age category.

A Saskatoon runner has broken a Canadian record.

Lynne Wawryk-Epp ran the indoor mile in 7:12.28, setting a national record for women in the 70-age category.

“She didn’t just set it. She destroyed the record by eight seconds,” said Harvey Weber, the developmental coach for the Running Wild Athletics Club.

Wawryk-Epp smashed the record at the Sanderson Classic, held at the University of Saskatchewan over the weekend.

“She nailed this race. She had excellent pace and she kept it up and got the performance she wanted,” her coach said.

The previous record of 7:20.42 was set by Ontario runner Jean Horne in 2007.

Among Wawryk-Epp’s biggest fans are the ones who call her “Baba.”

“She’s energetic, very energetic,” said Wawryk-Epp’s 10-year-old grandson, beside his seven-year-old sister.

While most people dread getting older, Wawryk-Epp was actually counting down to her 70th birthday so she could race in a new age group.

“So when I turned 70 and I started looking at records, I thought, ‘Oh yeah, I think I can get that one,’” Wawryk-Epp said, ahead of her training session at the university’s Field House.

Wawryk-Epp started running in her early twenties as a way to quit smoking.

“So I dropped cigarettes, picked up the runners — and I haven’t looked back,” she told CTV News.

She said running has carried her through some of life’s toughest times.

“My sister passed away when she was 40, in 1998. I was so, so depressed about that. Running is really what got me through it,” she said.

Wawryk-Epp encourages everyone — no matter their age — to find what moves them.

“It doesn’t have to be running, it can be cycling, or swimming, or kayaking, or whatever,” she said.

“I just feel that outdoor fitness is so critical for your health. For your mental health and your physical health.”