Nora Bath

New to Running, to NB and the RunNB Challenge Winner

By Donald Wade - July 2021

Nora Bath heard about the RunNB Challenge on CBC Radio and checked the RunNB website for more information.  The medal offered really got her motivated. "How shallow is that?" she joked.  She registered for the Challenge and she was the first lady to complete the RunNB 2400 km Challenge, tallying an impressive 2473 km within six months.  Logging in 20 to 30 km per day at walking or running, this newcomer to New Brunswick took advantage of the challenge to learn about the geography of the province and locate the different cities and villages as she progressed and discover her island.

In July 2020, looking for a change, she moved to Grand Manan Island from Manitoulin Island, Ontario to join her sister and her husband who operate a resort there. After visiting her sister, a thought came to her: "Why not Grand Manan?"  Since her arrival, she accumulated more than 5000 km, including the RunNB Challenge.

Nora is new to running. An avid walker, this septuagenarian started running in the spring of 2019 with encouragement from her two triathlete daughters.  "To get them off her back, I started with short distances, gradually increasing until I could run non stop for 6 km by the end of the month", she said   She kept at it all summer and in the fall, she accompanied her daughter who was competing for her first marathon at the Scotiabank Toronto Marathon.  Instead of just watching the competition, she registered for the 5 km race, finishing in 32:23, in the top 50% of all competitors, top 25% of all females and third in her age category.  That bronze medal was all she needed to keep running and register for others races.  But COVID struck and everything came to a stop.  

"Before I started running, I did have stiff joints and I figured that the arthritis that runs in the family was setting in", she added.  Running about 7 km on a daily basis and adding a brisk walk to it have been beneficial to her health.  After two years of running, she has no joint issues, she has kept a healthy weight and she has avoided developing diabetes, a disease that runs in her family.

"Running/walking is just something I do now.  I am stubborn enough not to let my age and the weather keep me in", she said. According to Nora, age should not be a factor in whether you do something.  She runs before 8 am to take advantage of the cooler temperatures.  In winter, if it’s below -25C, she stays home.  On a windy day, she simply walks.  She hopes eventually to participate in some in person events again and meet runners from this part of the country.

In her modesty, Nora added: "I have spent a lot of time thinking about your questions and I feel that they are more relevant to a professional runner than me.  I doubt that my running history is very inspirational."  Nora, we beg to differ.

Nora Bath lives in Grand Manan with her husband, Klaus Haring.  The couple have three daughters, Monika, Marla and Michaela and three grandchildren.

Nora, after completing the 2019 Toronto Marathon 5K