BBC News, West of England
BBCA woman says that she was a “ball” to fulfill the challenge of running 200-mile (322 km) in her hundredth year.
Selicebury in Wiltshire, feline, reached the Finnish line on Sunday, raising more than £ 11,000 to the Salisbury Trust for her 100th birthday, homeless (STFH).
She planned to walk 100 miles (161 km), but after doubling her target in January, after feeling that she was ahead of the schedule.
Completing the last mile around the Salisbury Cathedral, Ms. Babb said: “It is difficult to believe that I have walked 200. It has gone like a dream.”
Ms. Babbi was born in Bidford, North Davon, and traveled alone from Jamaica from the sea in 1949 to study in girls’ grammar school for three years.
After a brief magic in England, she dodged Vancouver in Canada before returning to UK to take care of her disabled mother.
She was a curious member of the local Yacht Club before she retired in 1986, when she voluntarily started.
“Walking is good for you,” he said. “I was brought to walk, so as soon as we children went everywhere, and I still like to walk.”
He said: “This is delightful. I really have a ball.”
Ms. Babb was happy by her family members who said she was an inspiration.
His cousin, David Evans said: “To reach the age of 100 and do so, to look so fit, to look so well, being so clear, it’s really amazing what he has done.”
“He is inspiring, of course. He is inspiring. He is my whole life, to be honest,” said Liz Huntley, Ms. Bab’s cousin.
And his great niece, Ruth Simmons said: “It has been really special to see my great aunt completing his 200th lap around the cathedral.”
A local accountant and a supporter of charity helped Ms. Babb to walk.
He said, “He saw every 20 walks he had done, which I recorded on a straw on my mobile phone, and then confirmed him in a small book,” he said.
STFH supports single homeless people and Gordon Pardi, head of charity’s funding, said he was happy to receive a check from Ms. Babb.
He said, “We have recently bought a house, and so the money that the fail has raised will move towards presenting the house.”
“He was so impressive to do so in his 100th year,” he said.
Ms. Babb said that people were “very generous” and said “thank you very much, thank you very much”.
