Anne Young, 83, and Suzanne Counsel, 78, first met in 1987, running a marathon in Melbourne, having trekked down from Canberra with their athletics club.
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Now the pair are about to take part in Ms Young's 32nd Canberra Times fun run, having run her first 10 kilometre course in 1981.
This year marks Ms Young's first five kilometre course.
"I think age is catching up with me a bit and I like the five kilometre distance now," Ms Young said.
Ms Counsel did her first five kilometre course last year following a knee replacement which she said reduced her to walking.
"I hope to continue as long as possible," Ms Counsel said.
Ms Young said the pair don't train together anymore, not since they stopped doing distance running, but they do meet up for an hour and a half walk every Sunday.
Ms Young said she runs about four to five kilometres by herself twice a week, before doing a five kilometre Parkrun on Saturday.
But in terms of training for The Canberra Times Fun Run Ms Young doesn't have a plan.
"I haven't really trained. I just go out and do a bit of distance running. I haven't got any regime," she said.
As members of the ACT Masters Athletics Clubs, Ms Young and Ms Counsel have travelled overseas and, according to Ms Young, "met a lot of interesting people".
"It's one of the best things I've ever done," Ms Young said.
Ms Young has won 61 half-marathons in her age division and has only been beaten twice, which she was pleased with but didn't like telling many people about.
Ms Young and Ms Counsel both joined the athletics club in 1987, becoming friends when the club competed at the World Master Championships in Melbourne.
"I competed in the 10 kilometre cross country and the marathon. Suzanne just did the marathon," Ms Young said.
"We've done a lot of competition in ACT, Australia. We've travelled a lot, met lots of interesting people."
Their club's travels have taken them to the Norfolk Islands, the Cook Islands, New Zealand and, in Ms Counsel's case, Hawaii in the United States.
"It' a very vibrant club," Ms Young said.
Ms Counsel said she's been in the club for 35 years and has always enjoyed running with her friends in fun runs.
Ms Young said she's just always liked getting out and running, she liked being active and it kept her healthy.
This year will be the 43rd year of The Canberra Times Fun Run which will take place on Sunday, September 23.
The run will take participants around the parliamentary triangle and Lake Burley Griffin.
Registrations close September 22. Click here to enter.
