The Ottawa working group is mourning the lack of one in every of its personal. Canadian masters runner Rejeanne Fairhead died final weekend on the age of 98.
Fairhead was a trailblazer in Canadian ladies’s masters working, redefining what it means to encourage a group. At Ottawa Race Weekend in 2023, on the age of 96, Fairhead shattered the 5K world report for the ladies’s 95–99 age class by 4 minutes, ending in 51 minutes and 9 seconds.
By means of her race, she additionally raised hundreds of {dollars} for Perley Well being, a long-term care dwelling the place she had volunteered for over 20 years, which she additionally referred to as dwelling.
Born in Saskatchewan on Dec. 12, 1926, Fairhead moved to Ottawa in her early 20s and remained there for the remainder of her life. Her husband served within the army, and he or she labored for the federal authorities earlier than selecting to remain dwelling to lift their six kids. Along with her massive household, she had 12 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. A complete of 20 relations walked or ran alongside her when she set the world report.
Fairhead’s record-breaking run in 2023 surpassed the mark set by American Betty Lindberg on the Atlanta Peachtree 5K throughout the Peachtree Marathon Weekend in February 2022. Lindberg had accomplished the space in 55 minutes and 48 seconds on the age of 97.
Fairhead by no means thought-about herself an athlete, and he or she solely determined to take part within the occasion after a good friend at Perley Rideau Seniors’ Village inspired her to strive the 5K throughout Ottawa’s annual race weekend. In her first race, she completed in 58 minutes and 52 seconds, setting a Canadian report within the ladies’s 95+ age class. Studying she was solely about three minutes shy of the world report, she devoted herself to coaching and smashed her time the next 12 months.
Regardless of her accomplishments, Fairhead remained lighthearted, typically saying her secret to working quick was merely staying busy.
Run Ottawa, the group behind Ottawa Race Weekend, expressed disappointment on the information of Fairhead’s dying in a social media submit: “Her dedication and achievements touched numerous lives—whether or not by means of her fundraising for the Perley Well being Basis or her record-breaking 5K efficiency within the ladies’s 95–99 age class at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. She actually was an inspiration to so many.”
I’m very unhappy to study of the passing of Rejeanne Fairhead, a beautiful girl and a real inspiration. Rejeanne was well-known within the Ottawa working group, particularly after she shattered the 5k world report for the ladies’s 95-99 age class at Ottawa Race Weekend. But it surely… pic.twitter.com/447ntRQxbK
— Mark Sutcliffe (@_MarkSutcliffe) March 17, 2025
Ottawa’s mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, additionally shared a tribute: “I’m very unhappy to study of the passing of Rejeanne Fairhead, a beautiful girl and a real inspiration. Rejeanne was well-known within the Ottawa working group, particularly after she shattered the 5K world report for the ladies’s 95–99 age class at Ottawa Race Weekend. But it surely wasn’t nearly breaking information; Rejeanne believed in giving again, elevating hundreds of {dollars} for Perley Well being, the place she volunteered for greater than 20 years. I had an incredible chat together with her there just a few months in the past. Thanks, Rejeanne, for every part you’ve completed for our group. You’re a hero and an inspiration.”