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One-hundred-year-old Roy Allen is set to make history next month by becoming the first centenarian to walk 5K for the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
Allen is walking to raise funds for several seniors’ organizations, including some that have helped his wife, Melba, who has dementia.
“They’ve all helped with her care and I can do this to help them get going,” he told The Canadian Press.
Allen, who turned 100 earlier this month, is fundraising for the Council on Aging of Ottawa, the Dementia Society, Perley Health and the Gloucester 50+ Centre.
He has collected more than $2,300 for the organizations so far.
Originally from Winnipeg, Allen is making his Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend debut, having previously participated in walks organized by the Council on Aging of Ottawa.
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, the biggest multi-day race event in Canada, welcomed more than 36,500 participants in 2025. It’s taking place on May 23 and 24 this year.
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Karie Ford, a spokesperson for Run Ottawa, said Allen will be the first 100-year-old to participate in the five-kilometre race.
In 2023, 96-year-old Rejeanne Fairhead set a world record for a 5K race completed by a woman between the ages of 95 and 99 at the Ottawa race weekend. She set a new national record the year before.
Sarah Bercier, executive director at the Council on Aging of Ottawa — and Allen’s daughter — said the organizations Allen is raising money for have been really helpful to him and his wife over the past 10 years.
“I think one of the key messages that we wanted to get out there was simply that it takes a lot of different organizations to pull together, to support people in really different ways,” she said. “The money that he raises will be split evenly between the four organizations and it will go directly to them.
“It would be really fun to raise $100,000 for a hundred years old, but that’s probably dreaming big, so we’ll just see what comes in.”
Bercier said Allen has two “honorary coaches” — Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and City Councillor Theresa Kavanagh.
Sutcliffe, who is running his 45th marathon this year, said the fact Allen is doing a 5K is “remarkable.” The mayor said he hopes to be at the finish line to support him on race day next month.
“I have no idea whether I will live to be 100 but if I do, I hope I’m as healthy as he is,” Sutcliffe said, adding that Allen doesn’t need much coaching.
“We all want our seniors to be active and engaged and healthy, so it’s really nice to be part of this story.”
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