74-year-old Spartanburg resident competes in World Championships for team USA

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) – One Spartanburg resident is defying stereotypes and conquering fears. She’s a 74-year-old track star with more accolades than a person can count.

Nonie Hudnall has been unstoppable from the first time she jumped in a race when she was 45.

“One of my friends was just sitting there drinking water and I said ‘aren’t you going to have something to eat’, and she said ‘no I have a race at 10 o’clock’,” USA Track and Field athlete, Nonie Hudnall said. “She said ‘you want to go?’ and I said ‘yeah, sure’ and so I just jumped in the race and had a really fun time.”

It wasn’t just any race, it was a 5k. Hudnall thought it was the perfect time to go running, and so she went the next day.

“When I got there, I saw some of my friends and they said ‘well Nonie I didn’t know you ran’,” Hudnall said. “‘When did you start?’ and I said yesterday.”

Hudnall said she never got into running because at the time, women didn’t have the same opportunities as men to compete in athletics.

“When I started Clemson, it was pre-Title IX. There were no women’s sports and my freshman year I had to wear a dress everywhere on campus,” Hudnall said.

Hudnall began fencing with the men’s team for fun, but had to wear a raincoat over her shorts. It was not just having the opportunity to participate, but the competitiveness and comradery is what she enjoyed.

Ultimately, she found the same joy in running and competing in track and field events.

“This is what elderly people do in their spare time,” Hudnall said.

In ten years, Hudnall ran ten marathons in various places around the world.

“My very first marathon was Disney World,” Hudnall said.

At a young age, a mentor of Hudnall’s saw her natural ability to be a great runner. At the time it didn’t quite pan out.

“I was in junior high school, my gym teacher called my parents in for a conference and said they should consider moving to California so I could train for the Olympics because she felt like I had that potential,” Hudnall said.

Hudnall’s family didn’t have the resources to move, especially while raising four children. Decades later, Hudnall not only ran marathons but at the age of 74; she still competes in 5k’s and competes for the Atlanta Track Club in competitions.

“That’s me doing triple jump in Korea,” Hudnall said as she showed pictures of her competing internationally in the World Championships for team USA.

“I do come from a long line of overachievers so I knew if I put my mind to something I would probably work as hard as I could,” Hudnall said.

Now in her 70’s Hudnall has broken records and has more metals and trophies than a person could count. She’s also been named the ‘South Carolina Masters Runner of the Year’ for several years.

Hudnall said she runs four days a week, does water aerobics five days a week, and lifts weights two to three times a week. She said she plans to continue doing so for as long as she can.

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