AGE really is no barrier for one 77-year-old super Gran who is gearing up to run a half marathon half a world away.

Andrea Lennon, from Prestwich, has run races all around the globe, including in New York and Cambodia, and is now about to take on the Varadero Half Marathon in Cuba later this month.

She is also ranked number one in the UK in the 75 to 80 years age category for Racewalking, and recently competed in the British Masters.

However her endeavours are made all the more incredible as Ms Lennon only took up running in her 50s, jogging first from lamppost to lamppost, and eventually increasing the distance all the way up to full marathons.

She said: “I very slowly built up my runs. I loved tracking my progress and reaching my next goal. I started with 5km then 10km and gradually worked my way up to running the full 26 miles.

“I’m so lucky to have run marathons all over the world including France, Spain, New Orleans and Honolulu. I’m really looking forward to completing the half marathon in Cuba at the end of March.”

In the run up to her Caribbean adventure Ms Lennon has been training hard, cheered all the way by her fellow residents of Naseby Court in Hampden Road ­— a sheltered development run by Alpha Living where has lived since 2011.

She said: “I am training three days a week for the Cuba half marathon. A long run on Sundays and Tuesdays and a steady seven miles on Thursdays.

"I take it nice and slowly and make sure I eat healthily. I have plenty of time to dedicate to training whilst living here at Naseby Court and I love it."

She also credits running and the support she has received from Alpha Living with boosting her confidence encouraging her to keep fit.

She said: “As a child I had a very bad stammer and kept myself to myself a lot. I have found that running has given me so much more confidence.

"I have a new outlook and I feel great. In the past twenty years I haven’t experienced any problems with my speech.”

To top off Ms Lennon's athletic achievements she recently won the Jim Smith Runner of the Year shield at the Heaton parkrun ­— scooping the accolade, which recognises inspirational runners, for her attitude and fitness.

Graeme Foster, chief executive at Alpha Living, said: “Andrea is a true inspiration to us all at Alpha and she is someone everyone admires for her energy and positive outlook. She is true proof that being retired certainly doesn’t have to mean being ‘retiring’.

“Nothing makes us prouder than seeing an Alpha resident take on a personal challenge or try something new and that is the environment we aim to foster in all our homes.

“We will be cheering Andrea on later in the year at the Cuba half marathon and look forward to hearing what her next challenge will be.”