Great Grandmother Powers up again for Norwood

Flora Frank, a power-walking great-grandmother from Edgware, completed the 32nd International Tiberias Marathon in Israel on January 8.

This is the fourth year running that she has taken part in the event, and this year the 65-year old Flora completed the 26.2-mile course in five hours and 45 minutes. She has now completed 18 marathons on behalf of Norwood: 12 in London, two in New York, and now four in Israel.

To date, Flora has raised a total of just under £90,000 by running marathons all over the world for Norwood, the UK's leading charity supporting children, families and adults, coping with disabilities and social disadvantage, in the Jewish community and beyond. In addition to the Tiberias marathon, she will be taking part in the London Marathon on April 26, and aims to raise £15,000 this year for Norwood.

“I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in my Chai marathon,” said Flora. “It’s a great privilege to be speed walking in Israel for a marathon. I call it my Chai marathon because in Hebrew, ‘Chai’ has a numerical value of 18. It also means ‘life’. I don’t take it for granted, I consider myself blessed by the Almighty.”

The course, set against the breath-taking rustic landscape of the Jordan Great Rift Valley, followed the shoreline of the lowest freshwater lake in the world, the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret), situated 209 metres below sea level. It went through ancient historical landmarks and crossed the River Jordan, and turned at Kibbutz Ein Gev before heading back to Tiberias.

If you would like to find out about how to take part in a marathon for Norwood or find out more about any other Norwood’s Challenges, call the Norwood Challenges Team on 020 8420 6834, email challenges@norwood.org.uk or visit www.norwood.org.uk/challenges.

* Norwood Challenge event

For further information, photos and interviews, please contact Michael Siva, Public Relations Officer at Norwood, on 020 8420 6900 or email pressoffice@norwood.org.uk.