Madam Jenap Said celebrated her 50th birthday this year by running a full marathon.

The mother of two packed her bags for Thailand in June and completed the Phuket International Marathon in about five hours.

The self-confessed running addict has already completed eight marathons this year.

Photo: Jenab Said

But though she was a former school cross-country runner, she started running again only in 2001.

'I had some free time after my two children grew up,' she said. 'I kept putting on weight and I was worried because I heard that women after 40 often end up looking like balloons.'

Inspired by stories of older runners in the newspapers, the quality control manager bought a new pair of running shoes and has not looked back since.

Madam Jenap now makes her own headlines. A regular at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, she often turns heads with her colourful race gear.

Photo: Careen

She once dressed up as Catwoman, and has stunned fellow runners by appearing as a princess or even a flower.

But running is still a serious affair for Madam Jenap. She watches her diet carefully, avoiding oily food and sugar-laden drinks in favour of fruit and vegetables. She also trains four times a week, running 10km each time.

And she is unfazed by recent cases of older athletes who collapse while taking part in sports.

'At the recent Great Eastern Women 10K run, I saw three runners collapse from exhaustion,' she said.

'They were all young people, so it's all about knowing your limit, not your age.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.