NYC Marathon runner to make history with 44th consecutive race at 80

Connie Brown is a legend among the New York City running community.

She's competed in 43 consecutive New York City marathons and has no plans on stopping yet.

On Sunday, her 80th birthday, she will run in her 44th consecutive race, a record for the New York City Road Runners, which organizes the race.

Brown spoke with ABC News Live Friday before her big day.

ABC NEWS LIVE: I've learned a lot about you before the interview. Now we want to let our viewers in on it. So you ran your first marathon in 1978 and you're running your 44th now. Where does that passion for running come? Has it been there always?

CONNIE BROWN: I don't know. I guess I like endurance sports. And when I first realized that was when I was playing basketball and everybody wanted a substitute and I didn't want a substitute. I just wanted to stay in and keep playing. And then I then I read a book that said about how good running was for you, [for] cardiovascular health. And I was teaching physical education, so I started incorporating distance running in my physical education curriculum. And I started meeting people in the community who were distance runners.

And after we had our practice with the team, I would run with the community people and they were training for the New York City Marathon. So that was the first year that I ran the New York City Marathon and it was so much fun.

ABC NEWS LIVE: And you have never stopped.

BROWN: And I never stopped.

ABC NEWS LIVE: When you started it, only 5.3% of New York City marathon runners were over the age of 50. And a little more than 40 years later, we're talking about 26% of runners over 50. Now, you've been part of that percentage for almost 30 years, but what does that say to you?

BROWN: I think maybe people are discovering that it's good for them. Of course, it incorporates a lot of the Baby Boomers who want to live forever. And this is one way to get closer to forever. None of us are going to be there forever. Might as well enjoy life while you're here.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Do you train all year round?

BROWN: I do. I run all year round. I train for the marathon from July 1st until the marathon weekend, and then I go back to a regular schedule of running, which includes running on Tuesday and Thursday, six miles, eight miles, and then on Saturday, around 12 miles.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Of course, because that's what you do on Saturday. We mentioned that you have run all of your marathons consecutively. Has there ever been a time where you really struggled through one?

BROWN: Yes. There was a year. I like to do 18 to 22 miles, five of them in the training period and the three months training. And one year I just couldn't do more than 14. That was the longest distance I did. And so I did run, but I didn't do the distance. I didn't get to the point of glycogen depletion, so I didn't get my body used to dealing with that.

And when I was in the marathon, I don't know how I finished, but I finished and I remember telling my friend everything hurt. My fingers hurt. My wrists hurt. My elbows were hurting. Everything hurt. I never, ever cheated on my long runs again. I make sure I do five or six of them.

ABC NEWS LIVE: It's amazing. And I'm sitting here with you and I've had the opportunity to talk to you before this. You're turning 80 on marathon day.

BROWN: Yes.

ABC NEWS LIVE: You're turning 80 on a marathon day. You don't look a day over like 20 or 25 years younger than you are. That must -- running has to have something to do with it. You talk about, you know, eating and just living the best life you can. I'm wondering, you told me you are doing something other than a marathon after this. Tell me what you're training for. Tell our viewers what you're going to do next at 80.

BROWN: My plan is to run a half "ironperson," Ironman [race]. And it's in January and it's in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida. And I expect to go back to the training as soon as I get home.

ABC NEWS LIVE: Right after the marathon.

BROWN: Yes.

ABC NEWS LIVE: And the half is one point…

BROWN: Well, [with a] half Ironman you start with a 1.2-mile swim and then you do a 56-mile bike ride and then you do a half marathon, 13.1-mile run.