Memramcook friends celebrate 50th birthdays with 50k run

Two lifelong friends will celebrate their 50th birthdays togetherSaturdayby running 50 kilometres.

Nicole Savoie and Monique LeBlanc grew up in Memramcook and were both born on March 27. They've been friends since Grade 3.

Savoie said LeBlanc has already completed a few marathons (42.2 km) and it was her idea to celebrate 50 years by running 50 kilometres.

"I didn't know better, because I'd never run more than half a marathon," said Savoie. "Andwhen she said we should run 50 kilometres, I think she didn't think I'd agree, and I didn't have enough experience to disagree, so I said, `Oh that sounds like fun, let's do it.'"

They kept their plans secret in the beginning, said Savoie.

"We started training, not telling anybody, not sharing what we were doing until we started to put the mileage in, and then it started sounding crazier and crazier.

"We've got the reputation at Goodlife of being the two crazy girls on the treadmill, running all the time."

Now that they're getting closer to the race, they're getting a lot of support from friends and family,and other runners joining them for different parts of the race, said Savoie.

The women are following a marathon program and their longest training run has been 35 kilometres.

Savoie says given the harsh conditions this winter, mapping outa route has been difficult.

Savoie and LeBlanc will set out from the TimHorton's in the Caledonia Industrial Park at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Savoie said they plan to take their time and their goal is to finish back at the industrial park sometime before sunset.