An elder Somerset County woman who started running marathons in her 50s is encouraging other older women to keep active.

“My running has made my life so fantastic in so many different ways,” says 80-year-old Cindy Peterson of Bedminster.

Peterson started running when she was 54 years old.

“It was a goal that I had on a bucket list…My first marathon was 55 years and I thought I was just going to do the one to complete my bucket list. But I got hooked and I started running, sometimes three or four marathons a year,” she says.

Peterson has run races all over the world on all seven continents – 50 marathons all over the age of 50. She has also benefited her community and people in need.

“I believe I raised $85,000 for Sloan Kettering,” she says.

Peterson is also a founding member of Mercury Masters, an organization aimed at bringing women 50 and older together to stay active through running and walking.

“We’re called the Women with the Five F – Female, 50 and over, fitness, friendship and fun,” she says.

She adds, “You don’t stop running because you’re old. You get old because you stop running.”

Peterson says that she is mostly retired from running after developing arthritis, but she still walks six miles a day.