What happened, in summary

Randi Young began smoking at 17 or 18 and stopped at age 31. On April 15, 1984, she decided to quit; the next day she went for a run and never smoked another cigarette. Within 1.5 months she completed her first 10K, ran her first marathon later that year, and within 3 years had finished 50- and 100-mile races. Exercise also became an important way to manage longstanding depression.

Lung-cancer treatment interrupted that active life. Randi underwent a lobectomy in September 2021 and gradually rebuilt her hiking time and altitude. An unspecified targeted therapy, along with infusions for a separate lymphoma, reduced her strength and forced her to adjust her goals.

Rather than attempt a full marathon, Randi chose the 11-mile Big Sur event. During training in Colorado, she completed 11.25 miles at 8,500 feet, which gave her confidence that she could finish. At age 70, she remained active through skiing, jogging, and solo backpacking, while emphasizing slower goals, medical clearance, and listening to her body.