SHREVEPORT, La. — Frank Bright, a Shreveport runner who was the oldest qualified competitor in the 2026 Boston Marathon at age 83, will speak June 16 at the Downtown Rotary Club about his decades-long running career and the lessons he has drawn from more than 65 years in the sport.
Bright has completed 23 Boston Marathons and 70 marathons overall. During his presentation, he is expected to discuss the group of older Boston Marathon runners he helped establish and the personal and health benefits he has gained through long-distance running.
Earlier this year, Bright participated in a panel discussion at the Boston Marathon Expo focused on aging and endurance running. The panel included runners with the longest consecutive Boston Marathon finishing streaks among men and women, as well as a cardiologist-marathoner who discussed running with heart conditions. The discussion was moderated by former Boston Marathon champion and longtime Runners’ World editor Amby Burfoot.
Bright estimated that approximately 100 people attended the one-hour session.
In 2025, National Geographic featured Bright in a story examining older marathon runners and their continued participation in endurance events.
The Downtown Rotary Club meeting is scheduled for noon Tuesday, June 16, at River and Rye, located in the Hilton Shreveport Downtown hotel.
The event is open to Rotary members and invited guests.