New York ( CNN ) -- The oldest female contestant in the 2013 ING New York City Marathon died just hours after completing her 25th consecutive appearance at the race , her daughter says . Eighty-six-year-old California resident Joy Johnson completed Sunday 's race in just under eight hours . The following afternoon she was resting in her New York City hotel room and never woke up , her daughter Donna Graffis told CNN . Around mile 20 of the 26.2-mile marathon , at close to 5 p.m. , Johnson fell and hit her head , Graffis said . She was brought to the first aid tent , where responders suggested that she go to the hospital . Graffis said that her mother -- who was able to speak coherently and with a clear head -- continued on , more determined than ever to finish the run . Johnson finished with a time of 07:57:41 , according to Chris Weiller , a spokesman for the New York Road Runners , the organization that puts on the marathon . The following morning she ventured to NBC 's `` Today Show '' with her sister , Faith Anderson , to talk to Al Roker , whom she called `` her buddy '' after more than a decade of yearly appearances on the show . After her visit to the Rockefeller Center , Johnson headed back to the Roosevelt Hotel to rest . Around 3 p.m. , her sister was not able to wake her up . It is unclear what the exact cause of death was . Though 2013 was not her best time , and nearly three hours more than the first time she ran the race in 1988 with a time of 4:22:59 , she was very happy to have finished , Graffis says . She was one of 18 octogenarians in this year 's race , and one of only four women in that age group , according to Weiller . Johnson was also the oldest female in the 2011 marathon , and won her age group a total of six times over the past quarter century . `` We are going to miss her and she was an inspiration , '' Weiller said . `` For 25 years she has been lining up and finishing , and in 2014 it wo n't be the same without her . '' Johnson , who was born in Minnesota , moved in her 20s to California , where she became a physical education teacher and track and volleyball coach , Graffis said . It was not until after retiring in her mid-50s that she picked up distance running . Graffis called her mother `` an inspiration to everyone that you can start something at that point in your life . '' At home , Johnson ran with what she called the `` Willow Glen Track Pack , '' her daughter said . The group is named after the neighborhood she lived in in San Jose , California . She liked to jokingly call the other octogenarians in her age group `` whipper-snappers . '' Graffis said that Johnson loved running , her family and her faith . `` We 're all stunned and sad but in a way , when you talk to a lot of people who knew her , this is the way she wanted to go , '' Graffis said . `` A little bit of us is smiling , because we know she is very happy . The only thing is , she would have liked to keep running , pass her running shoes on . ''
` ` This is the day she wanted to die , '' said the daughter of year - old Joy Johnson . Sunday was her 25th appearance in the 26-mile New York Marathon . She was about six miles from the end race , but she kept going to finish . She appeared Monday on the ` ` Today '' show and was resting in her hotel when she died .