100-Year Old Marathon Runner Keeps Going And Going And . . . .
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Watch out Energizer Bunny, here comes Fauja Singh - A 100-year old British resident who is still competing in marathons, without the help of any batteries! What's even more impressive is that this amazing man began his running spree at the ripe old age of 89!
Born on April 1st 1911, Mr. Singh spent most of his life in his native state of Punjab, India tending to his farmland. While he enjoyed running in his early years, he did not take it up as a 'sport' until he moved to England, about 20 years ago.
Bored of the sedentary lifestyle he was leading, he hired a trainer to get him started. Soon, he was challenging other pensioners to races and before he knew it, stong enough to run in the long-distance events. His first marathon, which he ran at the age of 89, took 6hrs 54mins - A full 58 mins faster than the previous record in this age category. And, he has only gotten better with age.
He completed the London Marathon in 6 hrs, 2mins, but his best time, which also happens to be a world record for contestants over the age of 90, is 5hrs 40mins that he established at the Toronto marathon in 2003.
This extraordinary man whose passion is to raise money for charity, trains 10 miles every day and says the secret to his success is eating healthy vegetarian meals, drinking copious amounts of ginger tea and thinking positively. As for the marathon, he asserts that the first 20 miles are a piece of cake. To get through the final stage, the deeply religious man gets his strength by talking to god.
Though he has over seven marathons under his belt, Mr. Singh is not ready to hang up his running shoes. He just walked himself into the record books last week, by becoming the oldest man to sign up for a marathon - The 2012 Edinburgh race that he hopes to compete in as part of a four-man relay team with an average age of 86. Small wonder that this sprightly young man replaced soccer superstar David Beckham, in the Adidas advertising campaign entitled 'Nothing is Impossible!'
Resources: unp.me.com,worldrecordsacademy.org
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363 Comments
- Ashleeover 10 yearsI wonder if he is still running or not?
- Brudan Kangover 10 yearsI found this enthralling because you don't see a 100 year old running. Usually they would get paid by government by now.
- andreakover 10 yearsI wonder if Fauja Singh gets paid since he kind of indorses the Adidas product.
- arushi c.over 10 yearsThis man really proves that if you have a healthy diet, exercise regularly and you have a positive attitude you really can do anything.
- Alex Andersonover 10 yearsHow at such an old age be able to still run these marathons?
- kevin johnsonover 10 yearsWhat strategies does he use to accomplish the marathons?
- kevin johnsonover 10 yearsHow does he run in marathons at the age of 100 and what is his daily life style?
- Ashleeover 10 yearsThis man is amazing, Who would think that 89 year old man now 100 can run marathons. If i were to do that i wouldn't make it.
- phelby21about 11 yearsso kewl and really..........................
- artemis12about 11 yearsI MET THIS GUY! HE CAME TO MY .GUDWARA(CHURCH) AND I TOOK A PICTURE WITH HIM