Posted on 03/07/2008 7:08:04 AM PST by dennisw
101-year-old Buster Martin.
Reuters - Mar 5, 1:45 pm EST Gallery LONDON - Already Britain’s oldest employee, 101-year-old Buster Martin now aims to become the world’s oldest marathon runner by completing the London Marathon and celebrating with a pint of beer and a cigarette.
Sprightly and bearded, he completed a half marathon at the weekend in five hours 13 minutes. The former Army physical training instructor works three days a week for a London plumbing firm and says he has trained for the April 13th race in his spare time.
“I’ve said I’ll attempt it,” he told Reuters by telephone from his workplace at Pimlico Plumbers. “I haven’t said I’ll complete it. If I do make it, all the better. I hadn’t thought of doing it before but someone asked me and the money goes to charity so why not?”
His sponsorship money will go to the Rhys Daniels Trust, which provides temporary accommodation for families of patients in specialist children’s hospitals.
Martin, who had 17 children and returned to work at the age of 99 saying he was bored after two years of retirement, would beat the previous record for world’s oldest marathon runner by eight years.
“If I finish, I’ll do what I always do and have a pint and a fag,” he said. “People ask what is my secret but I haven’t got one. They say fags and booze are bad for you—but I’m still here, aren’t I?”
A handout photograph shows Britain's oldest employee, 101-year-old Buster Martin, posing for the camera during a training session in Archbishop's Park, central London on February 13, 2007. Martin aims to become the world's oldest marathon runner by completing the London Marathon and celebrating with a pint of beer and a cigarette. Sprightly and bearded, he recently completed a half marathon in five hours 13 minutes. (Mario Rebellato/Handout/Reuters)
Oh my gosh, there is no way that guy looks 101. Surely his age has been verified. Really amazing.
I ran my first marathon at age 46. In my last I dehydrated and limped along the last 12.2 miles. At the end I decided to kick it & pass two 20 something cuties that kept passing me and then I them, when I saw a 70+ yo man with hunched over back about 100 yards ahead of me. I gave it all I had, fighting through the pain, and beat the old man by a half stride - my claim to glory.
I marvel at these guys! How do they do it. At 55 I feel like my body is falling apart.
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