He Started Running at 89 — and Finished a Marathon at 100

Fauja Singh was 89 years old when he decided to run his first marathon. He had spent most of his life working as a farmer, and he had never imagined becoming a long-distance runner.

Eleven years later, at the reported age of 100, he crossed the finish line of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. He had just completed another 42.2-kilometre race, becoming one of the most remarkable figures in distance running.

But his journey into running began during one of the hardest periods of his life.

Finding His Way Through Grief

Singh was born in Punjab, India, in 1911 and spent much of his life farming before eventually moving to Britain. By the time he reached his late eighties, he had experienced some terrible personal losses, including the deaths of his wife and one of his sons.

The grief was difficult to live with, and running became a way for him to stay active and give his days some structure. What began with walking gradually developed into longer runs.

He eventually met Harmander Singh, a running coach who helped him prepare for his first marathon. Fauja wanted to enter the London Marathon in 2000, but the regular registration deadline had already passed.

With help from a connection, he managed to secure a place. That left him with just 12 weeks to train for a race covering more than 26 miles.

On race day, the 89-year-old joined thousands of runners on the streets of London. He finished in 6 hours, 54 minutes and 42 seconds.

It was an impressive achievement for someone running a marathon for the first time at any age. Singh had done it just before his 90th birthday.

Getting Faster in His Nineties

Singh enjoyed his first marathon enough to keep going. He continued training, entered more races and soon became a familiar sight with his long white beard and turban.

In 2003, race director Alan Brookes invited him to compete in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Singh was 92 by then, but he was still improving.

He completed the race in 5 hours, 40 minutes and 4 seconds, more than an hour faster than his first marathon in London. It would become the fastest marathon time of his career.

Over the following years, he continued entering major races, including events in London and New York. He also competed at shorter distances, proving that his enthusiasm extended well beyond marathon running.

By 2011, Singh had another birthday approaching. And this one would make his next marathon particularly special.

A Marathon at 100

On October 16, 2011, Singh lined up for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon again. According to the birth date on his passport, he was now 100 years old.

He joined thousands of other runners and began making his way through the streets of Toronto. His pace was slower than it had been eight years earlier, but he kept moving toward the finish.

More than eight hours after the race began, Singh finally crossed the line. His official chip time was 8 hours, 11 minutes and 6 seconds. A crowd was still waiting to cheer him on.

News of his achievement quickly spread around the world. Singh was widely celebrated as the first person reported to have completed a marathon at 100 years old. Yet even after receiving international attention for the Toronto race, he wasn’t finished competing.

One More Marathon at 101

In April 2012, Singh returned to the London Marathon. This time, he was 101 years old. He completed the course in 7 hours, 49 minutes and 21 seconds, finishing more than 20 minutes faster than he had in Toronto the previous year.

That would be his final full marathon. But he still had other events on his calendar, including a special appearance during the summer of 2012.

As Britain prepared to host the London Olympic Games, Singh was chosen to carry the Olympic torch during its journey across the country. The man who had taken up running at 89 was now helping celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event.

Running had also given him opportunities to support charitable causes. His coach reported that Singh had previously raised HK$104,000 for charity in connection with a race in Hong Kong. And before he could retire from competition, there was one last commitment he wanted to keep.

His Final Race

In February 2013, Singh returned to Hong Kong to compete in a 10-kilometre event associated with the Hong Kong Marathon.

He was 101 years old and had already announced that this would be his final official race. After more than a decade of marathons, shorter races and countless training sessions, he was ready to leave organized competition behind. Singh completed the event and officially retired from racing.

He had one condition, though. He wasn’t giving up his daily exercise.

His coach explained that Singh still intended to keep jogging for pleasure, even if he never entered another race.