Wisdom from the Ages |
Fauja Singh

We first heard of Fauja Singh after he ran the Scotiabank Marathon in Toronto last September. He was 100. 

They have age categories for runners and you often run with your decade. Fauja doesn’t have a group of people running in his decade. In turn, he’s creating a new standard for running. Perhaps when we’re 100, we’ll be running aside many people in our age bracket, thanks to him.

Fauja set a record in the 90 plus age category in 2003, also in Toronto (5 hours and 40 minutes, thank you very much).  Therefore our country has a great relationship with a man who could teach many of us about health and a positive attitude. 

Fauja Singh is now 101 and living in London, England.  He has a biography written about him by the affectionate title “The Turbaned Tornado.”  Singh speaks Punjabi and is trained by Harminder Singh, who translated our interaction.  Fauja himself would probably not like our title “from the ages.”  He does not consider himself old and could not answer questions about getting older as he did not want to think about himself in that way. 

He relayed his favorite running memories and told us why he doesn’t concern himself much with fueling his workouts:

Tell us what you love about running.

I love that you can do it anytime and that you do not need to organize it with anyone. It also keeps you fit all over.

When did you start running?

I’ve run for as long as I can remember but during and after partition (Independence, 1947) I had to give it up.  Raising a family was more important. I remained fit through tilling the soil as a farmer.

How do you support your running with your diet?

There is no direct connection. I eat to live, not live to eat. 

How do you keep running when you don’t feel 100%?

I take it a little easier and I try to get well ASAP.  I know that the gradual getting better will show in my running. 

What do you recommend to anyone who wants to begin running?

Get a good coach like mine.  He or she will show you how you can make controlled progress safely.   

What is one of your favorite running memories?

I cherish every memory, but the four that stand equal are: crossing the finish line of my first marathon, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon as the first person over 100, and the last Virgin London Marathon as an 101 year old – the oldest ever.  The fourth one was when I ran with the Olympic Torch 8 years ago for the Athens Olympics.

In your life, when have you felt the healthiest?

When I was younger, I was stronger but not necessarily healthier.  I am healthy now but perhaps not as strong as before.

Thank you, Fauja, for running with heart and for teaching us that health is not defined by our date of birth.

Keep Running, Fauja, Run.

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