Daily motivation: Marathon man

Today’s daily motivation is a special shout out to a remarkable man on his 105th Birthday! Happy Birthday Mr Fauja Singh, marathon man!

The next time you feel frustrated by the limitations of your body, remember that Mr Singh couldn’t walk until he was 5 years old. Due to weakness and pain in his legs, he was only able to walk the distance of a mile by the age of 15. He went on to run his first 26 mile marathon at the age of 89 and retired from competitive running only 3 years ago, at the age of 102.

Know that you can do anything you set your mind to. After running a 20km (12.4 miles) charity event , Mr Singh mistakenly thought he had run 20 miles and signed up for a marathon believing he only had to run a further 6 miles. He in fact had to run more than double the distance.

He only realised his mistake 3 months before the marathon and then trained every Sunday for 12 Sundays. He turned up to his first training session in a 3 piece suit and trainers – and no change of clothes!

The secret to Mr Singh’s health? Restricting his food intake. His advice is the older you get, the less you eat, the better it is for you.

Whatever your secret, we salute you Mr Singh and we’re inspired by you!