101-Year-Old Marathoner Prepares For His Final Race

It was just time for him to put aside childish things.

1. Meet Fauja Singh.

Image by PHILIPPE LOPEZ / Getty Images

2. He is a 101-year-old Indian-born British national.

Image by PHILIPPE LOPEZ / Getty Images

3. And oh yeah. He’s a badass.

Image by ANDY CLARK / Reuters

4. He is the world’s oldest marathon runner.

Image by ANDY CLARK / Reuters

5. He has a killer beard that splits in two and carries him like wings.

Image by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / Getty Images

6. He also rocks an awesome, yellow dastar (or turban).

Image by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / Getty Images

7. This weekend he will be competing in his last race ever.

Image by BOBBY YIP / Reuters

8. In a press conference ahead of this Sunday’s 10km race in Hong Kong, Singh hesitated to use the word “retire,” even though this will be his final race.

Image by BOBBY YIP / Reuters

9. “I do not really want to hear the word ‘retire’ because I can still run and jump on a bus. It’s a (sense of) negativity that I have never experienced before.”

Image by BOBBY YIP / Reuters

10. “I fear that when I stop running, people will no longer love me. At the moment, everyone loves me… I hope nobody will forget or ignore me.”

Image by BOBBY YIP / Reuters

11. “When you become old, you become like a child and you want the attention.”

Image by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / Getty Images

12. So as Singh races for the final time this weekend.

Image by DARRYL DYCK / AP

13. Let’s do him a favor.

Image by Chris Young / AP

14. And give him a little attention.

Image by Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images