Can I Beat The World's Fastest Old People?

This video contains an error on one of the graphics 😂 Do your best to resist telling over and over 😂 Enjoy 👍🏼

As a 76-year old regular parkrunner, who normally wins my age group by being the only one doing it rather than sitting at home with a hot chocolate and stupid slippers, but who always has many much younger runners finishing well behind me, I was glad to see your initial complacency take a good knock! Bit of respect for us oldies, please!

I'm 35. Started watching you 2 months ago. You inspired me to be a jacked 50-year-old. And I'm starting my journey now.

The old folks referenced here are awesome and an inspiration. I ran my first full marathon at 73 and am currently training for my first Ironman 70.3 next year in which I will be competing in the 75 to 79 AG. Two good things about finding endurance sports late in life, plenty of time time to train without distractions and much easier to get on the podium. Still feel like a young man when standing in the queue waiting for the start of an event that I know is going push me to my physical limits. I just refuse to get old.

Jo Schoonbroodt from the Netherlands ran a 2 hour and 54 minute marathon at age 71. That stuff is crazy inspirational.

Takeaway for me from this is that whatever age you are, if you exercise, don't stop and if you don't exercise, it's never too late to start. I've been watching Mark's videos for a year now and last Sunday I was at the Excel centre in London for my first HyRox (Mens Relay), 5 days before my 72nd birthday. On Monday I signed up for the Mens Doubles at Olympia next May. Keep it coming, Mark. Great stuff.

70 and female and only started running five years ago. Feel very much alone out there but I just try to improve every month, which as an untrained person, you can.

I just turned 57 and I’m not going without a fight. Retired 13 years ago, 20+ years in the US Army Tank Corps and being the old man then I was out doing kids half my age. I think that has somewhat caught up to me as my knees and back are bad but still not giving up. Lets Go!!

The way you messed up the first run was outstanding! 😂 Jen is more supportive than my wife would have been in that situation. She would have stopped the video there and mocked me non-stop for weeks!

My 90 year old father-in-law set the national record in the senior olympics for the mile. He did it in 9:36

400m was my pet event as a teenager. At 13 I was running 60 seconds. At 16 I ran 53 seconds. At 54 today I would be lucky to do 2 minutes!

Just thought I'd mention that thanks to you Mark I ran my first marathon on Sunday. Hadn't done any running since about 2007, did a few Parkruns last year and found I was quite enjoying it so decided to pick this as a long term goal. Was actually hoping to do 50k but my knee started barking at me around 40k and the course had the option to stop at a marathon instead of adding a final 8k loop. It was tough given how cold it was, some parts were iced over and the mud in places was ridiculous but I made it in a little over 5 hours. Shows what someone can do with some drive and motivation. Might do another distance run in future but it won't be in December during a cold snap!

Hey Mark, Just a quick comment to say thank you for being a great inspiration for me, as wel as thousands all over the globe. Being above average on bodyweight all my life, and after 6 years (!) of litteraly NO running, i was scared of it after tearing both achilles tendons, i decided i wanted to concure my fear. I started again 8 weeks ago as a 34yo with a one minute run/walk program. Today i ran my first 5k at 28:56. A small accomplishment for many, a large one for me. Looking forward to the future. Greetings from Belgium!

Brilliant video. I have runners in my group that have come first in their age group, and they put themselves down because "they are the only ones running in their age group". But that is a tale in itself. My runners are fit enough to run in their 60's and beyond but so many people are not, and they have to see that as a positive. They are fit enough to do it. That's a win, by itself. Never put your success down because you are the only one doing it.

I've had a professor at uni who was refusing to retire tell me he was running marathons under 4 hrs... I think he was just under 70 But old ppl being fast runners wasn't really a surprise, it's always the 65+ ppl who've been running since they were 14 passing you on your forest runs lol. It's something in that habit of theirs of always sticking to their running routines year after year that keep or even increase their speed :)

Great video and really highlighting that it's never too late to get started. most of us would be blessed to be even walking around after 80 years old let alone being able to run.

You need to remember that genetic advantage carries you until they're screwing the lid down. The fastest masters and vets were also usually the fastest youth athletes (if they were competing as youngsters). I only started running again about 6 years ago, I'm now nearly 58, and a couple of weeks ago I ran a 44:11 10K, finishing 12th out of 76 in my age group. I though that was pretty respectable until I looked at the winning time for my age - 35:53. For a 55+ year old bloke that is absolutely astonishing. To add insult to injury, there were 3 women in my age group who also beat my time. Like you say, comparing to others usually ends in tears, best just compare to your own PB, and on that score I'm happy because even at my age I'm actually getting faster.

I'm 25 and you made me not only think about, but also plan for the long game so one day I'll be the whatever year old still being in shape to set these kinds of records!

Honestly incredibly inspirational. I sometimes feel like I’m late to the game starting running last year at 45. To think that it’s possible to run that fast at that age blows my mind, in a good way! Even if I never get to that speed at that age I can easily see how I could maintain my current pace for many years in the future. Great video again Mark.

Amazing how you get that big frame moving Mark. I was recently blown away that 60 year old Malcolm Gladwell is wicked fast and threw down a 5:15 mile in 2021.