June 21, 2011: Meet Fauja Singh, a 100-year-old Sikh farmer who once replaced David Beckham in the Adidas UK’s Impossible Is Nothing advert. He has the record for being the world’s oldest half-marathoner, says Shana Maria Verghis. That is because he is very bindaas.
How many 100-year-olds do you know, running marathons for charity to help premature babies? It is a case of the oldest for the youngest. And a brain behind an idea like that would have to be really bindaas. Which is a quality that people equate with youth. But as Khushwant Singh, the author of Turbaned Tornado (Rupa &Co) said, “It is all about being free-spirited and human spirit is ageless.”
The 100-year-old bindaas spirit here, is Fauja Singh, a former Punjabi Sikh farmer, and dad of six.
Fauja had the record of being the world’s oldest half-marathon runner at 99 years in the year 2010. By then, he had run several competitions, made records and was even awarded cash as a mark of respect by former Pakistan president General Musharraf. He turned down these monetary rewards, including the one from Pakistan, saying the money was for charity and he had enough for his needs.
Fauja is illiterate. He never saw virtue in having an education. So he did not push his kids to school.
He did however, find strength in hard work and encouraged his offspring to take jobs overseas.
And each of them, except one, settled abroad. The son who stayed back, died in a freak accident.
Heart-broken Fauja, a widower by then, became very moody. So it was suggested that for the cause of his health, he live with another son in England. It was not easy for someone who valued freedom.
Fauja, who has no calender sense of timeliness, later told Khushwant, (not the columnist, this one grows keens fruit in Punjab), these words. They appear in the book: “If I’m confined to a clock, what is the use of my living? I’m a free bird, a free soul. Try controlling me and I’ll buck like a stallion.”
Fauja was eventually persuaded to move to UM in 1995. He kept himself busy by socialising in Gurudwaras making friends. And he found his way around. As he told Singh, “For an old man to pass his time, he needs good company.” So he would travel miles to a function, despite being unlettered. He also made pals with a kabaddi player and started his fitness training, walking and jogging.
Then one day, on TV he saw men and women, running for hours together, and wanted to know what that “aimless running” was for. Told it was a long distance race of 26 miles, he thought to give it a try.
And in the course of this trying, he met his coach, Harmander Singh, who would become his mentor.
It was Harmander Singh who reminded the author of Turbaned Tornado last year, that in 2011, Fauja would become hundred and the book could be a tribute to his being an inspirational role model. Fauja had began training for marathons at age of 88. He began to run by 89 and continued till he was 99 years. Then failing health and the backing he got, because coordinating for his training and running, involved a lot of cooperation from various people including his son, began to peter out.
So at 100, Fauja is yet to run another marathon. He missed the one in London this year. The run in Toronto is still to happen in September. Meanwhile, he apparently became the oldest man at 100, to do a 10km run this May. At one point in his dashing career, at 93-year-old, Fauja Singh replaced David Beckham as the poster ambassador for Adidas’ Impossible is Nothing campaign in 2004. He said later to Singh that when it comes to running shoes, the kind he personally prefers are Puma!
What is the secret to Fauja’s never-say die spirit? Khushwant Singh, who first met him for a book he did about achievers in his Sikh community called Sikhs Unlimited, said, “Its his Punjabi soul and free spiritedness.” It was definitely not being possessed of super-muscular legs. Fauja actually inherited a pair of matchstick thin, “spindly and weak legs”, and was once teased and called danda (stick) for them. Skinny legs are apparently a genetic trait. They didn’t stop him from growing up an active, playful boy, who has a very rustic Punjabi trait. He punctuates his sentences with plenty of gaalis!
But while people in his community are known to enjoy their food and drink, Fauja, whose bone density was medically proven to be that of a 40-year-old, eats extremely light. He wakes up at 6.30am everyday and walks for about eight hours, between meals and socializing. When Singh interviewed Fauja, he had to catch up. Fauja said, “Either I sleep or walk or die.” As life is about dynamism.
This grandfather of 14, instructed his brood to keep him out of family politics “as it stresses him out.” He also warned the author to stay away from the possibility of fist fights and arguments when they were hanging out at the Gurudwaras. “He told me just ‘enjoy your meal,’ and don’t get into arguments over Khalistan,” recollected Singh. “He goes there just to socialise and is friendly with everyone. But always keeps out of unrequired exertions. It helps him to maintain his energy levels.”
Technically, Fauja is not the world’s oldest marathoner. That record goes to a Greek man. And yet another person, older than Fauja, could have taken the title, but had insufficient birth record proof.
If Fast Man Fauja has any major vice desire, it is his shoe fetish. He uses baby oil, wears suits with trainers and has lots of branded formal and sports shoes, including Hugo Boss, Gucci and Hilfiger. But the money he has spent on them is entirely his own. He spends it from his small pension fund.