Ignoring the advice from doctors, and more controversially his wife, 70-year-old Graham Smith is making plans for the Scottish half marathon next year having already entered.
He said: “My wife thinks I should be looking at doing 10k runs instead. But I think 1h30m is the sort of time I still think I am capable of getting under and so I’ll carry on.”
The Edinburgh-based runner represented Scotland in White Water Canoeing in the 1970s and then decided to take up running in 1976. His best ever marathon was in 1984 when he ran 2:33:19 at the now defunct Waverley Market Marathon the Scottish capital.
Even though Smith is in his twilight years, he has no plans on stopping. “I think at my age, the body dictates what you can do,” he says. “But – touch wood – I have had no major problems.
“It’s like a drug. I think any runner can relate to that. I go to the gym every day and I spend four or five days a week running. If I don’t manage to get out running, that day just doesn’t seem to have been as worthwhile.”
Around 4,000 runners took part in this year’s inaugural Scottish Half Marathon, which takes place along the picturesque East Lothian coastline, finishing in the grand settings of Musselburgh Racecourse. Smith plans not to miss out on another and has other races up his sleeve for the forthcoming year.
“I couldn’t do this year’s Scottish Half Marathon as I flew out on holiday to Menorca the very same day, otherwise I would have been well up for it. Next year I will do three other half marathons before the Scottish Half.”
The half-marathon is a step down from what Smith has been used to over the years. He has 15 sub-three hour full marathons to him name including the 2000 London marathon, where he was the first male to finish in the over 55 class in 2hrs 46mins.
“I am a runner that gets to a certain pace and can stick with it. It doesn’t matter whether it is mile 2, mile 9 or mile 13 I am running the same time. There is no peak and trough situation.”
The 2015 Scottish half marathon is on Saturday 19 September. Standard entries for the race start from £29.57 and close on Wednesday 19th August 2015 at 5pm. To sign up, visit www.scottishhalfmarathon.com.
