Canada’s Ed Whitlock, 85, is no ordinary octogenarian. He holds more than 80 age group records, ranging from 1500 metres to the marathon. One of his more remarkable was set in 2004 when, at 73, he ran 2:54:48 marathon.
He was at it again at the Waterlooo Ontario Half Marathon last weekend, this time setting a new half-marathon world record for 85-year-olds. Whitlock covered the 13.1-mile distance in a time of 1:50:47.
Unbelievably, Whitlock wasn’t particularly pleased with his time. “I expected to run a little faster than I did today,” he told CTV news post-race. “It still was a record, so I’ll be content with that I guess.”
Whitlock’s training is as unique as the man himself. In the past, it has included a series of three-hour runs around a loop in his local cemetery.
Next up, Whitlock has intimated he may have another go at the marathon distance. With the current record for 85-year-olds standing at 5:00:25, it’s surely another record that this remarkable man could send tumbling.
