It must hurt being the world’s fastest marathon runner, breaking the 30k record on Sunday and then being told by some in the press that he is past it on Monday.

The great Haile Gebrselassie passed the 30k mark in 1.27.13 but faded in the final 7k to run a pedestrian 2.06.08. Does the four minutes forty seconds for each mile for more than 30,000metres really warrant questions ”Is he too old?”

Haile is 36 years old, hardly heading for the old peoples home yet but it got me thinking – In the same way you have to be over 18 years old to run a marathon, should there also be a suggested ‘age cap’ to running marathon’s?

Of course there are always exceptions to every rule and the reason for many races abiding by the over 18 years old rule is down to health and safety. Surely this would be the same going the other way? In the same way 18 years are protected from running a distance that will ‘damage their health’ should an 80 or 90year old share the same theory?

I totally disagree with making a stupid age cap but still had the conversation with a running buddy of mine. I was then reminded of this passing thought when I came across this article - http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/news/2009_09_15.htm

I am sorry to do this but I am going to make a lot of people feel very inadequate At the Toronto Marathon this weekend 98 year old Brit Fauja Singh and 78 year old Ed Whitlock will be inducted into the races ‘Hall of Fame’. What for you may ask?

Singh ran 5 hours 40 minutes 4 seconds for a new 90+ marathon record; Whitlock ran 2:59:10 to set a new mark for 70+ and become the only septuagenarian on the planet to go under the magic 3-hour barrier.

Wowza! I told you it would make us mortals feel inadequate!

I actually met Fauja when he ran the London Marathon a few years ago when he ran 6 hours 2 minutes. He looked very frail then and I was worried he might collapse in my arms but he still did not come last! I am pleased he has reduced his race distances nowadays and is only doing 5k’s. Still, they have nothing on the groupies that hang out at the end of my street: