93-year-old who took up running at 53 successfully completes his 52nd race

After watching the London Marathon 40 years ago, John Starbrook decided he was going to give it a go. 

John, then 53, says he was prompted by a playful challenge from his wife. 

"When I told her I was going run the marathon, she laughed, and said, 'You don't even like walking,' so it became a challenge."

Interviewed on the UK's The Morning Show recently, John said he was proud of accomplishing his goal of running 52 marathons in his lifetime. 

Sky News has declared him London's oldest marathon runner.

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His first marathon was tougher than expected, and while he had no intention of doing another, the running bug had bit.

Now John hits the gym six times a week, and when he's not running, he's doing laps in the pool. 

John, who suffers occasional knee pain and an irregular heartbeat, which he manages with medication, was in his eighties when his doctor said he should quit running.

“The doctor said, ‘You’ve got to pack in that running,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, all right’ — and I did about 15 marathons after that,” he told The Guardian.

Asked what drives his passion for running, the father of three quipped, "It's either that or sitting at home talking to the wife!"

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His achievements include being the oldest person, at 87, to complete the 2018 London Marathon and running the New York Marathon – his favourite – seven times.

To celebrate his 80th birthday, John swam 1,6km across the Gulf of Corryvreckan, known as one of the world's largest permanent whirlpools and one of the most dangerous stretches of water around the British Isles.

John had this advice for older folks who might not be that keen on exercise: “You don’t have to force yourself – you can take advantage of the fact you’re older and have a bit more time on your hands," he told The Telegraph.

"Go to the gym in the morning, and you don’t have to go out running at night or in the rain – you’ll just get fed up.”

John is an ambassador for Age UK and uses this platform to encourage those over 50 to embrace a more active lifestyle and to raise money for charity.

SOURCES: DAILYMAIL.CO.UK, THEGUARDIAN.COM, TELEGRAPH.CO.UK, NYPOST.COM