A 101-YR.-OLD MAN WHO LIVES IN LONDON will be entering the London marathon next month.  If he finishes, he will become the record-holder for being the oldest runner to ever finish a full marathon.

Sun photo

Buster Martin, who went back to work 3 years ago because he was “bored,” has been participating in half-marathons while he is working out and preparing for the big one.

Two weeks ago he finished the half-marathon in Essex in 5 hours, 13 minutes.  After he crossed the finish line, his first words were:  “Where’s my beer?”

Buster was in the news just over a year ago when he fought off 3 muggers who jumped him while he was walking to a bus stop.  After being knocked down, he fought back fiercely until they ran off empty-handed.

Daily Mail

The Daily Mail gives a bit of biographical information:

Born in France in 1906, Mr Martin was brought to England when he was three months old and went to an orphanage in Cornwall after his parents died. But he was thrown out at the age of 10 “for eating too much and growing too fast”.

He then travelled to London and found work running errands for stallholders at Brixton market. In 1920 he married and joined the Army. After leaving in 1955 he returned to the market.

Mr Martin, who lives in sheltered accommodation in Lambeth Walk, has 17 children and fathered the first at 15.

It is claimed that he lives on a diet of beer and cigarettes.

You have probably observed that distance runners take their mid-race refreshers by grabbing a paper cup full of liquid and throwing it in their face.  Buster does it a little differently. 

Click on the video player below to watch him take his mid-race break in Essex last week.

BBC News has the STORY.
Wikipedia has a full entry on Buster Martin HERE.

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