Photo Credit (Pixabay)
At a time when most people find it difficult to go around without a cane or crutch, Ploutarchos Pourliakas, 88, just finished his 12th straight Athens Marathon (42.195 km/26.22 miles).
Remember that an 88-year-old man completed the Athens Marathon, also known as the Authentic Marathon, in 6 hours and 31 minutes if you ever need a little more inspiration to get off the sofa and go for a jog. After being motivated by his son, an ultramarathon runner, Ploutarchos Pourliakas only began jogging at the age of 73. However, he soon developed an obsession with the sport, running four to five kilometers every day and up to 20 kilometers on the weekends. Pourliakas, who has completed the Athens Marathon twelve times, actually outperformed last year, finishing 42.195 kilometers (26.22 miles) eighteen minutes faster despite his advanced age.
Shortly after crossing the finish line to the applause of his family and friends assembled at the famous Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Pourliakas declared, “I finished and even improved on last year; I feel younger than my 88 years.”
Ploutarchos Pourliakas tells his readers that anyone can run for as long as they want to, as long as they take good care of their body and live a balanced life. As you can guess, many people find it hard to believe that a man in his late 80s can run at all, much less complete a marathon.
“I have never smoked. The Greek runner declared, “I don’t drink, I don’t stay up late, and I don’t indulge in excesses.” “Everything but moderation is part of my balanced diet. I do, however, consume a small amount of “tsipouro,” a regional beverage, daily—not as a beverage but rather as a medication.
It’s interesting to note that the Athens Marathon runs the same path that the first marathon challenge was inspired by, 2,500 years ago, when Phiedippides, an Athenian messenger, sprinted to deliver the news of triumph from the battlefield of the Marathon.
