You Deserved Better, Fauja Singh

Just a short memorial for the world’s oldest runner.

Do you know who Fauja Singh is?

He was a fascinating man, born in Punjab, British India sometime around 114 years ago. I say “sometime,” as he had no official birth certificate—but this was the best of his knowledge and the knowledge of others.

Late in life, allegedly to help overcome the loss of his wife and son, he began to run competitively. Normally, when someone talks about a person who began running “late in life,” the may think “oh, like in your 50s?”

No, Singh was in his late 80s. And he took it ver seriously at 89—competing and ranking in timed events, for his age. Which admittedly likely saw very little competition—but still…

…This from a man who didn’t walk until he was five, due to illness.

He ran a marathon at 100 years old—failing to achieve an official World Record only because he has no official birth certificate.

He was and will remain a testament to active living, mobility and the joy of moving one’s body.

He was struck down and killed while crossing the street in his birth village of Beas Pind on July 14, 2025.

After all he had survived—two World Wars, Partition, immigration, loss, epidemics, pandemics and all the changes the world saw between 1911 and 2025…

It was an all too common an end for an uncommon man. Some idiot in a car, likely under the conscious or unconscious belief that his time or text messages were more important than the life of another… ran him over and took off without a care for anyone but himself.

Rest in Peace, Fauja Singh. You deserved a better end.