So Keizo Yamada is giving up racing marathons. Japan’s Iron Man is conceding that he’s not up to the training anymore.
He made the decision after running three marathons this year, including his 19th trip to Boston – a race he won in 1953. He ran the marathon for Japan the year before at the Olympics in Helsinki.
Yamada’s 81. A pretty fit octogenarian.
He told Sports Hochi newspaper “I’m not getting any younger so I won’t run any more 42-kilometre races.”
“I will carry on running for fun to stay in shape,” he added.
His “running for fun” is a daily 20-kilometre jaunt. That’s more exercise than the vast majority of even the most active people get. If it’s not fun, it’s pretty tough to be motivated to enjoy that much exercise.