A Middle-Aged Chinese Man Runs a 42-Kilometer Marathon While Smoking. It was more the fact that he was smoking the entire race for a marathon finisher in his fifties than it was his age that made his accomplishment remarkable.
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Although many people think of marathon runners as some of the healthiest sportsmen on the planet, a Chinese runner known as "Uncle Chen" has gained national attention for chain-smoking cigarettes while he runs.
50-year-old Chen just finished the 42-kilometer Xin'anjiang Marathon in Jiande, China, despite smoking the entire time.
Chinese social media users published pictures of the Guangzhou man after they went viral, and the event organizers later shared his finishing certificate.
Out of over 1,500 competitors, Chen finished the race in an astounding 574th place overall in a timing of 3:28:45.
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According to Canadian Running Magazine, the Chinese sensation has a history of smoking while running. He reportedly did it during the 2018 Guangzhou Marathon and the 2019 Xiamen Marathon.
Chen ran a time of 3:36 in 2018 and a time of 3:32 in 2019.
Additionally, there is proof online that he does ultramarathons, including one that is 50 km long and another that is 12 hours long.
In running circles, Chen reportedly earned the name "Smoking Brother" following an event in Hangzhou city in 2017.
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People's reactions to the amazing athlete have been mixed; some have praised his talents, while others believe he sets a poor example.
'There goes my hero. Watch him as he smokes,' wrote one Instagram user.
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'Imagine being stuck behind him the whole race,' said another.
'So this is what peak performance looks like,' joked a third.
There are presently no regulations that prohibit marathon competitors from smoking while they participate.