Ed Whitlock wallops M85 marathon record with sub-4 in Toronto

OK, get real. Men who are 85 don’t run a mile in 7:18.55 or marathons in under 4 hours. So what do we make of Ed Whitlock, who did both this year? At Sunday’s Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Ed ran 26.2 miles in 3:56:33, crushing the listed M85 world record of 4:34:55 by Aussie Robert Horman in 2004. Ed “ran in a 30-year-old singlet and 15-year-old Brooks shoes … going through the halfway mark at 1:54:34,” say Canadian media. “He says that he went out a bit too hard but still maintained an overall average pace of 5:36 per kilometre.” That’s 9:02 a mile. The listed M90 mile world record is 10:30.9. Who thinks Ed won’t shatter that as well in 2021?

Print Friendly

October 16, 2016

9 Responses

  1. Craig Simmons - October 16, 2016

    It’s got to be the singlet. There is no other explanation. The Singlet of Youth. Put it on and run like a man 30 years younger. He could sell it and make a fortune.

  2. Levasseur - October 17, 2016

    Remarquable Incroyable Magistral Bravo Mr ED

  3. Craig Simmons - October 17, 2016

    Ed’s magnificent marathon record has to rank right at or near the top of all time most shocking and exhilarating records of all time. Right up there with Bob Beamon’s long jump in 1968 for jaw dropping awards. Almost seems impossible for someone 85 years old to run a marathon under 4 hours but it happened. Thanks Ed for the inspiration.

  4. SusieQ - October 17, 2016

    Truly amazing! Way to go, Ed!

  5. Michael D Walker - October 17, 2016

    A tremendous achievement! Will Brooks reissue those shoes?

  6. ventsi - October 17, 2016

    Heroes like this 85-year young guy make the world different.
    Such incredible achievements are inspired by God, so they make the witnesses feel closer to God.
    Good luck,Ed! Stay in the teen-age as long as possible!

  7. Craig Simmons - October 18, 2016

    Ed is on the front page of foxnews.com this morning.

  8. Matt B. - October 20, 2016

    Equivalent to a youngster at age 60 running 2:37:35
    95.35%

  9. Ken Stone - November 14, 2016

    Another WR for Ed — at 15K (about 9.3 miles).

    Every 5K got faster!
    http://runningmagazine.ca/ed-whitlock-85-sets-another-world-record-just-weeks-after-356-marathon/

Leave a Reply