‘If I Sit in the House, I’ll Vegetate’: This 90-Year-Old Just Ran the Fastest 10K Ever for His Age

Ian Winship is 90 years old, walks about 20,000 steps a day, and apparently still had enough left in his legs to run a 10K at roughly a 10:24-per-mile pace.On September 13, the Scottish runner finished the Cumbernauld 10K in 1:04:37, a performance believed to be the fastest ever recorded by a 90-year-old man on the road.Technically, Winship’s mark is being called a “world best” in lieu of it being labeled as a world record title. Scottish Athletics says performances in the M90 road category aren’t officially ratified the way track records are, but there are no known reports of another 90-year-old running a faster 10K.Winship had some familiar company for the occasion. His daughter, Fiona Fleming, and 26-year-old grandson, Kyle Fleming, ran too, making it a three-generation race day. Kyle finished third overall—and says watching his grandfather keep running over the years is part of what got him into the sport in the first place.Finding out exactly what his own time meant left Winship slightly stunned.“You can’t get your mind around a world record—a wee guy fae Cumbernauld,” he told The Scotsman. “It’s just unbelievable. Cumbernauld might be famous now because of me!”Neil PooranWinship shows off his 1937 birth certificate.Winship’s resume before becoming the fastest known 90-year-old 10K runner was already pretty remarkable, having served as a paratrooper during the Suez Crisis and later working as a steeplejack. These days, Winship still makes sure he gets his steps in, with a morning trip for coffee and the newspaper folded into the mileage.Running has also become something steadier than exercise for him. Kyle says his grandfather has long treated it as a way to stay active, clear his head, and keep himself occupied, and believes it became even more important after Winship lost his wife.Winship seems to see it much the same way.“I’ve got a purpose, I want to stay alive,” he said to The Scotsman. “If I sit in the house, I’ll vegetate. I must meet people.”He did feel a little unsteady after the 10K, enough that paramedics tried to get him into a wheelchair. Winship, as the man he is, wasn’t interested.As for his next goal, it’s somehow even more ambitious than the 1:04:37: He simply wants to make it to 100.Find Your Next Running PlaylistSean Abrams was the Senior Editor, Growth and Engagement at Men’s Health. He’s a former hip hop dancer who likes long walks on the beach and large glasses of tequila. You can find his previous work at Maxim, Elite Daily, and AskMen.