55-year-old marathoner shares secret to great form after completing Sirikwa Cross-country

ATHLETICS 55-year-old marathoner shares secret to great form after completing Sirikwa Cross-country

Abigael Wafula 14:11 - 06.02.2024

A 55-year-old marathoner has revealed what makes him stronger and younger after he managed to finish the Sirikwa Classic Cross-country.

The 2024 edition of the Sirikwa Classic Cross-country attracted numerous runners both young and old, who toed the starting lines with some out to showcase their talents while others were on a fitness journey.

Augustine Togom, a 55-year-old runner, was one of the many who competed at the event and managed to cross the finish line, thanks to his hard work in training and avoiding drug and alcohol abuse.

Follow the Pulse Sports Kenya WhatsApp Channel for more news.

After crossing the finish line, the runner noted that it was his first time competing at the event and he certainly enjoyed the race despite the windy conditions.

“I have competed before in international races and I’ve been to about 10 countries when I was below the age of 30 years. I have been to Spain, Portugal, and Denmark among other countries.

“My body has responded well because I have been in training and I want to run the marathon in the Masters category. I want to try hard and go to Canada or the USA for my race,” he said.

Togom also encouraged the young runners to be consistent in their training and make sure they do not give up on their dreams.

He also condemned the practices of doping among athletes, highlighting that it is the easiest way for an athlete to end their careers.

“I want them to keep training hard by doing the long runs and working on their speed too. Doping is a very bad shortcut to take and I would like to urge them to use their God-given talents and they will finally bear good fruit,” he said.

Togom also encouraged people of his age bracket to embrace training in order to avoid certain illnesses by keep fit.

“Lack of training will certainly lead to sicknesses and you see some people of my age are obese. I did not stop training and that’s why I look like this.

"I never trained maybe during holidays but all the other days, I made sure I was working out. They should also avoid drinking alcohol and instead, replace it with water,” he said.

Tags: