At 90, former paratrooper sets world-best 10K time for his age

Pic credit: Gibson Digital/North Lanarkshire Council

Ian Winship, a 90-year-old runner from North Lanarkshire, has completed a 10-kilometre race in about 1 hour, 4 minutes and 37 seconds, setting what is believed to be a world-best time for his age group.

On 13 September, the former paratrooper completed the Cumbernauld 10K run. "I stood greetin'," the former paratrooper told the BBC, his disbelief still evident.It's easy to understand why. Winship wasn't chasing records when he started that morning. He was doing what he does most days: running. The world-best time in the M90 category came out of the blue. “It's just unbelievable. Cumbernauld might be famous now because of me.”Scottish Athletics confirmed the achievement is considered a ‘world best’ rather than a ‘world record’, as non-professional road races lack the precision required for official ratification. But there are simply no reports of anyone older achieving a faster time.

Age, just a number

Pic credit: Gibson Digital/North Lanarkshire Council

Ian Winship, who hails from Cumberland, revealed the secret behind the record. He gets up each morning, fetches his paper, gets his coffee, and walks.

Not around the block, but for miles. Most days, he hits 20,000 steps. Long stretches through Cumbernauld are a regimen he religiously follows to keep himself fit.Winship understands what most people don’t. “I've got a purpose, I want to stay alive. If I sit in the house I'll vegetate. I must meet people.” So he walks and continues to share ties with the community. It’s the perspective of someone who spent his younger years as a paratrooper, jumping into Egypt near Port Said during the Suez Crisis in 1956, and later became a steeplejack.

Motion was always the job. Now it's the medicine.For him, what really works is consistency. He does not have a fancy training plan or gym membership. But every morning he wakes up and gets moving. His next challenge is to ‘live to 100’.When Winship completed the race, he was a little ‘wobbly’, so the paramedics offered him a wheelchair. But the 90-year-old turned it down immediately.

3 generations in motion

Pic credit: Gibson Digital/North Lanarkshire Council

Winship had the best company in the race. The nonagenarian ran this race alongside his daughter, Fiona Fleming, and grandson Kyle Fleming, 26, who came third.

It wasn't their first time making the race a family affair at Cumbernauld. But the grandfather's performance still caught them off guard.Kyle is proud of his grandpa. “He gets up every morning, goes to get his paper, goes to get his coffee. He does 20,000 steps a day. It's incredible,” he told the broadcaster."I run because it keeps me sane, keeps me fit and it keeps me out of trouble,” Winship always told his family.For Kyle, watching his grandpa was inspiration enough. "That's always stuck with me.

Every time I see him running, that's what I think about. He lost his wife years ago, and I think it just keeps him going."Meanwhile, Scottish Athletics said Winship's achievement is considered a ‘world best’ in the M90 category. A spokesperson for the body said they were "delighted to hear of Ian's great run". "Athletics can be for life if that's what you want and performances like this one by Ian at 90 really are inspirational."Kenneth Duffy, provost of North Lanarkshire, called him ‘a hero’. "My huge congratulations to Ian on his outstanding achievement at this year's Cumbernauld 10K event. What a hero he is! I'm sure everyone will be inspired by his determination, commitment and enthusiasm. To complete a 10K at 90 years of age is a remarkable accomplishment, let alone complete it in such an impressive time."Geraldine Woods, convener of communities at the council, also lauded Winship’s achievement. "Ian's performance at this year's event, along with his dedication and positive attitude, is an inspiration to people of all ages."