If there’s one thing that doesn’t mix, it’s running and smoking cigarettes. Athletes tend to be very health-conscious when it comes to what they put into their bodies. That’s not the case for one man, who combines his two loves to compete in marathons around the world.
Chinese runner known as “Uncle Chen” has gone viral many times for chain-smoking cigarettes while he competes in marathons. The 50-year-old recently completed the Xin’anjiang Marathon in Jiande, China, smoking his way through the 42-kilometer endurance event.
Out of nearly 1,500 runners, Chen finished 574th with an impressive time of 3:28:45. Images of Chen from this race went viral on Weibo, a Chinese social media app but this isn’t the first time he’s completed other marathons while smoking.
Chen ran both the 2018 Guangzhou Marathon and the 2019 Xiamen Marathon while lighting up and has even run ultramarathons in the past. The runner also apparently became known as “Smoking Brother” in running circles after a 2017 event in Hangzhou city.
There are no rules that prohibit marathon runners from smoking cigarettes while they compete, which means Chen will most likely be lighting up for another race in the future.