He ran his first marathon in 2000 and ran his last long-distance race in 2013.  He was eighty-eight years old when he competed the first time and one hundred and two when he hung up his sneakers for the last time.

Last week Fauja Singh died at the age of one hundred and fourteen. But he didn’t die of old age, he died in a traffic accident, which seems sadly ironic.  While visiting the village of his birth in Punjab, he was struck and killed by an unknown vehicle.

Singh began running to deal with the grief of losing, first his wife then his son.

His running brought him international recognition; Nike featured him in a series of ads, he was a torchbearer in the 2012 London Olympics and in 2006 he received an invitation to meet Queen Elizabeth.

Last month, in an interview with BBC, Singh said, “Eating less, running more, and staying happy – that is the secret behind my longevity. This is my message to everyone. . . running gave my life a mission.

The Bible reminds us, in Psalm 90:12, that our days are numbered, we may not get one hundred and fourteen years, but we all get to make a difference in our world.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.