Marathon at the age of 84

“Champagne, schnitzel and a bit of sore muscles”

Felix Pauli finished the Vienna City Marathon on Sunday at the age of 84.(Bild: VCM/Sportograf)

At 84 years old, Felix Pauli was the oldest participant in the Vienna City Marathon. The Lower Austrian ran the 42.195 km in 5:46:48 hours and was celebrated like a star.

The spectators along the course went wild and the interviewer was already waiting behind the finish line with the microphone. Pauli said the day after: "I've never experienced such a frenzy. I promptly forgot to press my watch. That's why I didn't even know what time I'd run at the start." The 84-year-old grinned: "I'm not used to that kind of noise. It was unbelievable how many people cheered me on." Afterwards, the pensioner toasted with a glass of sparkling wine with running legend Gerhard Wally. The Viennese from the 100 Marathon Club Austria completed his 734th marathon on Sunday!

Felix Pauli and his son Roman(Bild: zVg)

In the evening, Pauli enjoyed his wife's delicious schnitzel at home in Asparn near Tulln. What is his fitness secret? "I train regularly and used to cycle from Asparn to work in Vienna. I also do gymnastics every day while watching TV and work a lot in the garden."

Felix Pauli's sons are also marathon runners. Roman (left) also ran in Vienna on Sunday. Georg (right) is running the Welschlauf in southern Styria with his father in May.(Bild: Zur Verfügung gestellt)

85th birthday falls on the Vienna City Marathon 2025
How does his body feel after the marathon exertions? "My muscles are a bit sore and I can feel my back. But that will be gone in two weeks' time, when I run the Welschlauf in southern Styria, which also covers the marathon distance." He is very excited about the date for the Vienna City Marathon 2025: "It's next year on April 6, which is my 85th birthday. My best present would be if I could run the marathon again."