How old is Uncle Chen? Chinese man runs marathon while chain-smoking

Chinese marathon runner Uncle Chen has taken the internet by storm after he completed the 42-kilometer Xin'anjiang Marathon in Jiande while chain-smoking cigarettes throughout the entire race. The runner completed the test of endurance in a record time of 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 45 seconds and was the 574th person to finish out of nearly 1500 people.

Uncle Chen, who is 50 years old, became a sensation after pictures floated on the internet showing him smoking and lighting cigarettes during an endurance run on November 6. Chen also ran the 2018 Guangzhou Marathon and the 2019 Xiamen Marathon while smoking. He finished the 2018 race in 3 hours, 36 minutes and the 2019 race in 3 hours and 32 minutes.

Chine runner, Uncle Chen, during the 2019 test of endurance. At the time too, he complete the entire run smoking bundles of cigarettes. (Image via

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Uncle Chen has been named “Smoking Brother” on social media after running a 42-kilometer marathon while smoking cigarettes back-to-back

Uncle Chen’s nonchalantly in smoking cigarettes during endurance runs has earned him the nickname “Smoking Brother.” This is also because the runner did not stop at just one cigarette but kept on smoking one after the other throughout the entire run.

The Chinese runner has become insanely popular as netizens are in awe of his health, despite his unusual smoking habits.

One social media user hilariously commented:

"Does he wear a number on his vest or a Government Health Warning."

Others joked about the air quality in China and said:

"He lives in China, that cigarette is filtering the outside air"

Others also talked about how he would have been a World Champion if he didn’t smoke at all. One social media user said:

“Think what he could have achieved if he had never started smoking at all. He could possibly have been a World Champion breaking all records.”

Many felt that a sportsman and a runner like Chen should not be smoking during the race. However, there are no rules that prohibit runners from smoking, as they believe that smoking doesn’t positively or negatively impact their performance during endurance runs.

Several photos of the runner are floating around the internet. What’s surprising is that a cigarette can be seen in his mouth in all the snaps.

Uncle Chen seen smoking throughout the endurance run in China. (Image via Weibo)

Chinese test of endurance runner lighting up cigarettes throughout the run trends on social media. (Image via Weibo)

"Smoke Brother," aged 50 stood 574th among 1500 people in an endurance run in China. (Image via Weibo)

Uncle Chen is an ultramarathoner who runs from 50 km to 12 hours. As per the Marathon Handbook, Uncle Chen's performance comes under a “good” time. Many might wonder if this smoking-and-running blend has got the runner his name in the Guinness World Record. However, there are no previous records of any runner carrying a cigarette in their mouth.