Rod Stewart turned 80 this year, and he’s quite literally sprinting towards a new goal.
The iconic singer told AARP Magazine, “To stay in shape and feed my competitive appetite, I recently began running 100-meter sprints on my private track. I got it down to 19 seconds by learning how to push off. I’m going to try and do 17 seconds, which I think is a world record for an 80-year-old.”
Stewart also talked about his private fight with prostate cancer, which he disclosed back in 2019. Sir Rod told the publication that he didn’t share his diagnosis with his children until he got on the other side of treatment. The main reason he chose that was because he didn’t want his children to worry about him.
“They, of course, they go, ‘Dad, you should have told us! We’d have been there for you!’ I didn’t want to worry them,” said Stewart. “But, you know, to have family around when you’ve got such a horrible disease really does help. I’m all clear now, thank the Lord, still rocking.”
As previously reported, Stewart went public with his cancer battle during a fundraising performance benefitting the Prostate Project alongside former Faces band members Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones.
Stewart addressed the people in attendance and said, “Two years ago, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. No one knows this, but I thought this was about time I told everybody. I’m in the clear, now, simply because I caught it early. I have so many tests…If you’re positive, and you work through it and you keep a smile on your face…I’ve worked for two years, and I’ve just been happy, and the good Lord looked after me.”
To add some levity to the announcement, Stewart then playfully said, “Guys, you’ve got to really go to the doctor. Finger up the bum, no harm done.”
