Man born without limbs impresses many after completing 42km on longboard at Singapore marathon

SINGAPORE: A man born without arms and legs impressed many after he was seen pushing himself along the full 42.2km route of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) on Sunday (7 Dec).

The participant, 46-year-old Chris Koch — a Canadian motivational speaker, adaptive athlete and farmer from Alberta — was born without all four limbs.

Despite his condition, he not only completed the full marathon but had also taken part in the half marathon the day before.

Koch finished the full marathon in 4:20:05.

Posting on Instagram, he said he was “very happy” with his time, though he noted that several sections of the course were “pretty congested”, adding that he could have shaved off more time otherwise.

According to his Instagram page, SCSM marked his 23rd marathon and his fourth marathon of 2025.

Reactions From Fellow Runners

On Instagram, many users said they had run past Koch, describing him as incredibly inspiring.

On TikTok, several runners shared clips of the moment they encountered him during the race.

One user who spotted Koch during the half marathon said that seeing him pushing along the route on a longboard was deeply impressive, noting that completing a half marathon is not easy even for able-bodied runners.

The user added that Koch’s determination was inspiring to many people and expressed hope that he realised how motivating his achievement was.

Another runner uploaded a video of Koch with the caption, “Salute this guy for the full marathon!”

@vhicky00000

Salute this guy for full marathon!

♬ My Life - LuckyStar

‘If I Can’: Koch’s Personal Motto

Speaking to MS News, Koch said he strives to embody the mindset behind his personal motto — “If I can” — which also serves as the tagline for his motivational presentations.

“If a guy without arms and legs can work on the farm, do marathons, and travel the world, we’re all capable of doing some pretty awesome and amazing things,” he said.

Running marathons, he explained, allows him to demonstrate what is possible “regardless of whatever situation you’re in”.

Koch added that marathon events also give him a “great excuse to travel”, having now completed 23 marathons across four continents.

In an interview with Baseline Singapore, Koch said many people assume he is “crazy” for tackling the 42.2km distance.

“Who in the hell would want to deliberately go 42.2km? But I love the challenge. It’s a mental challenge. Yes, it is a physical grind, but it’s the brain — the mind — saying you’re too sore, you’re too tired. Once you get over that hurdle, the body is capable of doing some impressive stuff,” he said.

He encouraged others not to overthink their fitness journey, saying: “If you’re struggling, don’t overthink it. Just enjoy it.”

“I’m just out there for me and my own personal satisfaction. I’m just out there enjoying the atmosphere,” he added.

This year’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon took place on 6 and 7 December 2025, with the half marathon, 5km run and Kids Dash held on the first day, followed by the full marathon, 10km and Ekiden events on the second.

The race started at the F1 Pit Building and concluded at The Padang.

However, the event drew criticism from some participants, who described it as poorly organised. Runners reported limited access to water and long queues under the scorching sun, with some allegedly fainting due to the “suffocating conditions”.