Yu Yonghe, 70, has run through nearly the whole country over the past eight years, and he has completed 20-plus full marathons, feats that have won him great support from young runners, according to Changchun Daily.

Yu, a retired electrician in Changchun, capital city of Northeast China's Jilin province, started training for long-distance running daily after retirement in 2009, it said.

He's famous among local marathon enthusiasts and has attracted lots of followers.

"Long-distance running requires perseverance and good physical strength," he said in the report. "Initially, physical strength was a challenge, but my perseverance conquered it."

He has also received support and encouragement from his family members.

Yu's 21-year-old granddaughter made a documentary on him and it won lots of praise on the internet.

"I hope I can record my grandfather's persistence in running, which may greatly encourage more people to participate in sports," said the granddaughter Chen Guanxin, a college student at Northeast Normal University in Changchun.

"My classmates and I were deeply moved by my grandfather during the filming," Chen said.