If you thought competing in a marathon was tough, imagine running 26.2 miles while filling your lungs with smoke ... 'cause one Chinese man did exactly that during a race -- and he finished with a great time!!
The chain-smokin' athlete is a 50-year-old who goes by the name "Uncle Chen" ... and the Guangzhou man accomplished the feat at the Xin’anjiang Marathon in Jiande, China on Nov. 6.
Photos of Chen smoking during the competition went viral on Weibo -- a Chinese social media app -- and event organizers celebrated him by sharing his finishing certificate.
Chen -- who crossed the finish line with an impressive 3:28 time -- finished 574th overall out of nearly 1500 runners who competed ... despite taking heaters to the face throughout the race.
Chen has become a sensation for smoking during races -- in 2018, he blasted cigs during the Guangzhou Marathon, where he finished with a 3:36 time.
Adding to his legend ... Chen followed up his jaw-dropping performance in 2018 with another strong outing in 2019, finishing the Xiamen Marathon in 3:32, according to Canadian Running.
However, the outlet reports that not everyone was fond of Chen's smoking sesh ... with critics saying the stunt is hurtful to the other runners.
No word on how Uncle Chen celebrated the accomplishment ... but we have an idea.