The Story:
Hello everyone, today I’m taking you to Australia in 1983 to tell you the true story of Cliff Young, a 61-year-old Australian farmer who revolutionized the world of extreme running…
For many years, Cliff’s main activity was tending to his farm, notably running after his sheep and cows across the vast grounds of his farm located in Beech Forest, a small rural town in the state of Victoria.
As a personal challenge, Cliff decided in 1983 to enter the toughest race imaginable: an ultramarathon, an 850-kilometer foot race between Sydney and Melbourne, a distance equivalent to more than 20 marathons to be covered in less than a week. Despite his age and lack of experience in this type of competition, he believed his good fitness would be sufficient to meet this immense challenge.
Until now, only seasoned marathon runners, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and accompanied by coaches and carefully developed strategies, have undertaken this type of race. Moreover, when they learn that a farmer over 60 years old has also signed up for the race and that his training is limited to chasing his cows, they don’t take him seriously.
From the first few kilometers, Cliff is left behind but holds on… By the end of the first day, all his competitors decide to stop to rest. In this type of race, it is indeed customary to run 18 hours a day and then sleep 6 hours to recover, and thus avoid injury or withdrawal.
Since he was never told he could stop, Cliff kept running… tirelessly… all night long…
After five and a half days of sleepless running, Cliff crossed the finish line first, much to the surprise of his competitors, organizers, and the public, breaking the 12-hour race record.
Beyond the anecdote, Cliff Young reminds us that in life, it’s crucial to question conventions, established models, and to think outside the box.
So, the next time you’re faced with a challenge, be bold and ask yourself:
“How can I break the status quo to achieve my goals?”
Perhaps then, like Cliff, you’ll innovate and find a new way forward…
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-renaux-37b5551/
🎙️ January 2025 podcast produced by Francaisdanslemonde.fr: Radios and podcasts for French speakers preparing for or experiencing international mobility.
📲 Free mobile app available for Android and Apple, search for **”FRANCAIS DANS LE MONDE” (French in the World)._
📡 Hosted by Ausha. Visit ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.