An 80-year-old ultra inspiration

Most people slow down at 80...Bob Becker decided to run 135 miles through Death Valley. 

The octogenarian has always had a competitive streak—snowball fights, high school track meets, you name it—but his most impressive battles have been fought on the ultramarathon circuit, with races stretching far beyond the standard 26.2 miles.

It all started in 2002, when then-60-year-old Bob and his friends decided to run a marathon together.

• While training casually in the months leading up to the race, Bob fell in love with the sport and community that came with it.
• 20+ years and 50 ultramarathons later, Bob has circumnavigated the world in his golden years by running races.

Last month, Becker became the oldest finisher of California’s Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile trek from the lowest point in North America to the gateway of Mount Whitney.

• Considered one of the hardest footraces in the world, with desert temps topping 115°F and the last few miles completely uphill, Becker crossed the line in just over 45 hours, crushing his previous attempt at the race from three years ago.

His training? Dragging SUV tires, logging 20-mile hill repeats, and sweating it out in a sauna to prep for the desert heat.

Even after fractures, failed finishes, and doctors raising eyebrows, Becker says age is just a number. “If somebody else can do it, why can’t I?” he told The Washington Post. His persistence has inspired strangers—one even credited Becker’s grit with helping them choose life over giving up.

Looking ahead...Becker has said his most-recent race might be his last ultramarathon…but his coach isn’t buying it. “He’s still discovering what he’s capable of,” she says. “Be like Bob.”