- 9 hours ago
In 1983, Cliff Young, a 61-year-old Aussie potato farmer, entered the world's longest, most gruelling, and most dangerous ultramarathon, having never run an ultramarathon before in his life. What happened in this race changed the way ultramarathons were run forever.
Long Shots is a series of narrated biopics about remarkable people and their unique footprint on the world. Designed to be watched on a TV or listened as a podcast.
0:00 - Intro
0:39 - Story
_______________________________________
*BASED ON A TRUE STORY*
_This video is a dramatised interpretation of real events. While the core of the story is based on true events, certain timelines, dialogues, characters and facts have been modified for dramatic purposes. The portrayal in this video is a blend of fact and fiction, intended for entertainment. It should not be taken as an exact historical record._
*COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER*
_The content used in this video is either owned, licensed, or used in accordance with fair use guidelines. If you are the copyright owner or represent the copyright owner of any material used in this video and have concerns about its use, please contact us at legal@gdaydk.com. Please be advised that in
Long Shots is a series of narrated biopics about remarkable people and their unique footprint on the world. Designed to be watched on a TV or listened as a podcast.
0:00 - Intro
0:39 - Story
_______________________________________
*BASED ON A TRUE STORY*
_This video is a dramatised interpretation of real events. While the core of the story is based on true events, certain timelines, dialogues, characters and facts have been modified for dramatic purposes. The portrayal in this video is a blend of fact and fiction, intended for entertainment. It should not be taken as an exact historical record._
*COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER*
_The content used in this video is either owned, licensed, or used in accordance with fair use guidelines. If you are the copyright owner or represent the copyright owner of any material used in this video and have concerns about its use, please contact us at legal@gdaydk.com. Please be advised that in
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SportsTranscript
00:00The longest, most grueling ultramarathon that the world had ever seen was well and truly underway.
00:05The runners were three hours into the week-long race.
00:08Professional runners from all over the world were leading the pack,
00:11and shuffling along far behind them was a strange 61-year-old Aussie potato farmer
00:17who'd never run an ultramarathon in his life.
00:19The media and spectators were all asking the same question.
00:23Why was this man even allowed to enter what was possibly the most dangerous and demanding race in the world?
00:30And they had even more questions the following morning,
00:32when they woke up to find out that the old man was winning.
00:39A few weeks earlier, in the small town of Beach Forest, Victoria,
00:43Cliff Young had stunned his neighbours by announcing his intention to enter the inaugural Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon.
00:50It was the first of its kind, an 875-kilometre, 7-day-long foot race
00:55attracting the most hardcore marathon runners from around the world.
00:59The 61-year-old potato farmer was an unlikely contender, to say the least.
01:03Cliff lived a simple life on the family farm with his mum,
01:06tending to their crops and livestock.
01:08The sight of Cliff stumbling through the fields in his gumboots chasing after his flock of sheep
01:13had become a source of amusement for his neighbours.
01:15His running technique, more of a shuffle than a proper run, was quite odd,
01:19and he certainly didn't strike his neighbours as a seasoned athlete.
01:23See, Cliff's family couldn't afford horses and tractors.
01:26And for years, he'd spent days and nights rounding up sheep on foot,
01:30often covering vast distances without rest.
01:33In Cliff's mind, the Ultramarathon was just a longer version of chasing sheep.
01:38He figured if he could chase sheep around for two days straight wearing heavy gumboots,
01:42surely he could make it to Melbourne.
01:44When Cliff shared his plans to enter the race, he was met with a lot of scepticism.
01:49You must be joking.
01:50One neighbour scoffed.
01:51Have you seen yourself run? You look like you're about to keel over.
01:55Others shook their heads, convinced the old farmer had finally lost his marbles.
01:59But Cliff paid them no mind.
02:01He had a quiet confidence in his abilities.
02:03So while the town gossiped and joked about his chances,
02:06Cliff focused on preparing for the challenge ahead.
02:10When Cliff arrived in Sydney to register for the race,
02:13he couldn't help but feel like a fish out of water.
02:15The other competitors were all serious professional athletes,
02:19decked out in top of the line gear and following strict training regimens.
02:22They'd come from all over the world to attempt this race,
02:25widely considered to be one of the most challenging, unforgiving and dangerous races in the world.
02:30As Cliff looked around, he saw runners carb loading on pasta,
02:34hydrating with special electrolyte drinks and taking fancy supplements.
02:38Dedicated crews tended to their feet applying blister treatments
02:41and making sure their shoes were in perfect condition.
02:44It was all completely alien to Cliff,
02:46whose support team consisted of his brother, Sid,
02:49and a few other friends and family who would help along the way.
02:52And all they'd packed for sustenance were some vegetables from the farm,
02:55along with some water and the occasional cup of tea.
02:58In contrast to the high-tech gear of his competitors,
03:01Cliff wore a pair of old trousers with holes cut out for ventilation.
03:04On his feet were a pair of well-worn sneakers straight from the farm.
03:08This has got to be a joke.
03:09One runner muttered as Cliff stepped up to the starting line,
03:12That old guy will be lucky to make it 10 kilometres, let alone to Melbourne.
03:16Similar sentiments rippled through the assembled athletes and spectators.
03:20No one gave the unassuming potato farmer a chance.
03:23As the runners milled about the starting line, stretching and shaking out their limbs,
03:27professional runner Joe Record found himself next to Cliff.
03:30Intrigued, Joe struck up a conversation.
03:33So Cliff, what are you going to do with the prize money when you win?
03:35Joe said, somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
03:37Cliff turned to Joe, a puzzled expression on his face.
03:41Prize money? What's the prize money?
03:43Joe's eyebrows shot up.
03:44You know, 10 grand for winning the race.
03:46Don't tell me you didn't know about it.
03:48Cliff's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and delight.
03:51$10,000? Crikey. I had no idea.
03:55That's a hell of a lot of potatoes.
03:56Joe chuckled, shaking his head.
03:58The idea of this old man even finishing the race seemed far-fetched,
04:02let alone winning it.
04:03But something about Cliff's enthusiasm was contagious.
04:06On a whim, Joe stuck out his hand.
04:08Tell you what, mate, let's make things interesting.
04:11If either of us wins this thing, we split the prize money. Deal?
04:14Cliff didn't hesitate, grasping Joe's hand with a firm shake.
04:17You're on, son. Make the best man win.
04:20As they lined up with the other runners, Joe couldn't suppress a smile.
04:23He doubted the old farmer would make it past the first day,
04:26but he had to admire his spirit.
04:28In a race full of ultra-competitive athletes,
04:30it was refreshing to meet someone who seemed to be in it for the sheer love of running.
04:36As a starting gun fired, the professional runners took off,
04:39quickly leaving Cliff in their dust.
04:41Cliff set off on his slow shuffle, his arms dangling at his side.
04:45To outside observers, it hardly looked like he was even running at all.
04:48The first day wore on, and Cliff fell further and further behind.
04:52By dusk, the lead pack was already through the town of Mittagong, about 130 kilometers from the start.
04:58Cliff was still hours away.
05:00People along the route who had heard about the curious old farmer,
05:03waited to cheer him on, amazed he was still in the race.
05:05As night fell, an exhausted Cliff finally staggered into Mittagong.
05:10The professionals were all tucked into their beds at the dedicated checkpoints, resting up for the next day.
05:15Their support crews were tending to strained muscles and blistered feet.
05:19Cliff stopped in for a bowl of soup and learned that the other runners had packed it in for the
05:23day.
05:23He was a little confused.
05:24See, Cliff didn't know that the accepted ultramarathon strategy was to run for the first 18 hours and then sleep
05:31for 6.
05:32In his mind, you were supposed to just go continuously until you reached the finish.
05:36Nevertheless, trusting in the tried and tested tactics of the professionals,
05:40Cliff figured he should try and get some shut-eye too.
05:42He planned to sleep for no more than 5 hours.
05:45So, Wally, one of Cliff's support crew, set his alarm for 5.30am, and Cliff went to sleep.
05:55The alarm went off, Cliff woke up, groggy but determined, and he hit the road again in the dark of
06:01the early morning.
06:02However, something felt a little strange.
06:04Cliff expected the light of dawn to hit him at any minute.
06:07But as he kept shuffling away, the darkness seemed to go on forever.
06:11The reason?
06:12Well, Wally's eyesight wasn't great, and he'd accidentally set the alarm for 2.30am instead of 5.30am.
06:20It wasn't until Cliff had been shuffling along for a couple of hours that he realised the mistake.
06:25By then, he'd already covered a significant distance and was surprised at how good he felt.
06:29So, he decided then and there to forego sleep for the entire rest of the race.
06:34After all, if he could keep going without rest while chasing sheep, he could surely do the same in this
06:39ultramarathon.
06:40Cliff's unorthodox strategy began to pay off.
06:43While the other runners were still sound asleep, Cliff was steadily making his way towards the front of the pack.
06:48Some time in the pre-dawn hours, the bleary-eyed professional runners began emerging from their rest stops to resume
06:54the race.
06:54And as they set off, a funny rumour began to spread up and down the pack like a bushfire.
06:59People were saying that the old farmer was in the lead.
07:02Runners scoffed and shook their heads in disbelief.
07:05It had to be a mistake.
07:06The old man must have hitched a ride or gotten lost.
07:09There's no way he could have kept running basically all night.
07:11But as the sun climbed and the kilometres continued to fall away, the impossible truth began to sink in.
07:17Through the dead of night, while the professional slept, Cliff Young had shuffled relentlessly on, snatching the lead.
07:24When the media found out what was happening, they swarmed.
07:27Spectators gathered along the route, all desperate for a glimpse of this unlikely hero with his pants flapping in the
07:33breeze.
07:34Well, they heard down in Melbourne that you were starting to stop.
07:37Just something to eat, that's better.
07:38Those trousers are pretty classy.
07:40Yeah, air-conditioned.
07:41The professionals redoubled their efforts, confident that the old man would crack sooner or later.
07:47Exhaustion and sleep deprivation would have to claim him eventually, as it did all runners in the end.
07:52It was simply a matter of time.
07:54However, as the second day passed and the locals came out in droves to see the crazy old man who
07:59seemingly didn't understand his own limits,
08:02Cliff continued pushing on through the second night.
08:04His lead only growing as the astonished professionals failed to reel him in.
08:09Why'd you go to the front so early?
08:11Oh, I liked the front position.
08:14I'd say I let them, the first day I let them run themselves out and then I took the lead
08:17at night time.
08:18And I've held the lead ever since.
08:20Cliff, for his part, remained utterly unfazed by the mounting excitement swirling around him.
08:25As far as he was concerned, he was just out for a long run in the outback of Australia.
08:29Same as always.
08:30Do you think that you'd make it all the way?
08:32Oh yeah, for sure.
08:33I'm going to run all night tonight and I hope to finish tomorrow.
08:37However, as the race entered its final stages, Cliff Young's body began to show signs of fatigue.
08:42At one point, in his tired haze, Cliff tripped over a rock and he hurt himself badly.
08:48He was certain that he dislocated his shoulder, but he continued pushing on.
08:52His shuffling steps became more laboured and his stops for rest grew more frequent.
08:56Despite his initial plan to just keep going, he, just like the other runners, had to stop for sleep.
09:02And the crowds along the route watched with concern, wondering if the old potato farmer had finally pushed himself too
09:09far.
09:10Joe Record, the professional runner that Cliff met at the starting line, had been trailing Cliff for days and he
09:15sensed an opportunity.
09:16He increased his pace, determined to catch the old man.
09:19I think I can catch old Cliff, Joe told reporters confidently.
09:22He says he's a tortoise, but I think the old bastard is a hare in disguise.
09:26Joe believed that Cliff had overexerted himself too early in the race and he would soon tire.
09:31He was sure that the farmer's lead was about to evaporate, that youth and professional training would ultimately triumph over
09:37age and Cliff's unorthodox methods.
09:40Out of the two of them, I'd sooner have my money on Joe because he's a strong guy and Cliff,
09:46I think he's pushing himself too hard.
09:48Cliff heard whispers that Joe Record was closing in, that the professional runner was poised to overtake him at any
09:54moment.
09:55Cliff's head hung low, his body exhausted, but he willed himself to keep moving forward.
10:00With every step, Cliff's joints screamed in protest.
10:03His feet, blistered and swollen, felt like lead weights.
10:06He took out his false teeth and he tucked them away.
10:09The clicking against his gums was too much to bear.
10:11The old farmer was running on fumes.
10:14As he shuffled along, Cliff turned his head and he saw Joe Record coming up from behind him in the
10:19distance.
10:20The younger runner seemed to be getting closer with every passing minute.
10:23Panic gripped Cliff's heart.
10:25His improbable lead was finally about to evaporate.
10:31But just when it seemed that Cliff's body would betray him, he looked up and he saw the finish line
10:37in the distance ahead.
10:38A most remarkable sight in Melbourne this evening as Cliff Young comes into the finish line of the Sydney to
10:44Melbourne Ultramarathon.
10:46Crowds line the streets to welcome the man who, over the past few days, has quickly become an Australian hero.
10:52The roar of the crowd in Melbourne filled his ears, urging him onward.
10:56With a final surge of adrenaline, Cliff focused his eyes forward and he kept shuffling.
11:01Go Cliff! Go Cliff! Go Cliff!
11:07And as he crossed the finish line victorious, Cliff turned to look behind him, expecting to see Joe Record mere
11:13steps away.
11:14But there was no one there.
11:16Cliff's exhausted mind had been playing tricks on him.
11:19In reality, Joe Record was nowhere near Cliff.
11:22None of the other runners were.
11:23Cliff had not only won the race, but the nearest professional in second place, George Purden, was more than 10
11:29hours behind Cliff.
11:31Siggy Bauer came in third and a while after, Joe Record eventually crossed the finish line too.
11:36Cliff Young had not only endured, but he had triumphed in spectacular fashion.
11:41His time of five days, 15 hours and four minutes shattered the previous record for the same distance by two
11:47days.
11:49Cliff had done the unthinkable, beating professional athletes at their own game through his own technique, sheer grit and refusal
11:56to quit.
12:00Now, you might be wondering what happened with the prize money.
12:04Well, Cliff did win the $10,000 and immediately after, he cashed the check and as he heard word of
12:10all the other runners coming into the finish line, he did what only Cliff Young would do.
12:15Without hesitation, Cliff walked up to each runner and started pushing wads of cash into their hands.
12:21He ended up giving the other runners who finished $2,000 each, but of course, by the time Joe Record
12:27crossed the finish line, Cliff remembered the pact that he'd made with him at the start of the race.
12:32And he said, sorry, mate.
12:33I got a bit carried away, giving away all the money, but I haven't forgotten about our deal.
12:37And he gave Joe the last wad of $3,000.
12:40Ever since Cliff's incredible win in 1983, Cliff's running style has been studied and his shuffling technique, which is now
12:47known as the Young Shuffle, has been used by ultra marathon runners all over the world.
12:52As it turns out, a loose shuffle that uses very little energy and can be maintained for long stretches happens
12:58to be a pretty great technique for endurance races.
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