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Dec 22, 2008

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." --T.S. Eliot

The Unbelievable Story of Cliff Young

Every year, Australia hosts a 543.7-mile endurance race from Sydney to Melbourne, considered among the world's most grueling ultra-marathons. It was normally only attempted by world-class athletes typically less than 30 years old, but in 1983, a 61-year-old named Cliff Young showed up in overalls and work boots. To everyone's shock, Cliff wasn't a spectator. He picked up his race number and joined the other runners; the press and other athletes questioned Cliff. His response: "The whole time I was growing up, whenever the storms would roll in, I'd have to go out and round up the sheep. Sometimes I would have to run those sheep for two or three days. It took a long time, but I'd always catch them. I believe I can run this race." What happens next is an amazing and uplifting story of human triumph.