His first attempt was the Cocodona 250.

He finished in 99 hours, 29 minutes, and 57 seconds.

That time made him the first person in the 60–69 age group in the six-year history of Cocodona to break the 100-hour mark — out of 34 finishers across all six years who ever attempted it in that age group.

He did it on his first try.

But the finish time alone doesn't tell the story.

Keith paced runners at Cocodona in 2022 and 2024. He attended training camp on the course. He drove up in a camper weeks before the race to acclimate to altitude and heat. He ran segments of the course in training until they were no longer surprises. And the runners he paced in those earlier years came back and ran him across the finish line in Flagstaff.

This was years in the making. And he always knew it would be a one-time thing.

We talk about:

• Hating running as a kid — and not starting until his 40s
• Qualifying for Boston on his second marathon ever
• Running UTMB in 2022 and IMTUF 100 before setting his sights on 250 miles
• Why he paced others at Cocodona first — and what he was really learning
• Moving up in a camper to acclimate before the race even started
• The dust that got into his lungs at mile one and never fully cleared
• Three trail-side massages — a first for him — and why the crew insisted
• The solo loop: 14 miles, no pacer, middle of the night
• The lean that showed up in the final miles and what he did about it
• Running the last stretch into Flagstaff with his entire crew beside him
• Why he won't be returning to 200-mile racing — and what comes next

Keith wasn't the only one making history that day.

Pam Reed — one of the most decorated ultrarunners in the sport's history — finished second in the age group at 69 years old, in 100:28:57. She and Keith now hold the two fastest times ever recorded in the 60–69 age group at Cocodona. Both set in the same race. Same year.

Paul James Johnson finished fifth all-time in the age group — and it was his fifth Cocodona finish. No one in this age group has done it more.

This episode is 2.5 hours long. Keith was on that course for 99.5 hours, and not a single segment deserved to be left out.

Run Long After 60 is a video-first podcast focused on running after 60, ultrarunning, longevity, and staying active later in life. If you'd like to watch the full conversation — including chapter markers for every segment of the course — you can find the video version on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon Music to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Dave Perry found his audience six months ago when his daughters told him to start posting his runs on TikTok. No ring light. No script. No production team. Just a 60-year-old man in Northern California going out and running — and his videos have crossed 10,000 views. Multiple times.

What makes Dave so relatable isn't that he's an elite. It's that he isn't. He's a middle-of-the-pack guy who married his high school sweetheart, served in the U.S. Army, raised two daughters, has four grandchildren, and has been quietly building one of the cleanest longevity lifestyles you'll hear described on this show. Plant-based for over a decade. Sober for over 35 years. Fasting daily in a 2-to-4 p.m. window. Asleep by 9:00 p.m. and up at 4:30 a.m.

In this conversation: the Atkins-to-fish-to-plant-based journey that dropped his cholesterol from 240 to 152; why he stopped racing at 50 and never looked back; how making TikTok videos actually made him a better runner; surviving long runs without taste or smell after Covid; and why he's only ever run one marathon and one Ironman — on purpose.

This episode also opens with a long and deeply personal running intro from Mark — his full reflection on crewing and pacing Paul James Johnson at the Cocodona 250, what it meant to witness a multi-day event for the first time, and why that experience changed everything.

Dave Perry is the guy who makes you think: maybe I'll go out and run today. That's the whole point.

🎥 Watch the full video episode on YouTube — search Run Long After 60.

📲 Follow Dave Perry on TikTok: @fitandrunning60

New episodes every Sunday. Audio at 5:00 AM. Video at 12:00 PM Pacific.

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I sit down with two brothers — Chris Nicolaides (66) and Michael Nicolaides (63) — who have each run at least one mile every single day for over ten years.

Chris started his streak on Thanksgiving Day 2015. Michael started his 33 days later.

Neither one has stopped.

But the streak numbers alone don't tell the story.

These brothers have run 97 miles together at Umstead 100, stayed in Damascus, Virginia, to help rebuild after Hurricane Helene instead of racing, and once ran the Appalachian Trail together during Covid just to see each other.

Running every single day is not just what they do.

It's who they are.

This episode is the second installment of the Run Streaker Series.

The series began with Episode 24, when Kevin Brunson — an 18-year run streaker who appeared on Episode 12 of the podcast — reached out to Tim Hardy, another 18-year streaker, and brought him on the show. Kevin and Tim had followed each other's running for years but had never actually spoken. Their first real conversation happened on that episode.

At the end of that conversation, I challenged Kevin and Tim to find the next guests for the series.

Tim Hardy knew exactly who to call.

He had met Chris and Michael years earlier at a marathon dinner — and unknowingly planted the seed that led them both to start streaking. Tim is happy to take full credit. And full responsibility.

Both Kevin and Tim join this episode as co-hosts, anchoring the Run Streaker Series alongside the brothers.

We talk about:

• The New Year's Eve dare around a fire in Richmond that started everything
• Running before a hernia surgery — and again the night after
• The midnight split: how to get two streak days out of one late-night run
• Running Heathrow Terminal 5 back and forth, four times, to hit two miles
• 97 miles side by side at Umstead 100 — and what happened at mile 97
• Hurricane Helene, a canceled race, and staying to help rebuild a community
• Raven — the Miami Beach runner who has gone every single day since January 1st, 1975
• What all four would tell someone thinking about starting a streak

The Nicolaides brothers exist in rarefied air inside the running world.

They are believed to be one of the only brother pairs on earth holding an active run streak of this length. And when you hear the four of them in the same conversation — two brothers at ten years, two friends at eighteen — you understand immediately what that kind of commitment means, and what it gives back.

This is Run Streaker Series Episode 2.

If you know a run streaker — or a sibling pair still going — I'd love to hear from you.

Kevin Brunson and Tim Hardy return as anchors of the Run Streaker Series and will help bring future guests into these conversations.

If you know a run streaker whose story should be told, send them this episode.

Run Long After 60 is produced as a video-first podcast.

If you'd like to watch the full conversation, you can find the video version — including chapter markers — on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

For the first half of this episode, I'm sitting down with my running coach, Henry Howard — deputy media director of the American Legion, RRCA-certified coach, the creator of RunSpirited, and a five-time 100-mile finisher. Henry has believed in me for years, sometimes when the data probably said he shouldn't. We talk about how he balances running a major media operation at the American Legion with competing in and coaching ultras, the Burning River 100 that taught him the most about the distance, and what most amateur runners misunderstand about having a coach. He also reveals what he thinks is waiting for him on the other side of 60 — including some breaking news about a recent pickleball injury.

For the second half, the mic turns around. I'm coming off my first 100-mile start line at the Leona Divide — a DNF at mile 28, nine hours in, swept from the course. It was my third DNF in five months (Red Rock Canyon 100K in November, Sean O'Brien 100K in January, Leona Divide 100 Mile in April). That record deserves honest analysis, and Henry is the right person to give it.

We talk about who actually picked these races (I did — not Henry), whether the stroke history I carry from two ischemic strokes in my early fifties ever changed how Henry coached me, and the framework I've been building called Data Not Failure — the idea that every DNF contains information a finish doesn't, and that information is the foundation of whatever comes next.

We walk through all three DNFs, look at the pattern honestly, and face the question of whether Bigfoot 200 in August is the right next race. Henry doesn't give me a simple yes or no — which is exactly the right answer.

This episode closes with Henry's message for every runner over 60 who wonders whether the window might be closing. It's the right note to end on.

FIND HENRY HOWARD:

Website and Monday Motivation Newsletter: runspirited.com

Coaching inquiries: runspirited.com

Instagram: @henryhoward

Run Long After 60 is a podcast built on the conviction that age is not a barrier to doing hard things. Subscribe wherever you listen.

Taylor rode bikes as a kid in Michigan, put the bike away at 16 when he got his license, and didn't get back on one until he moved to Aspen for a theater job. He rode up to the Maroon Bells at 11,000 feet, got stoned at the top, flew 17 miles downhill, and said: I'm a cyclist for life.

The advocacy came later — when his kids were old enough to bike to school but the streets of West Hollywood were too wide, too fast, and too car-dominated to feel safe. So Taylor got appointed to the West Hollywood Bicycle Task Force, spent six months going deep into urban planning and street design, and helped transform Santa Monica Boulevard into something the whole community could use. That work eventually led him to Bike Talk — a weekly radio show on KPFK 90.7 FM now airing in 16 markets — where he co-hosts conversations with the politicians, authors, and urban planners reshaping how American cities work.

This is a different kind of episode for Run Long After 60. We talk about:

• The Bianchi, the Maroon Bells, and 40 years of never stopping

• The West Hollywood Bicycle Task Force and what it actually changed

• 45,000 Americans killed in traffic violence every year — and why it's not an accident

• "Car crash" not "car accident" — and the book behind that shift

• Bike Talk: from underground Kill Radio to 16 markets on KPFK

• E-bikes: why research shows older riders get more exercise on them, not less

• How protected bike lanes make roads safer for runners and drivers too

• What it actually takes to get someone over 60 back on two wheels

Taylor closes with a line that's going to stay with me. It's not his — he credits a writer named Tom Flood — but it's the whole argument in ten words: "Bicycles offer the freedom that auto ads promise."

He's right. And after this conversation, I believe it.

Run Long After 60 is a video-first podcast focused on running after 60, ultrarunning, longevity, and staying active later in life. If you'd like to watch the full conversation, you can find the video version on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon Music to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

What followed is one of the most remarkable arcs in masters running history.

She didn't stumble into records — she hunted them. Systematically. Breaking times that had stood untouched for over 20 years, many held by Olympic champions and Hall of Famers. Eight American records in her 50s. A world record at New York City. Then a lifetime PR of 2:45:27 at the 2023 London Marathon — two months before turning 60. Six months after that, she aged into the 60-64 category and immediately set that world record too at Chicago.

And she is still nervous before every race.

That tension — between historic achievement and deeply personal vulnerability — is what drives this conversation.

We talk about:

• Being the only runner in her family, and a late bloomer by any measure
• How getting a coach at 40 changed everything
• What it felt like to miss the Olympic Trials by 10 seconds in 2012
• A phase of trail running she loved, podiumed in, and then quietly left behind
• Why race anxiety hits five days out — not race morning — every single time
• The self-induced pressure of chasing records you yourself set
• Tokyo 2024, half a cup of water in a marathon, and a hard lesson in fueling
• Coaching 16 remote athletes and a youth running club on Thursday afternoons
• Achilles surgery on January 2nd — and what recovery actually looks like 12 weeks in
• Why she wants to bow out gracefully, organically, and entirely on her own terms

Jenny's story is about what happens when elite performance meets the very human experience of aging — and what it costs to stay competitive when your body starts negotiating.

She holds the records. She feels the pressure. She still gets nervous.

And she's not done yet.

Run Long After 60 is a video-first podcast focused on running after 60, ultrarunning, longevity, and staying active later in life. If you'd like to watch the full conversation, you can find the video version on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon Music to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Ray's story is one of the most layered I've heard.

He didn't move through phases — marathons, then triathlon, then trail. He stacked them. Simultaneously. For years. Sub-3 marathons. Ironman. Leadville 100. Wasatch 100. Zion 100. Nearly 5,000 miles and 147 races across roads, trails, and open water.

And then the body started talking back.

A ski injury in his 20s had quietly taken his ACL. For decades it didn't matter — his strength covered for it. But 25 years of running eventually found the weakness. Three arthroscopic surgeries later, with nothing left to clean up, he made the decision he'd been putting off.

At 70 years old, Ray had a full knee replacement.

He joined me just 53 days post-surgery — walking, rebuilding, and already thinking about what comes next.

We talk about:

• Starting running at 45 as a bodybuilder who hated cardio

• Running marathons, Ironman, and trail ultras all at the same time

• What it took to finish Leadville 100 with no crew, no pacer, and 11 minutes to spare

• Hallucinating faces at mile 40 of Wasatch 100

• How the body narrows your options — and why that's not the end

• Three arthroscopic surgeries, bone-on-bone running, and the knee replacement decision

• What recovery actually looks like 53 days in

• Why trail running became his church

• What 25 years of movement means to him now

Ray's story is about what happens when competitive fire meets a body that's asking for something different — and how you find your footing again when everything has to be rebuilt from scratch.

He's not starting over as a beginner.

He's starting over with 25 years of experience behind him.

That's a very different thing.

Run Long After 60 is a video-first podcast focused on running after 60, ultrarunning, longevity, and staying active later in life. If you'd like to watch the full conversation, you can find the video version on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon Music to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

But Gail’s running life is built around something even more fundamental than ultramarathons:

consistency over time.

She didn’t grow up with access to running or organized sports. Like many women of her generation, those opportunities simply weren’t there.

Instead, Gail found running later in life — and eventually found the trails after moving to Wyoming. That shift changed everything.

She never went back.

This conversation came together through the running community.

After speaking with search and rescue expert and ultrarunner Cliff Matthews, the idea of connecting with Gail came up. Cliff reached out, and that introduction led to this episode.

We talk about:

• Starting running later in life and building long-term consistency
• Transitioning from road marathons to trail ultramarathons
• How running changes with age — physically and mentally
• Why 50K races have become her preferred distance
• Staying active and connected in the running community after 70
• Balancing performance, longevity, and enjoyment in endurance sports
• A search and rescue accident that led to her current broken foot injury

Gail’s story highlights something unique about aging athletes and long-distance runners.

It’s not about speed or results — it’s about resilience, identity, and the ability to keep moving forward over time.

It’s also about perspective — and recognizing how lucky you are to still be able to do it.

There’s a quiet strength in that kind of consistency.

And Gail embodies it.

Run Long After 60 is a video-first podcast focused on running after 60, ultrarunning, longevity, and staying active later in life.

If you'd like to watch the full conversation, including moments that don’t always translate to audio, you can find the video version on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon Music to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

His career stretches back to the late 1970s. No GPS. No super shoes. Just effort, instinct, and a willingness to go further.

In this episode of Run Long After 60, Lion shares stories from a lifetime in endurance sport, including:

• The 1979 New York 100-miler
• Winning London to Brighton and earning the Ted Corbitt Trophy
• Racing Western States
• Winning the first Across the Years
• Continuing to run 100 miles into his 70s

But more than anything, this is a conversation about longevity.

About doing something for so long that it becomes part of who you are.

Lion also shares:

• How ultrarunning has evolved over the decades
• Why he now uses 48-hour timed races to complete 100 miles
• What it takes to keep showing up year after year

This conversation only scratches the surface of a lifetime in the sport.

If you see Lion out there — on the road or at a race — let him know you’re a fan.

Follow Run Long After 60 on YouTube and Instagram for more conversations with endurance athletes over 60.

In this episode of Run Long After 60, I speak with ultrarunner Tim Hardy — a runner who has maintained an 18-year run streak while also completing more than 130 ultramarathons, including races like Badwater and The Last Annual Vol State 500K.

But Tim’s running life is built around something even more fundamental than ultramarathons:

running at least one mile every single day.

This conversation also launches the Run Streaker Series on the podcast.

After recording Episode 12 with Kevin Brunson, another 18-year run streaker, I started thinking about how rare and fascinating these athletes are. There are very few run streakers in the world, and even though many of them know of each other, they don’t always have the chance to sit down and talk.

So I asked Kevin if he would help track down another run streaker and join me for the conversation.

He reached out to Tim Hardy.

Even though Kevin had followed Tim’s running for years, the two of them had never actually spoken before.

Their first real conversation happened right here on this episode.

We talk about:

• Maintaining a run streak for nearly two decades
• How ultramarathons fit into the discipline of daily running
• The unwritten rules of run streaking
• “Streak saver” runs and protecting the streak
• Tim’s experiences in races like Badwater and Vol State
• Why long-term consistency matters more than any 1 race
• The quiet community that exists among run streakers

Tim’s story highlights something unique about endurance athletes who run every day for years at a time.

They exist in a kind of rarefied air inside the running world — and when they recognize each other, there’s an immediate understanding of what that commitment means.

This episode is the first installment of the Run Streaker Series.

If you know a run streaker — or if you are one — I’d love to hear from you.

Kevin Brunson joins the episode as the first returning guest on the show and will help anchor future conversations in the Run Streaker Series.

If you know a run streaker whose story should be told, send them this episode.

Run Long After 60 is produced as a video-first podcast.

If you'd like to watch the full conversation, including moments that don’t always translate to audio, you can find the video version on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Leslie didn’t begin running marathons until around age 50. Since then she has completed 55 marathons and 126 half marathons, including 13 New York City Marathons and 11 Boston Marathons, racing year after year at the highest levels of masters competition.

But Leslie’s story isn’t just about racing.

Running became a way to rebuild community and create impact. Through the 310K Run/Walk in Santa Monica, Leslie has helped raise more than $120,000 for the Public Counsel Debtor Assistance Project, while also supporting other causes over the years — including programs connected to Santa Monica High School and local street safety organizations.

Her philosophy is simple:

“Aging is voluntary.”

We talk about:

• Discovering marathon running in midlife
• The draw of the New York City Marathon and the Abbott World Marathon Majors
• Racing competitively in her 60s
• Fueling strategies that changed her marathon performance
• Running with her family
• Building community through the 310K Run/Walk
• Why endurance sports become richer with experience

Leslie’s story is about starting later — and discovering that endurance has no expiration date.

Run Long After 60 is produced as a video-first podcast.

If you’d like to watch the full conversation, including the visuals and photos referenced in the episode, you can find the video version on the Run Long After 60 YouTube channel.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Kevin didn’t begin ultrarunning until 59. In May 2025, fourteen runners started Cocodona 250 in the 60–69 age group. Only three finished. Kevin was the first finisher in that division.

But this conversation isn’t about drama. It’s about judgment.

Kevin shares what he learned from stepping off the mountain at Moab 240 by choice. From a mile 192 DNF at Southern States 200. From managing sleep, nutrition, and multi-day effort without ego.

He builds systems. He laminates spreadsheets. He eliminates idle time at aid stations. And at 66, he has eleven races on the calendar for 2026 — including Arizona Monster 300.

We talk about:

• Discovering trail running at 59
• Building toward 200- and 250-mile races
• DNFs as information, not failure
• Sleep strategy and race efficiency
• Planning 1100 race miles in a single year
• Why experience can be an advantage after 60

Kevin isn’t reckless.
He isn’t loud.
He is calculating.

If you’ve followed last year’s Cocodona 60–69 division, you’ll recognize the two other finishers who’ve joined this podcast: Stephanie Irving (Episode 1) and Paul James Johnson (Episode 14). It’s an honor to have all three represented here.

Whether you’re chasing your first ultra or simply trying to stay adaptable with age, this conversation is about staying in the game — intelligently.

Run Long After 60 is produced as a video-first podcast.

If you’re listening on audio, this episode includes visual elements that deepen the storytelling. You can watch the full video version on YouTube at Run Long After 60.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon to follow the journey.

📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Miriam’s story begins long before the trails. As a child, she faced serious health challenges. As an adult, she became a caregiver. Running didn’t enter her life as competition — it entered as restoration. Over time, endurance became both therapy and testimony.

At 67, Miriam is not chasing podiums. She’s chasing wholeness. Her miles carry memory, resilience, and a quiet strength that doesn’t need to announce itself.

We talk about:

• Starting and continuing ultrarunning later in life
• Caregiving, survival, and identity beyond the label
• Running as emotional and physical healing
• Mental endurance vs. physical endurance
• Why movement can be medicine
• Aging as sharpening — not shrinking

Whether you’re navigating recovery, supporting someone you love, or wondering if it’s too late to start again, this conversation will meet you where you are.

🎥 Run Long After 60 is produced as a video-first podcast.
If you’re listening on audio, this episode includes visual elements that deepen the storytelling. You can watch the full video version on YouTube at Run Long After 60.

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, or Amazon to follow the journey.
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Troy also opens up about mediating billion-dollar disputes involving Native Nations and how ultrarunning has made him better under pressure.

This is a conversation about durability, humility, identity, and staying in the game long after 60.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Lauri is training for her first ultra in her 60s, and she shares the unfiltered reality: the mental resistance that shows up early in long runs, the discipline required to keep going, and the wisdom of choosing durability over ego.

A former Marine, Lauri brings a grounded, life-affirming approach to fitness and aging — one that rejects shrinking, fear-based narratives and instead embraces movement, strength training, sleep, and consistency.

We talk about:

• Running long after 60
• Mental resilience and self-talk
• Why strength training matters more than ever
• Finishing versus racing
• And how aging can be a gift — if you choose to open it

Whether you run, walk, hike, or are just thinking about starting again, this conversation will meet you where you are.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Ruperto was open about feeling self-conscious being on camera and speaking English — and then proceeded to be superb. Thoughtful. Honest. Grounded. At one point, his kids step into the room to help show off his trophies, and the pride runs both ways: they’re proud of him, and he’s proud of them — and of the life he’s built through running, family, and consistency.

Ruperto is 62 years old. He has completed 69 ultramarathons. He’s finished 65 of them. And 59 of those finishes were podiums. Those numbers are real — but this conversation isn’t about chasing stats. It’s about how you carry yourself through decades of effort.

We talk about discovering trail running in his late 30s, racing without ego, and learning — sometimes the hard way — when to push and when to protect the body. Ruperto shares what it was like entering his first 100-mile race with almost no knowledge of fueling or pacing… and finishing in the Top 10 anyway. We talk about grief, purpose, and how family has always been part of his running story — whether crewing, pacing, or simply believing.

His relationship with the Angeles Crest 100 is historic: podiums across decades, two overall wins years apart, and earning the rare Eagle buckle when you run the race 10 years in a row. But what stands out most is his perspective — why DNFs can be acts of wisdom, why the fire to compete doesn’t fade with age, and how excellence matures instead of disappearing.

This is a quiet, powerful conversation. No hype. No chest-beating. Just lived experience, respect for the miles, and a reminder that legends don’t always announce themselves.

As this audio episode is published, Ruperto is toeing the line at the Sean O’Brien 100K — and I’ll be out too. The only time I'll be on the course with him. He may come in first. I may come in last. And that feels exactly right.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Cliff is one of those rare people who trains hard, listens deeply, and shows up when it matters. He’s run long miles, rucked longer ones, paced countless friends, served in search and rescue, and quietly helped hold together parts of the trail community when no one else stepped forward. And when it’s time to race, Cliff flips a switch and enters what he calls Wheee! Mode — a philosophy rooted in joy, grit, presence, and mountain play.

This conversation could have gone on for days. Cliff and I are both talkers — and listeners — and what unfolds is a wide-ranging, heartfelt exchange about service, endurance, and meaning. We talk about helping others finish their dreams, including being part of the moment that helped Gunhild Swanson reach the Western States finish line with seconds to spare. We talk about joining the search for Caballo Blanco, carrying the emotional weight of the Bataan Memorial Death March year after year, and keeping grassroots trail traditions alive when they’re at risk of fading.

Cliff shares his perspective on celebrating DNFs, attempting and finishing everything from classic 100s to 200-mile races, and why joy matters just as much as toughness. We also talk about life shifts — caring for his aging mother, changing priorities, and how running sometimes takes a backseat without ever losing its place in the heart.

This episode is about training hard, serving others, and remembering why we do this in the first place. It’s about laughter, long stories, shared silence, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from showing up over and over again.

Congratulations to Cliff on his selection for Hardrock 2026 — a return to one of his favorite places, in full Wheee! Mode.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Jim lives in New Hampshire and runs with two knee replacements and one hip replacement. Born bow-legged and in pain for much of his life, he was told repeatedly that running wasn’t in the cards. Decades later, after multiple surgeries and a complete rebuild of his lower body, Jim is running again — not cautiously, but joyfully. He’s racing regularly, has completed marathons, and has logged more than 70 races since returning to the sport.

This conversation is unlike any other. Jim describes, in precise and honest detail, what it actually feels like to run with artificial joints — the clicking, the mechanics, the strange sensation of your brain not quite recognizing that your legs are moving. We talk about tibial oscillation, co-contraction, balance, proprioception, and how learning to run again at 61 really does feel like starting from scratch.

But this episode isn’t about hardware. It’s about freedom.

We talk about the moment Jim realized pain no longer controlled his life, about running with his daughter, about winter miles in New Hampshire, and about the quiet confidence that comes from reclaiming movement after being told “no” for so long. His smile — especially now — says everything.

This is one of the most hopeful episodes in the catalog. Not because it promises miracles, but because it shows what’s possible when curiosity, gratitude, and persistence meet modern medicine and a willing spirit.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Paul is 69 years old and has discovered that his true stride — both physically and mentally — lives in races of 200 miles and beyond. He’s started the Cocodona 250 four times, finished it three, and is already lining up for another run in 2026. Along the way, he’s found a rhythm that blends endurance, intellect, and imagination.

Paul calls his approach the Art of Distraction — a skill he believes is essential for surviving and thriving in massive efforts. Rather than fighting the distance, he leans into curiosity. He turns races into narrative projects, researches courses deeply, records his own audio notes to coach himself on trail, and uses story as a way to move forward when fatigue sets in.

We talk about what it’s like to bring a lawyer’s problem-solving mindset into ultrarunning, how research becomes memory deep into a race, and how storytelling can keep you engaged when the miles stretch endlessly ahead. Paul shares lessons learned from runner’s lean, glute issues, aging inside 200-mile races, and the constant recalibration required to stay healthy and upright.

We also talk about running with his son and crew chief C.J., why he loves inaugural races, and what keeps drawing him back to events like Cocodona, Across Florida 200, and the Thai 500. Somewhere along the way, Paul invites me to pace him at Cocodona 2026 — an offer I gladly accept during the conversation.

This episode is thoughtful, funny, and relentlessly curious — proof that at 69, you can still come in hot, find new gears, and keep chasing the next big adventure.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Bernie didn’t grow up in the gym. For decades, he lived a high-stress professional life in public relations, rarely worked out, and ran on Diet Coke, Chardonnay, and fast food. Everything changed after he read Younger Next Year.

What followed wasn’t a quick fix — it was a complete reorientation of how he wanted to live the rest of his life.

Since then, Bernie has lost more than 35 pounds, quit drinking, built a full garage gym, and committed himself to lifting heavy and moving well well into his 70s. At 74, his daily training posts have become a study in persistence — not perfection — and an inspiration to tens of thousands of people who see themselves in his late start.

We talk about turning retirement into a new kind of purpose, why muscle is the organ of longevity, and what it means to train not just for today, but for your 80s and beyond. Bernie shares how strength, speed, and mobility have reshaped his energy, sleep, and mindset — and why clarity often follows consistency.

This conversation isn’t about aesthetics or shortcuts. It’s about discipline, humility, and showing up every day — especially when you didn’t start early.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Kevin didn’t set out to become a streak runner. It started with a simple answer to a simple question: “Do you run every day?” One mile a day turned into one hundred days, and by then, he couldn’t stop. What makes this even better?

Kevin didn’t really start running seriously until age 48 — which means that after eighteen years, he’s only now “getting good at it.”

Today, Kevin sits in rare company: fewer than 150 people worldwide have maintained a run streak between 15 and 20 years. Out of more than 5,000 officially tracked streak runners, that places him firmly in the top few percent — though accolades aren’t what this conversation is about.

What is this conversation about? Joy. Curiosity. Restlessness. Laughter. And the sheer pleasure of moving every single day.

Kevin and I laugh more in this episode than in almost any other — not because we’re particularly funny, but because running has given us permission to be playful, imperfect, and fully ourselves. We talk about ADHD, gear evolution over decades, shoes and watches and packs, ultrarunning highs and lows, Boston Marathon memories, runner’s highs after 60, and why participation still matters deeply.

This episode is long, unfiltered, and full of heart. You’ll hear medals clinking in the background, stories spanning decades, and the unmistakable sound of two runners who genuinely love what they do.

Kevin’s message is simple and enduring: make it easy to get out the door, keep learning, and celebrate every mile — especially the ordinary ones.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

By any objective measure, Catra is one of the greatest ultrarunners of all time. She has completed hundreds of ultras, finished 100-mile races more than 100 times, conquered the Triple Crown of 200s twice, run Badwater repeatedly, and still holds the Fastest Known Time for the John Muir Trail Yo-Yo. This year, she also marked 31 years of sobriety.

Those facts matter — but they’re not what this conversation is about.

Instead, Catra and I talk about the heart behind the miles. We talk about recovery, sleep deprivation, fueling long races with real food, veganism, aging, community, and mental health. We talk about volunteering, sweeping the back of the pack, finishing last with dignity, and why service matters as much as performance.

Catra shares how running became a path of healing, how sobriety and movement are intertwined, and why joy — not records — is what keeps her showing up year after year.

The conversation is candid, funny, raw, and deeply human.

This episode isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a master class in resilience, redemption, and aging with courage — a reminder that the most powerful stories in endurance aren’t about numbers, but about transformation.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

John spent more than 30 years in law enforcement, often on the front lines, developing a kind of resilience that doesn’t come from races alone. Later in life, that same steadiness carried him into ultrarunning — and eventually into the longest events in the sport. At 61, John completed the Triple Crown of 200s: Tahoe 200, Bigfoot 200, and Moab 240.

This conversation traces John’s path from early road marathons in the 1990s to California trail ultras, and into the 200-mile distance that ultimately became his sweet spot.

We talk about how a career in law enforcement shaped his mental toughness, how service and responsibility translate into endurance, and what it means to keep challenging yourself while staying grounded in family and community.

We also spend time on the lows — especially John’s 2022 experience at Bigfoot 200, where injuries, terrain, and self-doubt nearly ended his race — and the redemption that followed. John shares how reframing his mental game allowed him to return the following year and finish Bigfoot more than twelve hours faster, not by changing his body, but by changing his perspective.

We talk about volunteering as a sweeper for Destination Trail races, the importance of giving back, and John’s four absolutes for long-distance racing: feet, hydration, nutrition, and sleep. Throughout it all, John’s focus remains clear — not on accolades, but on the example he’s setting for his grandchildren and the life he wants them to see him living.

This episode was re-recorded due to a technical issue with the original session, and the result is especially clean, focused audio — giving this story the clarity and space it deserves.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode. This episode reflects a later re-recording with improved clarity.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

At 61, Ann finished the Hardrock 100 as the final official finisher, kissing the rock with minutes to spare — not as someone barely hanging on, but with strength, composure, and form that reflected decades of experience. Since then, she’s continued to line up with curiosity and confidence, adding races like Mammoth Trailfest and the Dragon’s Back Ascent to an already remarkable endurance journey.

Ann’s story stretches across continents and decades — from her early running days in Belgium, to podium finishes at UTMB races in the Alps, to nine finishes at the TransRockies stage race. Along the way, she’s embraced stage racing, mountain running, and the power of team formats and community to sustain long-term engagement in the sport.

We talk about how 50Ks and 50-milers became the foundation for her 100-mile finishes, running strong through menopause and into her 60s, and how strength training helped her hold form late into Hardrock. Ann shares what it means to finish as the “last official finisher” — not as a consolation, but as a badge of honor that represents persistence, pride, and belonging.

More than anything, this conversation is about why we keep running as we age: for the mountains, for the people, and for the joy of movement itself. Ann’s mantra says it all — keep wiggling, keep pushing.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Pamela began racing at 55 and chose a 100-miler as her first event. Since then, she’s built one of the most extraordinary late-life endurance résumés in the sport: multiple finishes at Badwater 135, a perfect 10-for-10 record at Keys 100 (the only person in the world to do so), finishes at Brazil 135, and a continued pursuit of the longest, hottest, and hardest races on the calendar.

At the time we recorded this conversation, Pamela was 69 — and since then, she’s turned 70 and kept right on moving forward. The perspective she brings here reflects not a moment in time, but a way of living and training that continues to evolve.

Before all of this, Pamela spent more than four decades as a CRNA delivering anesthesia — a career that shaped her discipline, precision, and respect for recovery. In this conversation, we go deep into what it actually takes to run long at this level later in life.

We talk about coming back from a total hip replacement, including the role of AlterG training and progressive loading.

We dig into flatland training for mountain races, heat

adaptation, sodium and fueling strategies, strength work for masters athletes, hormone health, and the realities of crewing and pacing when races stretch through the night.

What stands out most isn’t just Pamela’s achievements — it’s her clarity, humor, and grounded confidence. She sets big goals not to chase records, but to stay engaged with what makes her feel alive.

This episode is a masterclass in smart longevity — a blueprint for running long, strong, and joyfully, no matter when you start.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Tonya is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist, a Doctor of Education, and the person athletes turn to when blisters, maceration, taping, shoe fit, or foot failure threaten to derail a race. But this conversation goes far beyond surface-level foot care.

A few years ago, I read the 7th Edition of Fixing Your Feet cover to cover, highlighted it, built my blister kits, and tabbed every “Tonya’s Tip.” In this episode, we dig into what makes foot care such a critical — and often misunderstood — part of endurance running, especially as we age.

We talk about maceration versus blisters, sweat and prevention, toe socks, taping strategies, and how aging feet change over time. Tonya brings her signature mix of deep science, practical experience, and quirky curiosity to explain not just what to do, but why it works.

We also explore proprioception, balance, falls after 40, menopause and women’s sports research, shoe fit debates, and the philosophy behind keeping runners moving — no matter the distance. Tonya shares stories from years at Western States aid stations, including Michigan Bluff, and how prevention has become the true focus of long-term endurance.

This episode is informative, nerdy, practical, and genuinely fun — a reminder that understanding your feet isn’t optional if you want to keep running long.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

This is the only episode in the series that doesn’t begin with a running intro. Instead, I recorded my intro sitting quietly on my patio, relaxed and unhurried, creating space for a deeper conversation about mental health, attention, and how endurance shows up beyond training and racing.

David and I talk openly about ADHD — including my own diagnosis — and about the ways focus, restlessness, curiosity, and self-regulation intersect with endurance over time. We explore how movement can support mental health, but also how slowing down, pausing, and changing cadence can be just as important.

Because of that setting, the audio on this episode is especially clear — and the tone is calmer, more reflective, and intentionally different. It’s a reminder that endurance isn’t always about forward motion; sometimes it’s about stillness, awareness, and choosing presence.

This conversation is about perspective, honesty, and staying engaged with the work of understanding ourselves — not chasing outcomes, but building clarity and compassion along the way.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter — even when that movement looks different.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode. This episode, with a recorded intro in a quieter setting, reflects a different rhythm and tone.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Pete’s path into ultrarunning wasn’t linear — and that’s exactly what makes it compelling. After years working in mining and spending long stretches in demanding environments, Pete chose a different kind of life: one built around movement, exploration, and endurance at the far edges of what’s considered possible later in life.

We talk about reinvention — not as a dramatic pivot, but as a series of quiet, intentional decisions. Pete shares how long-distance hiking evolved into ultrarunning, how freedom and simplicity began to matter more than traditional milestones, and what it’s like to orient your life around time on your feet rather than a calendar or career ladder.

We also talk about directing races, building community, and the perspective that comes from repeatedly placing yourself in difficult situations by choice. Pete’s story isn’t about chasing accolades — it’s about choosing alignment, curiosity, and purpose, even when that path looks unconventional from the outside.

Since this conversation, Pete’s continued to explore the outer limits of endurance — signing up for major events, directing races of his own, and showing what’s possible when experience and intention replace urgency.

This is a conversation about freedom, self-trust, and running toward what actually matters — not because it’s easy, but because it’s honest.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Lisa is a Master Certified ChiRunning Instructor and the founder of TheRunningUniversity, which recently marked its tenth year of training, coaching, and supporting runners across all stages of life. Her work reflects a long-term commitment to strength, durability, and thoughtful preparation — especially as athletes age.

Lisa is also the heart behind what many know as the “Purple Tribe” — a community of women, often over 50 and sometimes well into their 70s and 80s, who show up consistently for training, races, and events. Their presence exemplifies what real community looks like in the ultrarunning space: inclusive, supportive, and grounded in shared effort rather than outcomes.

We talk about training with intention, the role of strength and recovery in long-term endurance, and how consistency — not intensity — sustains progress over decades. Lisa shares her perspective as a coach, mentor, and organizer, and why building connection can be just as important as building fitness.

Since this episode first aired, it’s been a joy to watch @TruCoachLisa step more fully into sharing her work publicly — opening up her voice, her experience, and her community through social media with warmth and generosity. It’s a reminder of how powerful encouragement and visibility can be, at any stage of life.

This is a conversation about leadership, resilience, and showing up — not to chase trends or numbers, but to create spaces where people can keep moving, learning, and belonging.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Ray spent years competing at a high level as a race walker and later transitioned fully into running — an evolution that reflects both continuity and reinvention across a long athletic life. Our conversation centers on what it takes to continue showing up with intention as goals evolve, bodies change, and experience deepens.

We talk about how endurance shifts over time, why consistency and curiosity often matter more than intensity alone, and how identity can evolve without losing commitment or purpose. Ray shares his perspective on training, mindset, and the quiet discipline required to stay engaged without burning out.

This is a conversation about durability — physical, mental, and emotional — and about choosing to stay in motion not to prove something, but because movement continues to add meaning and structure to life.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Julia’s athletic life spans more than four decades. From her first marathon in 1990 to a second-place age-group finish at Ironman Austria at age 64, her story is one of consistency, curiosity, and evolution. Although she grew up in California, Julia has spent the past 40 years living, training, and racing in Italy — building a life shaped by movement, culture, and community.

We talk about what it means to keep evolving as an athlete over time. Julia shares her experience running marathons on every continent, pioneering early online coaching long before social media existed, and helping tens of thousands of women discover running through clinics and training programs across Europe.

We also talk about decision-making later in life — including why she turned down a Kona slot, what she chose instead, and how clarity, health, and long-term joy now guide her choices more than external validation.

This is a conversation about longevity, reinvention, and staying deeply connected to movement — not chasing accolades, but choosing what truly matters.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, curiosity, and challenge still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Stephanie began running at 40, transitioned from road marathons to trail running, and has since completed dozens of ultramarathons, including 100K and 100-mile races around the world. At age 63, she became the only woman in her age group to finish the 257-mile Cocodona 250.

Fourteen years ago, she and her collaborator created the Wild Woman Marathon — the first all-women trail race of its kind — a destination event that continues to thrive and shape community today.

We talk about starting later in life, discovering the trails, adapting expectations over time, and building community through endurance. This conversation is about curiosity, resilience, and staying engaged with the process — not chasing hype or outcomes.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega

Sam is known for his thoughtful approach to long-distance running, his openness about setbacks and his first, recent Did Not Finish ("DNF"), and his ability to balance curiosity, humility, and ambition deep into the endurance journey. Our conversation starts in the present — how Sam is training, thinking, and adapting right now — before selectively tracing the experiences that shaped how he runs and why he keeps coming back.

We talk about:

• What it really means to “run long” over time — physically and mentally
• Learning from a DNF without letting it define you
• Adapting training, expectations, and identity as years stack up
• Media, storytelling, and why endurance athletes are drawn to sharing their experiences
• The quiet discipline that sustains long-term progress

This is not a conversation about shortcuts, podiums, or hype.

It’s about durability. Perspective. And staying engaged with the process.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things — not to prove something, but because movement, curiosity, and challenge still matter.

Each episode intro starts in motion -- on a run -- because this show isn’t about talking around endurance. It’s about living it.

🎧 New episodes weekly
📍 Hosted by Mark Vega
🎙 Run Long After 60