In 1983, Australians watched in disbelief as a 61-year-old potato farmer in work boots outran a field of elite athletes in the 875-kilometre Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon. Cliff Young, unknown outside his rural Victorian hometown, arrived in overalls with no endorsements, no team, and no sleep strategy. Five days later, he crossed the finish line ten hours ahead of his nearest rival.
No Training, No Sleep, No Dentures
Cliff Young grew up on a 2,000-acre sheep farm in Beech Forest, Victoria, where he herded animals on foot during the Great Depression. In 1979, at age 56, he ran the Adidas Sun Superun and the Melbourne Marathon. By 1982, he was training in the Otway Ranges and attempting world records.
The following year, he entered the inaugural Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon. Wearing borrowed running shoes and without his dentures—he said they rattled when he ran—he began the race far behind the pack.
While others stopped to sleep, Young rose early by accident and kept running. Realizing the advantage, he chose not to sleep at all for the rest of the race.
He maintained a slow but consistent pace, later dubbed the “Young Shuffle,” and gradually passed all competitors. He completed the race in five days, fifteen hours, and four minutes, nearly two days faster than any previous recorded effort.
Unexpected Champion, Unclaimed Prize
Young’s performance stunned spectators and competitors. At age 61, he had beaten a field of much younger and better-equipped runners.
When awarded the A$10,000 prize, he said he hadn’t known there was a cash reward. Believing the other finishers deserved recognition too, he gave most of the money away—keeping only A$3,000 and dividing the rest among his competitors.
Racing Into the Record Books
After his surprise victory, Young attempted the event again but never matched his 1983 success. He made further endurance attempts into his 70s, including a partial run around Australia in 1997.
In 2000, he set a world age record in a six-day race. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1984 for long-distance running.
Young died in 2003 at age 81 after a lengthy illness. His hometown erected a gumboot-shaped memorial in his honor. His shuffling gait, once mocked, was later adopted by other ultramarathon runners for its energy efficiency. His run from Sydney to Melbourne remains one of the most remarkable finishes in the sport’s history.
In 1983, Cliff Young, a 61-year-old farmer in overalls and work boots, stunned the nation by winning a 875 km ultramarathon.
Unknown, unfunded, and toothless, he shuffled past elite runners by refusing to sleep.
What he did during those five days became history…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/bwEzbECevI
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) July 24, 2025