On October 11, 1981, Wally Hesseltine ran his first marathon. Every month since then, he has run one race or more. That’s 35 years of races, including 175 ultramarathons and 26 hundred-milers. That would be a feat of athleticism for the average person—but Hesseltine is for more determined than that.
At the age of 72, the endurance runner set his sights on the Western States 100. The most iconic ultramarathon, the Western States is a 100-mile race that must be completed in under 30 hours.
In the short documentary below, Hesseltine overcomes the unthinkable to become the race’s oldest-ever finisher. Having a hard time believing he did what he did? Peruse Hesseltine’s impressive finish times here.
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