Run Your Story Podcast · Allison Gaillard

Bob Becker - "Never stop"

·1 hr·4 clips

At 80, Bob Becker became the oldest finisher of Badwater 135 after an earlier attempt missed the cutoff by 17 minutes.

1. Run Your Story Podcast centers this episode on Bob Becker’s path from marathon runner to Badwater 135 finisher at age 80. 2. Allison Gilliard hosts, Bob Becker is the guest, Lisa Smith-Batchen is his coach, and Kimmy is the mutual friend who connected them. 3. The episode asks how Bob went from Grandma’s Marathon to record-setting ultra running and what kept him returning to Badwater. 4. Bob says he ran the mile in high school and later joined a marathon training group after moving to Fort Lauderdale in 2001. 5. He describes flying to Duluth for Grandma’s Marathon with friends from Minneapolis and qualifying for Boston after that race. 6. Boston in 2003 led him to hear about Marathon de Sable, which he had to look up because he did not know what an ultra marathon was. 7. Bob says he and his friend Jared treated the next Marathon de Sable as a birthday challenge when Bob turned 60 and Jared turned 40. 8. He explains that Marathon de Sable is a seven-day stage race in Morocco’s Sahara desert with tents, sand, rocks, mountains, heat, and self-carried food and gear. 9. Bob says the camaraderie in those tents and on the course pulled him into ultra running. 10. He adds that a femur fracture from that race forced a recovery period before he returned to 50-milers and 100-milers. 11. Bob says Badwater 135 is a race he has returned to for 18 straight years as runner, crew member, or volunteer. 12. He explains that his 2023 Badwater attempt ended 17 minutes and 27 seconds over the cutoff after his back gave out around mile 100. 13. Bob says he went back this year, finished in 45 hours, and became the oldest finisher of the race. 14. He is 80, and he says the finish came after three short naps and constant crew monitoring of time, nutrition, and hydration. 15. Bob says his crew of four people leapfrogs him in a minivan, meeting every mile or two for water, ice bandanas, food, clothes, shoes, and electrolyte support. 16. He says Lisa Smith-Batchen and Marshall Ulrich helped keep him on plan, and he credits the crew with getting him under the cutoff. 17. The interview style is conversational and detailed, with Allison asking about records, crew support, training, recovery, shoes, and race-director work. 18. Bob’s tone is practical and reflective, and he keeps returning to preparation, community, and the line “never stop.” 19. Runners, ultra-curious marathoners, and endurance fans will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting celebrity news or short-form sports talk may skip it.

As heard by us

A welcoming look at how a race can open the door to ultras.

The conversation frames the race as a practical entry point into ultras, with relay options and a first 50K making the leap feel more reachable.

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Why you'd press play

You want a friendly doorway into ultras with practical race details.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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