At 87 years old, most people might be content to slow down and take life easy. But Paul Youd is not most people. This remarkable octogenarian has already completed his 10th ultra marathon and shows no signs of stopping, driven by an unlikely source of inspiration: former Navy SEAL David Goggins.
“I’ll tell you who inspired me and that’s David Goggins,” Paul explains in a recent video. “I saw an interview with him with Rich Roll and I thought, ‘Wow, what a story.’ He says things like when he says we can all do more than we think we can. Well, we can all do much more than we think we can. And nothing happens in your comfort zone. Be uncomfortable and be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Paul’s journey into ultra running began during the 2020 lockdown when he decided to emerge with a new skill. He created a 20-yard track in his back garden and ran around it for six months. Remarkably, the knee pain that had forced him to quit running in his 40s had disappeared completely after adopting a plant-based diet, along with his arthritis.
“I couldn’t make a fist. The damage was done but all the pain went. I couldn’t shake hands, couldn’t change gear. Everything was painful,” Paul recalls about his pre-vegan days. The dietary change proved to be transformative, eliminating his osteoarthritis entirely and allowing him to pursue his athletic dreams.
Now running with the “Running on Plants” group, Paul advocates for plant-based nutrition while tackling grueling 50K ultra marathons. His transformation from someone who needed a frame to walk to completing ultra marathons is nothing short of extraordinary. “If I had to go vegan, I’d be pushing a frame around now that if I was still around,” he reflects.
Paul’s motivation extends beyond personal achievement. He runs to raise money for Viva, an animal rights organization, and considers himself an animal rights activist. “I feel 65 years of harming animals. The least I could do is not just stop harming animals, but speak up on their behalf because they have no voice.”
His ultimate goal is inspiring: “My aim, my ultimate goal is to show you can be fit and healthy and strong as a vegan into old age. I want to show what’s possible.” Currently medication-free and living what he calls his “best life,”
He says, “I’m 87. I’m on no medications. I’m living my best life and I’m as happy as I’ve ever been, I think. And I want to share that.”