At the 544-mile Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon in 1983, a 61-year-old potato farmer named Cliff Young showed up in overalls and work boots. While other runners stopped to sleep, Young moved continuously for five straight days. He would win the race and broke the existing record by two days.

In 1983, a 61-year-old Australian potato farmer named Cliff Young made history when he won the Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon — by running 544 miles without taking a break over the course of five days and 15 hours. He credited his success in part to his experience herding sheep, which often required him to spend two to three days running without stopping.

"I grew up on a farm where we couldn't afford horses or tractors, and the whole time I was growing up, whenever the storms would roll in, I'd have to go out and round up the sheep," he said in an interview before the race. "Sometimes I would have to run those sheep for two or three days. It took a long time, but I'd always catch them. I believe I can run this race."

Learn more about Cliff Young, the Australian potato farmer who came out of nowhere to win a 544-mile ultramarathon: https://allthatsinteresting.com/cliff-young