How This 52-Year-Old Crushed His First Ultra, One of the Hardest Races in the World

August 21, 2023

Ken Rideout had never slept in a tent, run with a backpack, or been in a race longer than 26.2 miles — but when the 52-year-old heard about the grueling Gobi March ultramarathon, something told him he could win it.

Not only did Rideout win the Gobi March at 52, taking first place out of 124 runners from around the world, but he also beat second place by a full 90 minutes. And he did it running in a women’s backpack he had to borrow after his fell apart on him. Gear Junkie