Live longer: 63-year-old ultra runner reveals fitness secret

John Salton

This essay is based on a conversation with John Salton, a 63-year-old vegan ultra-runner from Bright, Australia. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I started running ten years ago and now, at 63, I am an ultrarunner. I regularly run distances of 50 kilometers or more. Next year, on July 5, 2025, I will run across Australia, covering 76 kilometers a day for 63 consecutive days.

I have always believed in the importance of movement, and I believe that movement means life.

There are certain things I do before a big run to prepare my mind and body for what lies ahead. This is how I recharge.

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I make more conscious decisions

The most important thing for me is that I am aware of the decisions I make. I’m starting to be more conscious about how I breathe, what water I drink and what foods I eat. Everything starts with a level of awareness, and the key to becoming more aware of these decisions is the “why” behind them. I believe that when you understand the “why,” you are more motivated to do what you need to do to be healthy.

My big “why” is that I want to do what I can to positively impact not only my own future, but the lives of others. For example, the money I raised from my run around Australia will go towards starting a charity called Soaring Connections. The goal of this charity is to build regenerative farms that grow food for regional communities.

I concentrate on my breathing

After focusing on being more conscious of my choices, I focus on the breath. This is a big priority. After all, you can go without food and even water for several days, but you have to breathe.

When I first started getting serious about running, I met with Brett Haynes, the head coach and developer of TriBreath, a program focused on respiratory fitness. He taught me a very special – and disciplined – type of breathwork.

When I run, I use what’s called the two-one method, where I breathe in through my nose twice and out through my mouth once, with my tongue on the roof of my mouth. I do this in time with my elbows. This moves the energy through the body in a very rhythmic way. I use this type of breathing – referred to as “first gear” in the TriBreath community – in technical and challenging terrain.

Then I can shift into second gear, where I breathe in a three-two cycle, and into third gear, where I breathe in a four-three cycle. When I reach third gear, it feels like I become one with the energy around me. That’s incredible. When I run in the mountains it feels like meditation.

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I drink a lot of water

I add a pinch of Celtic sea salt to every liter of spring water I drink. The salt I use is organic and contains a blend of about 83 different minerals.

I drink at least two, if not three liters of water a day. How much I drink also depends on how humid the air is. When the air is dry, I drink more water. When the air is humid, sometimes I don’t drink as much. My physical activity also affects my water consumption. When I’m more active, I drink more. When it comes to fuel, I look at it like a car – the more I press the accelerator, the more fuel I need.

I eat gut-friendly foods

I have found that consuming miso has made a huge difference in my well-being. I’m looking for a really good miso that has been fermented for several years. The longer the fermentation process takes, the more live cultures the miso contains. The amino acids (our body’s building blocks) in miso are enormous and support good gut health.

John Salton

I follow a purely plant-based diet, so I eat a lot of vegetables. Before a big run, I eat a lot the night before. I eat broccoli, lentils and beans. In the morning I start my day with a banana or an avocado with tahini to get fat.

During my run, I started fueling my body with organic dates filled with tahini and miso. It’s like a little energy bomb and so easy to digest. I also snack on organic mixed nuts and love celebrating the end of a run with mango and vegan ice cream.

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I sleep a lot and start my day right

Another important aspect of supplying the body with energy is sleep. This is when the magic of the body’s recovery process happens. I go to bed early, usually around 8:30 or 9 p.m., and usually get up around four or five in the morning.

First, I drink some water, then do warm-up exercises, followed by the Five Tibetan Rites, an ancient yoga practice that involves a sequence of exercises.

I usually start my day with a warm shower followed by a cold shower to get the lymphatic system going. After a light breakfast, I’m ready for my run.

I think it’s important for each of us to value ourselves as individuals – to truly embrace every single aspect of who we are and to take responsibility for the choices we make to promote our health.

Read the original article in English here.