Epic multi island race challenge for Rich Roll
At age 50 Rich Roll is ten years on from the 40th birthday when he acknowledged that his abuses of his body were taking an awful toll on his health. He went vegan, trained and became one of the most accomplished endurance athletes in the world.
He’s also known for his captivating podcasts which could be believed to be his focus, overtaking his personal performance as his own priority. Although a recent race shows what Rich is capable of.
The Otillo Swimrun World Championship is a race without comparison. Athletes cover all 26 islands of the Stockholm Achipelago, which means swimming over ten kilometres (6.2 miles) in the Scandinavian sea and running 65 km (40 miles). The runs included terrains that the experienced runner had never dealt with before, rain slashing in diagonally, while the sea was filled with huge blooms of jellyfish.
Some of the transitions were the most troubling times. “When you finish a swim you land on these giant rock slabs, which are incredibly slippery” Rich was quoted in the NY Times. A knee injury and a split chin were among the injuries at these points that ended athletes’ races.
Rich held on to finish the race, which he felt was in doubt at earlier stages.
New York Times article on the event
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