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The Long Game
Florida Ultrarunner, Jim Miller, and the strength of getting older
If you have been anywhere on the Florida ultrarunning scene in the past few years, you probably have seen Jim Miller. He seems to be everywhere, and at 74 years old, shows no signs of slowing down. 2026 has been an impressive year for Jim, which has caught the attention of those of us following Florida ultramarathon stats and finishes.
He began the year by completing 300 miles at Across the Years, a 6-day race in Arizona that takes place over the New Year, beginning in late December and ending in early January. The timing gave him plenty of time to think about and plan the year ahead. A couple weeks later, he completed Long Haul 100, then two weeks later completed 54 miles at the Donna 110 before flying to Tokyo for the Tokyo Marathon, his fifth Abbott race. He then went on to run the Moab Run the Rocks 3-day challenge, the GR8 Trail Race, Stevie's Roost 48 Hour, where he completed 100 miles, and as well as 100 miles at the Bronze Dragonfly 30 Hour, all by early spring.
In May, he earned the title of oldest finisher at the Keys 100 for the second time, a badge of honor he holds dear to his heart and a feat he is proud to tackle at many of the races he shows up at. Most recently, he completed the River to Sea 12 Hour.
We wanted to really get to know “the old guy with the hair,” also recognizable by his race shirt, which includes names on the back and races on the front, written in Sharpie. Jim has become a motivation for those of us hoping to continue in the sport for decades to come.
Jim started his running career in high school on the cross country team and ran the 800.
“I loved the team point system of cross country and was always the last guy cut from the basketball and football tryouts, so cross country became my sport.”
His love for running followed him into adulthood, and in 2000, Jim ran his first Boston Marathon as a way to honor his late father, who died from fatty liver disease. The T-shirt concept was born with that first Boston.
“The shirt concept came with my first ever marathon in Boston in memory of my Dad. I then added the names of my 3 girls, and as fellow runners started to ask about the names on my jersey, I started to think of friends who were celebrating or needed prayer and so the race was dedicated to them with their names on my jersey. The front became my way of remembering the races for the year.”
Jim has gone on to complete Boston a staggering 17 times.
From 2006–2010, Jim completed a goal of many marathoners: finishing a marathon in all 50 states. He considers it one of his proudest running accomplishments.
At age 65, Jim ran his first ultra in 2018 at the iconic Strolling Jim 40-miler in Tennessee. Since then, he has accumulated an impressive UltraSignup resume. His first 100 came in 2022, at age 70, at the Daytona 100. About six weeks later, he completed his first Long Haul 100, one of his most memorable accomplishments.
In the years that followed, he has completed those races again, as well as other prominent Florida 100-milers including the Tampa Bay 100, and Space Pirate 100. Often, he is the oldest athlete on the course - or even the oldest in the history of the course.
When asked to rank his races, Jim said his favorite “will always [be] my first ever Boston, also Kaua’i [Marathon] as it was my 50th state. I have great recall of the Antarctica Marathon and the 100 miles in the Himalayas. River to Sea is my favorite ‘fun run.’”
The Himalayan Stage 100-mile challenge was also Jim’s most challenging race, considering the travel logistics and altitude. The race covers 100 miles over 5 days with varied race distance each day. The first stage alone has over 10,000 feet of climbing.
“The day of the 26.2 marathon took me 14 hours to finish.”
The “Miller Math”
When speaking with Jim or reading his online race recaps, you will often see him categorize his race miles into “marathons.” He has his own tracking system that translates his race miles into roughly 26.2-mile distances.
By June 26, Jim was counting marathon number 355, with a current goal of reaching 400. I asked Jim about his “Miller Math”, for example, counting 100 miles as four marathons.
“I am not trying to set any gold standard, world, ESPN running record, and from the start of my 100-milers have always been aware of the math. Here's how I do it and how those who truly know me have agreed and accepted my tracking. I am always putting miles ‘in the bank,’ so for hundos where I DNF, take the marathon credits and then put the rest in the bank. I did enough at River to Sea to take credit for one marathon and put about 5 miles in the bank. Other times, I will put in a few miles before a race to warm up and bank them. I currently have just 5 in the bank and am headed to my 100 Hour in September but am nursing a leg strain, so doubt I will get more than 200 miles done, so will be good for 7 marathons and whatever else I can do will go in the bank, and so on.”
Tracking aside, his accomplishments are impressive.
One might think that completing this many races would require grueling training. Jim takes a different approach.
“I’ve been going since 2000 and I attribute this longevity to the fact that I DO NOT run between races. I do exercise at least 3 hours per day with all low-impact exercises in the pool, on the bike, power walking and grounding (walking barefoot on cool, wet grass). My routine is one that even many younger [runners] might consider to reduce injury.”
At 74, the body is less equipped to handle high-impact forces day after day.
“I see so many of our fellow runners, all younger than me, who are pounding the pavement and incur injury and are not patient enough to fully recover… focus on the joy of running, the privilege of running and make the runs YOU against YOU.”
Jim says the real challenge isn't the training. It's the logistics and costs that go into races, especially travel races.
“Living on a fixed income and day trading [makes] funding and budgeting always a focus. Even more exhausting are the planning logistics, whether with a crew or going solo, the travel, the time, the packing of gear… it takes a lot of time, but keeping the focus on the end game and making fun of myself [when mistakes are made]. When I went to Tokyo I booked my return flight for February instead of March and had to change at the airport with only 2 seats left!”
When looking for new races and challenges, Jim mostly seeks races where he can complete 100 miles or longer, are new to him, have an interesting course and are in a location he enjoys.
Then comes another consideration.
“I look to see how many 70+ runners there are and if I have a shot at winning my age group or being the oldest runner [in the history of the race]".
Jim has a shot this year to become the oldest finisher at Front Range Daze 100 Hour in Loveland, Colorado; the Girl Scouts 100 in South Carolina; and the Daytona 100, which would be his fifth. And then there is Long Haul. “Andy [Matthews] says I would be the oldest finisher in the history of Long Haul if I prevail in January.”
He has been enduring laser therapy over the summer for wear and tear on his meniscus and is hopeful for a normal return to activities by the end of August.
And while he has completed five of the now eight Abbott World Marathon Majors, he isn't actively seeking the final races.
“Abbott has become more of a marketing deal nowadays, so not as important. Yet I am hoping to do London and Sydney. If I get them, will probably find a way to do South Africa, but Abbott itself is NOT a driver for me.”
Jim says he often gets questions and comments from others his age asking, “When are you going to quit all this?”
He believes it is their way of saying, “I can't do this, so why are you?”
“I tend to reply with, ‘I keep doing it because I can, because I love it and because few my age are doing it.’” He adds, “I am always meeting great people, many who are younger and say, ‘I want to be doing what you are doing at your age.’”
His advice for the generations of ultrarunners to come includes:
“Know your WHY, listen, watch and maybe get a coach… stay true to your own inner self. Forget FOMO, be patient with any injury, volunteer more, hug [your friends].”
And who does Jim look to for inspiration?
The one and only Bob Becker, whose age defying accomplishments inspire the entire ultrarunning community.
“He is the man in this older category that I respect the most.”
A Mother's Influence
Outside of running, one of the biggest influences in Jim's life was his mother and his devotion to her. His Facebook updates were often photos of the two of them played scrabble and spending time together.
“Mom was in Boston with me for my very first marathon and while she made fun of me, she loved to show off my medals. She always, even in her final months, wanted to know ‘did you put my name down as your emergency contact?’ Even when she wasn’t talking much she would hand write it in the air. I am so motivated by her love and support.”
Jim's mother died in early June of this year at 100.5 years old after suffering with Alzheimer's.
On June 26, his birthday and the day of his mother's funeral, Jim announced that he was kicking off his Celebration Campaign with the goal of going from marathon 355 to 400 by April 2027 culminating at his 18th Boston Marathon and doing it for the Alzheimer's Association.
Getting a charity bib for Boston is an arduous process that includes a detailed application, an interview and a pitch that prefers the runner to have a strong connection to the charity as well as a plan to raise the money. The Alzheimer’s Association's 2027 Team End ALZ application is expected to open in late September, with a limited number of charity bibs available and applications reviewed by a selection committee. Applicants are expected to be notified in early November. For runners who receive a charity bib, the fundraising minimum is $10,000, in addition to the race entry fee and application donation. Runners are responsible for covering the promised funds should they come up short in their campaign efforts.
A daunting task for anyone.
For Jim, however, the work to get to Boston and honor his late mother is just beginning.
His year has been packed with success, injury and heartbreak, and through it all he perseveres. He continues to show ultrarunners, in Florida and beyond, that age is just a number and does not define what you are capable of. This sport rewards longevity, grit and determination; something Jim is proving year after year that he has in abundance.
He also gives back to his community through volunteering at Catholic Charities, OneBlood, Read2Succeed and Second Harvest. He spends time reading an astounding 20–25 books per month and volunteers at Florida ultra races.
With his race calendar constantly filling up and a fun golf trip to Grand Rapids on the horizon, Jim proclaims:
“Life is full.”
If you are interested in helping Jim achieve his Boston Marathon fundraising goals or have tips to help please reach out to him via Facebook or this page where I can relay contact information.
