In this episode of Run Long After 60, I’m joined by ultrarunner, retired trial lawyer, and master storyteller Paul James Johnson.

Paul is 69 years old and has discovered that his true stride — both physically and mentally — lives in races of 200 miles and beyond. He’s started the Cocodona 250 four times, finished it three, and is already lining up for another run in 2026. Along the way, he’s found a rhythm that blends endurance, intellect, and imagination.

Paul calls his approach the Art of Distraction — a skill he believes is essential for surviving and thriving in massive efforts. Rather than fighting the distance, he leans into curiosity. He turns races into narrative projects, researches courses deeply, records his own audio notes to coach himself on trail, and uses story as a way to move forward when fatigue sets in.

We talk about what it’s like to bring a lawyer’s problem-solving mindset into ultrarunning, how research becomes memory deep into a race, and how storytelling can keep you engaged when the miles stretch endlessly ahead. Paul shares lessons learned from runner’s lean, glute issues, aging inside 200-mile races, and the constant recalibration required to stay healthy and upright.

We also talk about running with his son and crew chief C.J., why he loves inaugural races, and what keeps drawing him back to events like Cocodona, Across Florida 200, and the Thai 500. Somewhere along the way, Paul invites me to pace him at Cocodona 2026 — an offer I gladly accept during the conversation.

This episode is thoughtful, funny, and relentlessly curious — proof that at 69, you can still come in hot, find new gears, and keep chasing the next big adventure.

Run Long After 60 is a show about people who continue doing hard things because movement, challenge, and curiosity still matter.

Note: These early episodes were originally recorded for video. Audio quality may vary slightly from episode to episode, but the conversations remain intact and unedited.

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