Yul Kwon has some advice on how to still be running long distances well into your 90s — don’t start until you’re 60.
“Maybe that’s why I can carry on even now,” laughs the 90-year-old of his own late-in-life start — he ran his first full marathon at 68 years old — which may have spared his knees from the long-term wear and tear many runners experience.
His routine helps: 100 squats, 100 sit-ups, and 50 pushups every morning. As does running with purpose, which he’s doing this May by raising funds for the BC Cancer Foundation through the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon.
An avid tennis player in his 50s, Yul was forced to quit the sport due to severe tennis elbow and so his daughter, Dr. Janice Kwon, an oncologist at BC Cancer – Vancouver, encouraged him to join her in running marathons instead.
To date, Yul has participated in over 30 marathons, and just as many half marathons — often knocking out two to three, or more, 21.1 km to 42.2 km races each year.
In 2025, he raised over $3,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation and says crossing the finish line was especially gratifying knowing he was supporting BC Cancer’s life-saving work.
“Combining running with a cause means the personal enjoyment I find in running marathons is extended to something that also betters the community,” he says — an idea that perfectly aligns with a personal intention he set for himself.
A personal vision — a purposeful pace
A former international business professor in Canada and Australia, Yul says, “All companies have a vision statement. I’ve always urged my students to have one, but when I started running long distances, I realized I didn’t really have a clear vision of my own.”
While writing his memoir, which traces his journey from a poor, rural upbringing in Korea to an economics professor, international advisor, lecturer and author, specializing in trade issues with Korea, and a nonagenarian marathon runner, he came up with:
“I will maintain the physical and mental health of a person 20 years younger than me while living a meaningful, diligent and joyful life.”
Running long distances, while raising funds for cancer research in B.C., which relies heavily on donor support, has helped him achieve this. And his commitment — to training and giving back — has shaped how Yul approaches far more than running
“Life is very similar to a marathon. Both are difficult, but the results are proportionate to what you put into it, how much you prepare, how much perseverance you have.”
Reaching for new heights
Of course, there are highs and lows. Yul recalls a marathon he ran while living in Australia. “My daughter called me after finishing and said, “Dad, you qualified for Boston!”
In 2016, he placed first in his age category (80 plus) in the Boston Marathon with a time of four hours and 31 minutes.
A few years later, however, his stride stalled when COVID-19 shut down marathons. With only a few weeks of training prior to his first post-pandemic marathon, he struggled to finish.
The key to moving forward is to set new goals, says Yul. “You can have a new dream at any age.”
For now, he has two: A short-term aspiration of raising even more funds for the BC Cancer Foundation in this year’s BMO Vancouver Half Marathon. And while it’s still a few years off, he says, “I dream of running a marathon at 100 years old.”
Given his inspiring track record, chances are he’ll achieve both.
Help Yul advance life-saving cancer research and care in B.C. by donating in support of his run or another participant or team raising funds for the BC Cancer Foundation.