May 11, 2020

“If you want to view paradise,
simply look around and view it.
Anything you want to, do it.
Wanna change the world?
There’s nothing to it.” ~Willie Wonka

2019 was an incredible year of running for me, including a doubling of my personal record by completing six 100 mile ultramarathons. Three of those six were races I consider to be really tough. It was not my goal to qualify for the UTMB, but those three races earned more than the needed qualifying points. That volume of official races was not sustainable and now impossible due to the pandemic, but I’m fortunate to be running happy regardless.

To see more details on those 100 milers and other races, most are here: https://ultrasignup.com/results_participant.aspx?fname=Randy&lname=Kreill. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the Ultrasignups link to see December’s Falls 100, and some other races are listed under a separate Randy Kreill. Both are my results. While it may seem like a lot of races, I’m a slacker relative to many on volume of races, pace and distances covered.

Years ago, I ran my first solo 50 miler and met my family for dinner. It blew my mind how long the drive home felt. My feet hurt. Badly. I’d run it with an overstuffed pack, a few dollars in my pocket, and four millimeter huarache sandals. Below is a video from the photos I took on that run. At that time, I never imagined being able to turn around and run back home!! I have clear memories of my overstuffed hydration pack malfunctioning spilling vegan burritos and gear onto the trail in Spring Valley.

Since quarantine started, I’ve been chomping at the bit to run another 100 miler. The 100 miler I’ve run six years in a row had already been cancelled in April. The July 100 miler I registered for looks promising, but permits could be pulled.

Typically I pay what I consider to be a modest fee of $140 to $300 to run some great 100 mile foot races. These events couldn’t exist at those prices without a village of people volunteering their time to plan, organize and make these events happen. For my 100 mile fun run, there was no entry fee. I wanted to try and raise money for the The FoodBank. Within a day of setting up a fundraiser on Facebook, over $400 had been donated. Helen Garen, another local runner, lined up her husband to “crew” for us; he’d be shuttling our gear to small towns and road crossings for us over a thirty-hour period. He did this for us several years ago when a small group ran the 50 mile route on a brutally hot and humid August day, and since then, I’ve called him Saint Dana. This time, fifty miles would merely be the halfway point for this “fun run”. In a 100 mile race, I think of the first 60-80 miles as a “warm up”. If we set the table properly, we can finish strong and healthy–maybe even with negative splits. Finishing strong after 100 miles is an incredible feeling.

In the modern world, running is often viewed as a privilege, and many may see it as a waste of time. For me, running is a productive way to enhance my wellbeing. Running is merely an expression of what we are at our primal core. I feel joyful, content, and connected to the world around me when I run. Walking through nature, I feel more like an outsider looking in. Running through, I feel like a part of it.

There were many firsts with this run. This was my first time running 100 miles the entire way in shoes! I’d not yet run 100 miles with a rubber fish, so that dream is complete–just for the halibut and with minimal floundering around :~). We also turned the run into a fundraiser for a good cause. Top ultra-runner Scott Jurek was a big part of my inspiration for switching to an all plant-based “diet” a decade ago. His book Eat and Run gave me the idea to make my 100-mile fun run double as a fundraiser for the FoodBank. We would “run so others can eat.” Right now, more than ever … many children are going hungry. The FaceBook fundraiser I set up for this event raised $1410 from 40 donors. That’s a lot of potatoes!

….so why the fish?

About seven years ago, I read some history on the messenger/courier runners from ancient times. I believe it was a Roman king who would have runners carry fresh-caught ocean fish over a hundred miles to satisfy his craving. The runner’s work was risky and difficult (and stinky). This story prompted me to buy a rubber fish. My original plan was to run with that fish during a 5k. Unfortunately, I never figured out how to attach the fish to the back of the homemade toga I was also wearing for that race. For years, that fish laid around without any miles on it. I brought it back out for this race as a nod to some interesting running history and some silly fun. There were some smiles and fun conversations around that fish. Often I ran with the fish in hand to take quick photos. At those times, I’d wave to oncoming traffic with a rubber fish, mouth up to the sky. That element of surprise added some energy and laughs to our day.

Without packing up my vehicle, investing in travel and lodging, and with no risk of a DNF on my UltraSignups results, would I still be strong enough to get it done? Do I have the intrinsic motivation? 100 miles by foot always involves discomfort. While we had frequent, reliable support, it’s not possible to recreate the infrastructure of multiple fully stocked and staffed aid stations via a one man crew from an SUV. The fish helped.

Our 100 mile fun run was awesome, and it was so nice to start and finish from our home. My wife rang a cowbell to start us off. She and our three daughters were out on the course at key points, and my wife ran the final eight miles or more. Our girls had a waffle breakfast and coffee waiting at home. Covid-19 was the motivator for this run and was the only reason all three of our daughters were home in Ohio. Regardless of the reason, I was grateful. I got to see our “pup” Snickers out there a few times. She’ll be twelve years old soon!

Headlamps on, four of us started at 5:30AM with temperatures in the upper 20’s. The sunrise was gorgeous, and we nailed the timing, as we arrived at the 50.6 mile turnaround in the bustling town of Loveland at dinner hour. The day became sunny and cool. I never stripped down to a short sleeve shirt as expected. There was a chill in the breezy air that allowed for a good pace. See the video for evidence of how great the colors were! My thoughts ranged from deep gratitude for every step and breath to “I just want to be done”. We went out faster than needed and had 50K complete in about six hours and thirty minutes. The faster than normal pace may have set my tummy up for extra discomfort. I started the run at my lightest weight ever for this distance and had expected minimal bathroom stops. Sadly, this was not the case. I made a few mistakes and lost some gear, but it was a super adventure.

Two of us completed the full 101 miles. The last time I was on most of these trails was for my 50th birthday, full Iron–distance triathlon on Aug. 25, 2012. Jeff planned on running 50K to 50M and ran about 37 before some knee aches prompted him to be done for the day. Kendell ran about 77 miles. We met up with old friends and made new friends. All of these amazing people were out there to keep us company. For some, that meant finding us in the dark and running while it felt colder than the predicted temps in lower lying areas by rivers, streams.

Helen and I called it a tie. First place female for Helen and first place male for myself. We arrived back to our property at just under 26 hours and twenty nine minutes. After the run, some quick waffles with fruit and a hot bath were luxurious relative to the post run time at most races. At my last 100 miler in the hills of Kentucky, I slept in the back of our minivan without getting a shower.

My first pair of huaraches was a $20 kit sandal from Invisible Shoes. I ran in those for that first solo 50 miler on this same course. Both Xero Shoes and my running have come a long way. The right shoes can change your life. We should strive for as strong a foundation as possible. All Xero footwear products feature zero drop from heel to toe, no arch support and wide toe box or forefoot space … plus great customer service, expertise in minimalist footwear/healthy motion and a 5000 mile outsole warranty.

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Pure Imagination …

“Come with me and you’ll be
In a world of pure imagination.
Take a look and you’ll see
Into your imagination. We’ll begin with a spin
Travelling in the world of my creation.
What we’ll see will defy explanation.

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanna change the world?
There’s nothing to it. There is no life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there you’ll be free
If you truly wish to be. Willie Wonka lyrics to Pure Imagination”

The music for the video about this run comes from a favorite movie of all time, Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In the 1970’s when I was a kid, I suspect the movie was shown on TV once a year.

From the end of the original film …

Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.
Charlie Bucket: What happened?
Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.

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