HEROES-Anton Krupicka

We live in a time of superstar athletes. You have guys like Barry Bonds who juice up on roids and belt out homers. You have others who do the same shit as Barry and deny it. Then, you have assholes like Lance Armstrong who will sue the shit out of you if you even insinuate that he took drugs. As if the doping wasn't enough, you have the other drugs, the drunkenness, the hookers, the rapes, the lavish lifestyles, the egos, and what have you. It is a bit sickening to behold. Then, you have a guy like Tony Krupicka. Never heard of the guy? Me neither until about a month or so ago. But when I read about him and his exploits, they made a lasting impression on me.

Krupicka is an ultrarunner. He is a winner of the Leadville Ultramarathon. He is a grad student studying geology I think. I don't know since he doesn't have a Wikipedia entry. I remember reading somewhere that he studied philosophy and physics. What a combination. And he runs. A LOT. He puts in 125 to 150 miles per week on mountainous terrain. But to see him do it tells you that he does it out of sheer enjoyment. If you have ever wanted motivation to go for a run, seeing the way Krupicka does it makes you envy that fucker and want to do the same thing.



The reason I admire Krupicka is because he is the antithesis of so many things. He is not a flashy athlete even in the world of running. He runs with minimal shoes and minimal gear. He has a low key lifestyle. He is an individualist and someone who clearly embraces voluntary simplicity. At one event, he stayed in a tent before the race. Sometimes, he wears a button down shirt to run in. He doesn't even make a good poster boy for high tech running gear. I don't see him getting sponsorship from The North Face. They would probably insist that he wear a shirt.

Krupicka is a primal animal. He is a free spirit. He is someone who enjoys life. This is why I have come to admire him in such a brief period. He lives the way I want to live which is a simple lifestyle combined with an endorphin afterglow with some cerebral stimulation thrown in.



The best word I can use to describe Krupicka is "authentic." Over the last two years, I have been rediscovering authenticity and learning about people who have this quality. So much of the world is just a bunch of bullshit. When I get tired of the bullshit, I think of Krupicka running in those mountains. It is another world out there. It is solace and escape. Krupicka doesn't wear headphones and jam to his iPod. It is just him and his thoughts out on those trails.

I don't see Krupicka as just some hippie space cadet. He seems like a down-to-earth guy. But I see him as a supremely happy person. He is a rare breed of individual.



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Krupicka's Blog--Riding the Wind
http://antonkrupicka.blogspot.com/



Tony gets a Wikipedia entry!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Krupicka

A Simple Kind of Man
http://running.competitor.com/2010/05/features/a-simple-kind-of-man_10093

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