If It Comes Easily, It’s Worthless

A profile of ultrarunner, Keith Munch

We often meet people at our races or group runs who inspire us, and whenever possible, we aim to share their stories with you. Meet Keith Munch, a member of the Aravaipa running community.  A recent transplant from Arizona to Colorado, he recently finished the inaugural Royal Gorge Groove 60K (finishing with a grotesquely broken pinky finger thanks to misplaced footing on the technical trail early on in the race).  He is preparing to toe the line at Ring the Springs 100 Mile in June, sandwiched by two more 100 Mile races in May and July. 

Without further ado, meet Keith.

1. Tell us about yourself! 

I was born in New Jersey. Grew up there and joined the US Marine Corps at 19, where I met my wife (also a former US Marine) of 27 years. We have two children and two beautiful grandsons, Henry (3 years) and Elijah (7 months). We raised our kids in southeastern Pennsylvania and relocated to Arizona in 2013. The desert is a beautiful place, especially for trail running but my soul has been drawn to the Rockies since visiting Woodland Park about five years ago. When the opportunity presented itself, we made the leap and moved the family to the mountains in October of 2021 for a quieter more sustainable lifestyle.

2. What’s your running background/how did you get into trail running?

My running background is very limited—I never owned a pair of running shoes until July 18, 2018 when I heard David Goggins on a Joe Rogan podcast. David seemed to have touched a truth through pain and suffering that really intrigued me. My entire life, I have always felt a sense of anxiety; that something is out of place. I’ve always seen the world around me very differently than the masses and the systemic noise seemed to drown out my ability to think clearly and contemplate my place in it all. The pace in which I was living allowed very little space for self-reflection. I became drawn to the idea of “unlearning everything that is untrue,” and found that long runs alone in the desert were the perfect way to quiet my mind and think deeply about my place in the world evolving around me, and how I can bring an energy of love and kindness to everyone I touch in an attempt to share what I’ve learned through my journey.

3. How has running impacted your life?

Running has literally saved my life.

I look at my past life as one not worth living. 18 years of alcoholism, obesity (I weighed 270 pounds at my heaviest), judgment, groupthink…just all the ugliness of the world packed into a 270-pound mess of a human being.

Aravaipa has enriched my life in way that is hard to articulate.  For some things there just aren’t words that would do it justice. It was at the Mogollon 100k in 2018 that I met a group of guys from State 48 Runners that would ultimately become my brothers and change my life in ways I never could have imagined. Aravaipa was the catalyst for change that I will be forever grateful for.

4. Do you have any particularly memorable moments (good or bad) from trail running you’d like to share?

Worst moment: running myself into rhabdomyolysis at my first Ultra (Black Canyon 60k), being subsequently hospitalized for a week, and receiving a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis (from drinking way too much for way too long).  Almost every organ they tested showed some abnormality, which in turn embedded my wife and I in the medical world for the better part of a year.

It was tough on my family–the doctors advised against the path I was on, from my nutrition to my running, but there was a “knowing” that came from that first ultra experience…I knew in my soul they were wrong and I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing, for better or for worse. It turned out to be for the better. Over the next year, I continued to grow rapidly as a runner and my health issues slowly improved.  No more leaky heart valves, no acute pancreatitis flare ups, etcetera. Like I said, running has literally saved my life.

Best moment: during covid-related race cancellations, a group from State 48 Runners mapped out the second half of the soon-to-be inaugural Cocodona 250.  I was lucky enough to participate in running it before the first official race. There are so many memories, but my absolute favorite was somewhere between Casner and Tuthill. I looked up and saw the black sky absolutely filled with stars, at which point I announced to this group of runners I was just getting to know, “Everyone stop and lay down, let’s take a minute to soak in these stars.” I’m sure they all thought I was crazy, but they obliged!  That moment has become etched in our minds, as a reminder to never be too busy or driven towards the pursuit of a goal to stop and appreciate the miracle of life and how lucky we all are to be here and be able to do what we love with the people we love.

5. What races/runs are you looking forward to this year?

I look forward to every run. I don’t usually have an “A” race but if I had to choose, I’m most looking forward to Ouray in July for the 100 with the same group of brothers and sisters from State 48 Runners. It will be an ultimate test of grit! None of us are “elite” runners, but we do love to push hard against the mountain with the people we love. So wish us luck…we’ll need it!

6. What else do you want us to know?

If it comes easily, it’s worthless. If it’s external, it’s a tool to be used as such. Everything you are truly seeking in life can be found through struggle, suffering, and self-reflection. There is no car, house, or chemical that will get you there. I’m sure there are other paths to the same destination, but for me, running is my meditation, my prayer, and my answer to my existential crisis.

I believe running should be a cornerstone of rehabilitation from chemical addictions and mental health issues. It’s the best means for staving off cognitive degeneration like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

My sincere hope is that parents who run will get their kids involved at an early age, the younger the better. The kids aren’t going to find what they are looking for in the virtual reality world. Everything they need to get through this life resides in cultivating their own “few cubic feet of flesh”…to paraphrase Thoreau. 

Feed your body and mind healthy nutrients and YOUR life, too, will change!