 Micah True - "Caballo Blanco" - 1954 - 2012 8:00 PM - The news of Caballo Blanco's death has been hard to understand, and harder to accept. When I first heard that Caballo went missing, I immediately had thoughts to the numerous times I've read Chris McDougall's Born to Run in which the elusive White Horse makes appearances, only to vanish into the woods and deserts and fog. When I heard that Micah went missing, just weeks after his signature Copper Canyon Ultra Marahon (CCUM), I assumed one of two possibilities - that he was taking time to pursue a personal quest through the woods and trails or that he had once again felt the pressures of corporate sponsorships, media coverage, and personal emails and letters and sought to fade into the limelight. Never once in my mind did I suspect that the indefatigable, the indomitable, the infallible Caballo would possibly be hurt or worse. Growing up in a home with two parents (both marathoners), running became a passion of mine. From a young age, I sought to challenge myself, to push my limits and then extend them. Until just five years ago, I thought 26.22 miles was my limit. I had done two marathons and did not feel that I possessed the skills or strength to break past the arbitrary marathon distance. I have read countless books, novels, and how-to guides, as well as almost every issue of both Running Times and Runner's World since 2003. And yet, there was something tantalizing about the character portrayed by Christopher McDougall in his bestselling book. There is something elusive and inspiring about a man who sees the sport of ultra running for what it is - a personal quest to push one's limits, to transcend the monotony of daily life and treadmill runs, track workouts, and dime a dozen 5k and 10k races. Perhaps the thing I admired about Micah's portrayal by McDougall was his tenacity and unbreakable spirit. Rather than conform to expectations, he defined his own life, his own path, and his own goals. What more can one ask for than to live the life you wish? I feel that with the death of Micah True, the ultra running community has lost something special. He brought the spotlight away from corporate greed and back to the simple joys of running for the sake of running. As he helped cover the lives of the legendary Tarahumara in Copper Canyon, he not only brought people's attention back to the basics, but he helped elevate the sport of ultra running to something more than simple competition. His ideals were pure, original, and tangible. He sought out ways to capitalize on the skills and knowledge he had acquired from the Tarahumara and to give back to the tribe that had embraced him when everyone else seemed to push him away. So what does Caballo's death mean for the sport of ultra running? It seems that with anyone who passes away with some reasonable level of fame, that there is a mad dash to try to "get to know" and understand the individual. Working in the bookstore when Michael Jackson died, I can tell you first hand, people crave revisiting and giving a great deal of attention and care to them despite the fact that he/she has already passed on. What I fear is that the death of Caballo will have the following repercussions: 1) A run on McDougall's Born to Run in hopes of learning Micah's "secrets" 2) The loss of purity behind Caballo's Copper Canyon UltraMarathon - As much as I would love to see another dedicated runner step up to the plate and become an advocate for what the race stands for, I see corporate sponsorship eroding the real reason he developed the race. 3) A souring of relations with the Tarahumara. As people try to seek out the Holy Grail of trails and training grounds that Micah trained and raced on, I foresee people in seek of personal gain and enlightenment at the expense of the natives who live there. I fear that the Tarahumara will recede away from the spotlight and seek to be even more secretive and elusive and untrusting. 4) A new "craze" and increase in barefoot/minimalist running as previously mentioned readers in #1 seek to find personal transcendence. So what does the death of Micah True - the fearless White Horse/Caballo Blanco really mean for the sport? It temporarily is shedding light onto our introverted love affair with running. One could hope it will effect it positively, but I fear that there will be an increase in people seeking to capitalize on his death. Time will tell. One thing is for certain, however. Micah's impact on the ultra running community is great, meaningful, and most assuredly long-lasting. Here's to you, Caballo. May you forever be able to run the great trails in the sky with great food, greater friends, and even greater stories to share with one and all. 5 miles for Caballo tonight on the treadmill. 48:30 total, good for 9:42/ mile
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