Rob Krar

ULTRA RUNNER

There’s more to Rob than a Triple Crown, plant-based diet, and an iconic beard… like a history of competitive badminton and a newfound love of ski mountaineering. Backyard sports aside though, we can’t help but root for this ultrarunning legend with a penchant for late race moves and stints in the pain cave.

Q&A with Rob

Describe yourself in three words:
Pensive, persistent, perplexed.

If you could choose another sport to go pro in, what would it be?
Big mountain skiing and badminton.

Trip/event looking forward to in 2017:
Wearing a skinny one-piece race suit adorned with the maple leaf and representing the homeland at the World Ski Mountaineering Championships in Italy.

Who’s your biggest supporter?
My better half, Christina. It’s simple—I wouldn’t be writing this today if the fortunate series of events that led to our meeting never happened.

Mantra that keeps you going when the going gets tough:
Moments before the start of Western States 2015 Christina told me “today is your day, don’t let anyone f***ing take it away from you.” Very out of character for her and exactly what I needed.

Best book you’ve read recently?
Desert Solitaire by Ed Abbey

Favorite Place in the US:
The Colorado Plateau and Four Corners region. It’s a maze of canyons and beautiful country that offers a lifetime of adventure and intrigue.

Anything else you want the people to know?
I’m shy when talking about my running prowess but with cornhole it’s no holds barred. I can throw a beanbag with the best of them and am the dark horse of any backyard BBQ. Cornhole is my game—I may be Canadian but I went to school in the Midwest and they don’t mess around there. It’s a serious sport, not some casual backyard entertainment. I challenge anyone to a SERIOUS game.