Found Deceased CA - Philip Kreycik, 37, Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, 10 Jul 2021

[annpats]

....his father Keith thinks it’s possible he’s made it out “He’s so strong that we think he could’ve gone a long, long distance. Even if you’re living in an area where you say, ‘he never could’ve made it 20 miles over here,’ in the time period we’re talking about it would’ve been very easy to get 20 miles away from the center of town,” Keith Kreycik said.

Twenty miles?! Why would he have gone that far, in that heat? He surely would have collapsed long before.

And even if he did go that far, he surely would have come across some sort of civilization or even another runner or hiker at some point.

Plus, if he planned to run 20 miles out, he'd also have to run 20 miles back to his car! Unless there is a loop route?

I'm surprised his father thinks it is a possibility in that heat - and considering he ran just the evening before too!

 

[annpats]

The issue is that if there is a hazard on private property, the property owner is liable for injuries caused by the hazard if he has not properly protected against the injury occurring. Think unfenced swimming pools or exposed live electrical wires.

Right, I see. I'm not American so didn't know that was the case.

In the UK, if the police want to search a property, and they believe there may be hazards, or it's unsafe, they get the correct agencies in to make it safe first.

There is no liability involved towards police or SAR teams. No lawsuits from the police. That is never a thing here.

If they want to search, they find a hazard, they make it safe for themselves. The onus is on them.

 

[NSamuelle]

Twenty miles?! Why would he have gone that far, in that heat? He surely would have collapsed long before.

And even if he did go that far, he surely would have come across some sort of civilization or even another runner or hiker at some point.

Plus, if he planned to run 20 miles out, he'd also have to run 20 miles back to his car! Unless there is a loop route?

I'm surprised his father thinks it is a possibility in that heat - and considering he ran just the evening before too!

A 20 mile walk/run would have been voluntary, which raises the question *why*? Why not follow the sound of the traffic and find people if he got into trouble or was lost? Why deviate 20 miles from a planned route and tell no one when he was on a tight schedule and in an unfamiliar area (e.g., not ideal conditions under which to go exploring).

And if a 20 mile sojourn is a possibility, why did they call off physical searches by volunteers on Saturday night instead of casting a wider net?

 

[mlhenn]

Philip Kreycik Search - VOLUNTEER NEEDS & FAQ

Latest Volunteer Needs
Volunteer teams to canvass in neighborhoods abutting Pleasanton Ridge. You will get some training at Foothill High School. You will need to sign up for a shift here: https://forms.gle/nknm2ddvZf4gZPDKA.

2. General canvassers to walk the Iron Horse Trail and talk to park users at trailheads.

The two latest areas of interest are home security video from neighborhoods near trailheads and businesses in the vicinity of his potential sighting.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

I could see him going 4 or 5 miles, and maybe becoming a bit disoriented due to heat and humidity. With the sun almost directly overhead around noon, in rolling hills, and in a place he hadn't run before, I can see taking a wrong turn and a 4 or 5 mile run turning into 10 or 20.

 

[Starkville]

... Then when I saw that his parents lived with him, it struck me how that could be a stressful situation. I agree it doesn’t add up, after running the night before, to take to trails for another run, in the am.particularly due to extreme heat. The phone being left in the car, and lack of water to hydrate with, are red flags to me. In addition, with young children, and a challenging job, I wonder if Philip, became overwhelmed. After an extensive search and rescue effort, not having answers, is troubling, to say the least. I hope family and friends, will get a resolution soon.

I noticed that, too. But, the father and his wife live with Phillip and his family. It doesn’t mean Phillip’s father and mother, necessarily…

There may have been tension there.

 

[bizaleth]

I'm surprised his father thinks it is a possibility in that heat - and considering he ran just the evening before too!

I'm not surprised - this is coming from the father of a man who is missing. Whether 20 miles is a possibility based upon Philip's past running history and ability or not, his father is desperate to find his son, obviously wants the search to continue, and of course wants to believe that his son is somehow still alive.

 

[xxxyyyzzz]

Hey folks,

Been following this thread and this case but it's very triggering and tough for me, I was a very close friend to Lucas Horan and there are so many similarities in these two cases. I don't really have much to add to the discussion but am obviously hoping Philip turns up very soon - I am currently out of the country and we've even heard about the case over here. It's crazy how much media attention this is getting, so I'm hoping that results in a better outcome than Lucas.

I would like to add, IMO / MOO in response to much of the discussion around why he might of ran in the heat, left his phone in the car, etc. - I am a competitive ultra trail runner of a very similar caliber to Philip and nothing about his running plans or behaviors strikes me as weird at all. I run 6-7 days a week, often with less than 24 hours between my runs. "Heat Training" is a real thing, where sometimes I go out without water or even with extra clothes on when it's hot out to get my body accustomed and trained to the heat. I go for 2-3 hour runs with no food or water, it's not a big deal, and I usually leave my cell phone in my car because I don't want to be bothered by it or don't have a place to carry it. I'm not saying it's the smartest move (as made evident here) but all of his running behaviors seem totally normal to another runner. Also I have hundreds of "Strava Routes" plotted on my phone and account, many that I have never actually ran but would like to some day. For me making the route is enough to cement it in my memory - it's like writing a grocery list and then leaving it at home, you can usually re-create it pretty well in the store. Additionally the part about him running in Pleasanton possibly on his way to Stockton is not even weird, part of the "game" of being an ultra-runner with a family and kids is that you have to slot your runs in whenever you can, and it's very exciting as a runner to hit a new place or a park that is not your local loop. I often make complicated arrangements to run here or there, or have my family drop me off on the way home somewhere so I can run the rest of the way back.

Also regarding his father talking about the 20 miles - I remember the exact same conversations we had with LE during Lucas's case. It sounds absolutely crazy to say that he could go 20 miles on foot, or 70 miles, or 100 miles but you have to realize that trail runners train for these pushes and it is quite possible. I'm not saying Philip did that of course, just that it is definitely within the capability of the human body to do that and in fact we train to increase that range and speed.

Really hoping he is okay and found safely soon. IMO / MOO / etc.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

I was reading an article regarding a university study done concerning Strava and similar applications that "gamify" exercise and their tendency to cause users of the applications (the study was with cyclists) to develop obsessive tendencies that affect their mental health Strava encourages obsessive tendencies and Obsessing over fitness apps is decidedly bad for your health | Arwa Mahdawi

The gamification approach (achievements, trophys/badges/rewards, leaderboards, virtual races and so on) to these apps can make these apps as addictive as video games as is discussed here https://www.citrusbits.com/how-gami...o-the-top-of-their-respective-app-categories/

When I saw it, it reminded me of a news report I saw just 5 months ago about Max Lenail Palo Alto High graduate, 21, dies in 'freak accident' while on hike in San Diego from Palo Alto who was training for an ultra-marathon and a student at Brown University. He was killed in San Diego on a trail run at Mission Trails Regional Park. Their son drowned in a Calif. park. Now they're building a bridge. I found the video I saw again, have provided a link to it below, and it looks to me as though he was probably using Strava or something similar. Also that map photo in the SFGate story looks a lot like Strava or a similar application. At least that is what it looks like to me.

He came to a river near the end of his planned run route. To complete his planned run on the route on his cell phone, instead of turning back and going back the way he came, when he came to the river crossing on an unofficial side trail, he tried to cross it rather than turn back and go back the way he came.

Unfortunately, the river he came upon near the end of his route had been become fast moving due to a storm and he tragically was swept away and drowned.

He was only 21. Parents Share Video Captured Prior to Hiker's Death, Push for Increased Safety at Mission Trails Park

I wonder if the push to complete a designated route he created in Strava (at least the app shown in the above video sure does look like Strava or something similar) caused him to take unnecessary risks to attempt to cross the dangerous river rather than just simply turn back? If he turned back, it would mean going back 5 miles, his Strava route would not be completed, but maybe he would be alive today. Just a thought.

And I wonder if Kreycik also too unnecessary risks in running in high heat and in landbank/private property just to complete a Strava route? Or did he turn around when he came to the landbank/private property fences?

 

[logical]

Hopefully they looked in the water tank.

 

[Tower]

I was reading an article regarding a university study done concerning Strava and similar applications that "gamify" exercise and their tendency to cause users of the applications (the study was with cyclists) to develop obsessive tendencies that affect their mental health Strava encourages obsessive tendencies and Obsessing over fitness apps is decidedly bad for your health | Arwa Mahdawi

The gamification approach (achievements, trophys/badges/rewards, leaderboards, virtual races and so on) to these apps can make these apps as addictive as video games as is discussed here https://www.citrusbits.com/how-gami...o-the-top-of-their-respective-app-categories/

When I saw it, it reminded me of a news report I saw just 5 months ago about Max Lenail Palo Alto High graduate, 21, dies in 'freak accident' while on hike in San Diego from Palo Alto who was training for an ultra-marathon and a student at Brown University. He was killed in San Diego on a trail run at Mission Trails Regional Park. Their son drowned in a Calif. park. Now they're building a bridge. I found the video I saw again, have provided a link to it below, and it looks to me as though he was probably using Strava or something similar. Also that map photo in the SFGate story looks a lot like Strava or a similar application. At least that is what it looks like to me.

He came to a river near the end of his planned run route. To complete his planned run on the route on his cell phone, instead of turning back and going back the way he came, when he came to the river crossing on an unofficial side trail, he tried to cross it rather than turn back and go back the way he came.

Unfortunately, the river he came upon near the end of his route had been become fast moving due to a storm and he tragically was swept away and drowned.

He was only 21. Parents Share Video Captured Prior to Hiker's Death, Push for Increased Safety at Mission Trails Park

I wonder if the push to complete a designated route he created in Strava (at least the app shown in the above video sure does look like Strava or something similar) caused him to take unnecessary risks to attempt to cross the dangerous river rather than just simply turn back? If he turned back, it would mean going back 5 miles, his Strava route would not be completed, but maybe he would be alive today. Just a thought.

And I wonder if Kreycik also too unnecessary risks in running in high heat and in landbank/private property just to complete a Strava route? Or did he turn around when he came to the landbank/private property fences?

Very interesting commentary. The vast majority of runners I know from large running clubs to friends that I’ve run with for years, all ages, genders and abilities, use Strava. They primarily use it as a way to track their mileage, pace and general history. The article you linked is interesting, but rather than using Strava as some kind of guide that must be completed, the hundreds of dudes I know are just really committed runners. Our families and friends could call it obsession. But they mostly wouldn’t care if they had to re-route. They wouldn’t put themselves in danger to cross a forbidden path. They may put themselves in danger to finish a long run, but most are very aware of their capabilities. I’ve had many friends run an extra block around their home after a 20-mile run in 105-degree heat just to make sure they hit that even 20 miles.
ETA: Your linked article also alludes to people who use Strava as social media: to brag or to congratulate others. Many do, but I find people who need that validation are still using FB/Twitter/Instagram to brag to everyone they know, not just those on Strava. Strava is used by my people for maybe finding that new route and for reviewing personal history.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Someone claiming to be his friend Tom, the one running FB and is posting on Reddit. Is it allowed to paste a link or text? There are some interesting details.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Is this new information?

“We know Philip is a highly analytical type guy,” said Sgt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County sheriff’s office. “He did things with precision.”

While the runner did not visit the park often, Kelly said the father of two had run there on July 9, the day before he went missing.

Detectives have continued to parse the runner’s whereabouts in the days and minutes before he went missing. They have interviewed family members, friends and colleagues, but have found “no indicators that there is any criminal activity afoot,” according to Fountain from the Pleasanton Police Department.

Through a public tip line, detectives have received between five and ten reports of Kreycik sightings daily, he said, yet none have yielded fresh leads.

Missing Berkeley runner stumps detectives: ‘People don’t typically get lost in Alameda County’ (msn.com)


In his two-decade career, Fountain said he has never seen such a “baffling” missing person case.

Seitz has led Alameda County’s search-and-rescue efforts for 45 years, but called the weeks-long hunt for Kreycik “unprecedented.”

“People don’t typically get lost in Alameda County,” he said.

Nearly two weeks after the search began, authorities have not found a single clue to explain the Berkeley father’s sudden disappearance.

“We’ve come up empty,” Kelly said. “I mean empty.”

 

[Auntie Cipation]

So he ran at that same area the day before?

Is there any chance he got a ride home with someone else the day before and his vehicle stayed at the staging area?

 

[annpats]

Thank you to all the heavy-duty runners and ultra marathon people that have given us all an idea of the capabilities and possibilities of this activity. It's helpful to know.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

The shoes he is reported to be wearing are not trail running shoes so would offer less traction, and were described as "worn." Most runners replace shoes regularly so as to avoid injury.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

Is this new information?

“We know Philip is a highly analytical type guy,” said Sgt. Ray Kelly of the Alameda County sheriff’s office. “He did things with precision.”

While the runner did not visit the park often, Kelly said the father of two had run there on July 9, the day before he went missing.

Detectives have continued to parse the runner’s whereabouts in the days and minutes before he went missing. They have interviewed family members, friends and colleagues, but have found “no indicators that there is any criminal activity afoot,” according to Fountain from the Pleasanton Police Department.

Through a public tip line, detectives have received between five and ten reports of Kreycik sightings daily, he said, yet none have yielded fresh leads.

Missing Berkeley runner stumps detectives: ‘People don’t typically get lost in Alameda County’ (msn.com)


In his two-decade career, Fountain said he has never seen such a “baffling” missing person case.

Seitz has led Alameda County’s search-and-rescue efforts for 45 years, but called the weeks-long hunt for Kreycik “unprecedented.”

“People don’t typically get lost in Alameda County,” he said.

Nearly two weeks after the search began, authorities have not found a single clue to explain the Berkeley father’s sudden disappearance.

“We’ve come up empty,” Kelly said. “I mean empty.”

This article also says "The watch was not equipped with GPS". A non-GPS watch would have little use to a runner. They must have meant something else. So I would have to question the account of a July 9 Pleasanton run as well.

Suunto Ambit3 Sport Black - GPS watch for multisport

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

His device later synchs with his phone.

I imagine they placed him at PR park the day before based on GPS info on his phone, which they are in possession of. That detail had not come out before today. So that would be 2 runs on Friday and 1 on Saturday.

This article also says "The watch was not equipped with GPS". A non-GPS watch would have little use to a runner. They must have meant something else. So I would have to question the account of a July 9 Pleasanton run as well.

Suunto Ambit3 Sport Black - GPS watch for multisport

 

[Curious_in_NC]

His device later synchs with his phone.

I understand that. The watch first synchs up with GPS satellites when it's being used to track your run, then you synch it by Bluetooth or other means with your phone or computer later to transfer the run data. My point was that it's sloppy journalism to say that it's not GPS equipped when it is.
Source for PK watch info:
Philip Kreycik Search - VOLUNTEER NEEDS & FAQ

 

[Tower]

His device later synchs with his phone.

I imagine they placed him at PR park the day before based on GPS info on his phone, which they are in possession of. That detail had not come out before today. So that would be 2 runs on Friday and 1 on Saturday.

Yes, the simple explanation is that no one can track his watch’s current location, it does not transmit a traceable signal. He can use the watch’s GPS to track his route, but we cannot use it to find him. That’s how I understand it. Jmo
ETA: And yes, then a runner would sync the watch’s data to his phone or a computer and later load it to a server like Strava. It would not be loading to Strava in real time. If you use Strava to track you real time (I think it is possible), the battery dies quickly.