Local man participates in 218 mile California race

Published 11:23 pm Thursday, October 22, 2026

There are many ways to test the endurance and tenacity of the human spirit, and one of those ways is pushing the mind and body to the limit.

Though challenging, the accomplishment of something alone is worth it to many. The Mammoth Trailfest in Mammoth, California ran from Sept. 25 through Sept. 27, and local business owner Kevin Funk was among the many on the trail.

Over the course of three days, 214 participants from 41 states and eight countries took on the Mammoth Trail terrain and pushed their bodies to the limit. With a time cutoff of 109 hours, Funk finished the event in 95 hours and 27 minutes, placing 94th overall.

“I just wanted to challenge myself to see,” Kevin Funk said. “I’ve done half marathons, a full marathon, 100-mile gravel bike races. I’ve done a 200 [mile] gravel bike race, and then the 100 [mile] run, and then this 220 now.”

With an event as intensive as this, there are a host of different logistical elements that participants and crews must address before the timer starts. From packing food and weather gear to determining when and where is the best time to sleep, there is an extensive checklist.

“There were approximately 22 aid stations, and 13 of them my crew could go to,” Funk said. “I had a crew, and we had a vehicle that would meet me there, and so I could sleep in my vehicle. I would either get food from the aid station or from my crew.”

Being in the California wilderness, however, there were stretches of time without assistance and several bare-bones aid stations. Funk notes that preparedness is key.

“Other aid stations, some of it was just water only, but some of it was your crew couldn’t go to, but they had people there that had an aid station with food and could take care of you,” Funk said. “I did have to carry a pack with me, and there was required gear to take. I had to take enough for three liters of water. I had to take enough calories and food with me. I had to take a rain jacket, an emergency bivvy, a whistle, hat, gloves, and headlamps. I had to carry all that with me.”

Mindset matters with any journey this challenging, both physical and mental. Funk had his own way of staying in touch with loved ones and pushing his body and mind through adversity.

“Knowing my crew was going to be at the aid stations,” Funk said. “Also, I had my daughter and two of my grandkids write me letters. My daughter that was with me and the daughter that could not go, that hated not to go, a lot of friends and family made videos so I could go back to those during a really hard time,” Funk said. “It was around the end of my hike, at 197 miles, my knees, my feet, my ankles were hurting real bad, especially downhill. I couldn’t descend, but still ascend. Going downhill really hurt.”

Though hardship was present, the memories from early mornings on the trail and the bonds made with other runners played an impactful role in his journey. A favorite memory of starting a new day in particular, stood out to him.

“A beautiful sunrise after 3 a.m., it just gives you a new breath,” Funk said. “Especially in a race like this, because you run through the night. The community is very helpful for each other. Half a mile into our run, we ran into three other people and ended up running the rest of the night. There was a time when seven of us were running at three o’clock in the morning in the middle of the woods, just having a good time.”

Funk shares that the help and support of his family and friends was paramount. He shares his success with his wife, Nicci Funk, and his pacer and hiking partner throughout the journey, daughter Olivia Funk. Two of his crew and close friends, Barb and Bruce Thielen, were also alongside him. Finally, with support from his daughter’s family, Hannah and JG Kelley, as well as his grandchildren, Funk is proud to bring this accomplishment back to his home and family.