A familiar face and some enthusiasm go a long way
Today I will introduce you to two people I’ve never met and tell a story I’m not qualified to tell. There may be some extrapolation, maybe this is more “speculative review” than pure fact. Whatever it is, it warms my heart, and I hope it does yours.
The protagonist of this story is Bill Dooper but to understand Bill, I think it helps to know Zach Miller. Zach is a trail runner, a very good trail runner. His name bridges eras of the sport and his demeanor and image have made him somewhat of an icon.
His Wikipedia page gives some background on his upbringing:
“Born in Kenya to missionary parents, Miller was primarily raised in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He ran track, cross country, and played American soccer in high school. He continued to run at Rochester Institute of Technology while studying electrical engineering.
After college Miller worked in the print shop on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship, and trained for running on a treadmill, the ship’s stairwells, and at ports of call. After his win of the JFK 50 Mile in 2013 with the third fastest time in course history, he turned pro while continuing his cruise ship work. In 2015, his win of Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc’s 105 kilometres (65 mi) Courmayeur-Champex-Chamonix (CCC) was the first American win of that race.”
Sometime after turning pro, Zach moved off the cruise ship to Colorado where he was caretaker at Barr Camp. After his time at camp, he moved into a school bus.
I first became aware of Zach when he was on the cover of one of my first issues of a trail running magazine. The image was a close-up of his face as he ascended a steep trail. I remember looking into two wild eyes peering out from underneath a backwards baseball cap smashed on top of a mop of brown hair. Something about that image, the look on his face, tugged at a deep place in my soul.
I digress, back to Bill.
Bill and Zach became friends after meeting at the Hardrock 100. Though not a racer himself, Bill is Colorado’s resident “ultrarunning superfan” and was always cheering at the big Colorado races like Leadville, Run Rabbit Run, and or Hardrock. Through their friendship they would frequently chat on the phone and occasionally meet up for burritos. Bill was always checking up on Zach. After a disappointing finish at UTMB Bill was ready to lift Zach up to remind him of the many other runners he’d seen have a bad day at a race only to come back stronger the next year. I can imagine Bill and Zach went through a lot together.
This is a picture of them together early in Zach’s Colorado days (from Zach’s Instagram):
Bill and Zach’s Excellent (Hardrock) Adventure
For several years, Zach has had a fascination with finishing Hardrock. His first attempt was in 2017 but he couldn’t start due to a back injury. Not long after, came a Haglund’s syndrome diagnosis. Then in 2024 Zach was ready for another go, only to come down with appendicitis the week before the race. In 2025 Zach finally finished the Hardrock 100, coming in 5th in a very competitive field. This is a picture of Bill and Zach after the 2025 Hardrock 100 (also from Zach’s Instagram):
If that wasn’t enough to jerk some tears read what Zach wrote on Instagram:
“It wasn’t the day I was hoping for, but it was the day I got. I guess it was pretty special in its own way. We got Bill around the mountain, gutted it out when the stomach went south, and shared an epic duel with @katieschide over the final climb and descent of the course. Think I’m gonna remember that race to the finish for a long, long time, There’s a lot more I could say, but I think l’ll get some sleep first.
And many thanks to my awesome crew and all those cheering today. The spirit of Super Dooper lives on in all of you!”
And before the race:
“Well, Bill, here we are again. A year has passed. Some things different. Some things the same: Still a little man. Still a backwards hat. Still a member of your “Colorado Springs Wrecking Crew”.
But most of all, still thinking of you. Let’s go take that lap!
Second star to the right and straight on ’till morning.
Time to ride the dragon!”
Judging from the condition of Zach’s laminated copy of Bills tribute card I would bet Bill has run with Zach for more than just the 100 miles of Hardrock (another picture from Zach’s Insta):
Somewhere, in the back of my mind, a story is forming. A wild-eyed, scruffy-haired Zach is looking for his place in the world. Like most of us, maybe he’s on a search, a search for connection, or a search for meaning, or just a search to be someone, to belong. Maybe Bill gives him some of the things he’s searching for. Maybe Zach finds connection in a kindred spirit, maybe Zach sees that he means something to Bill, maybe Zach sees that, to Bill, he is someone, maybe he finds belonging in the “Colorado Springs Wrecking Crew”. I don’t know how it really was, but my gut tells me it’s good.
The Spirit of Super Dooper
If you need more evidence of Bill’s nature I suggest you check out these links:
At the end of this piece, I’ve also included a video that follows Bill on his trip to spectate at Western States 100 circa 2015. The entire trip was funded by donations from people whose lives Bill had touched. That should get you well enough acquainted.
In total, Bill seems to possess many of the same attributes as puppy dogs, Buddy the Elf, and Mr. Rodgers: an infectious positivity, a genuine interest in you, and, an excitement for the things you care about, a childlike wonder, and deep humility. No one knew about Bills life, but Bill wanted to know everything about you. He was always excited about the next race, or the big happenings in the running world. By being an “ultrarunning superfan”, Bill painted a bright streak the lives of so many.
To meet the kind of person who you know will always be excited to see you, who ends every phone call with “keep in touch” because he can’t wait to hear from you again, that is to mean something to someone. To be the kind of person who makes others feel that way is to be a superhero. No wonder they call him “Super-Dooper”.
Thank you all for being soft spots in my world 🙂
The Ultimate Fan – Bill Dooper,:
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