PHOTO COURTESY OF CONNOR MCDONNELL
Connor McDonnell, wearing a Chicago Cubs cap, poses with Grace Todd, center, and Ava Hnatiw, left, along with members of the Creighton women’s soccer team, including their coach, and friends who came out to support his 100-mile run at Morrison Stadium in Omaha.
On a rainy April day in Omaha, most students hurried past Morrison Stadium without a second glance. But inside, Creighton freshman Connor McDonnell of the Heider College of Business was doing something almost unimaginable — running 100 miles, one lap at a time. In total, he completed the distance in 23 hours, 37 minutes, and 43 seconds.
Not only was this a gargantuan feat of human endurance, but it also makes McDonnell one of the handful of ultramarathon runners, who are below the age of 20, to complete a 100-mile race in one day.
Even more impressive than the run itself was McDonnell’s motivation for completing it. The run allowed him to spread the word about a non-profit organization close to his heart called Soles2Souls, which donates shoes to individuals who are unhoused.
“Soles2Souls is run by my good friend who I’ve known since I was like 5 years old … he’s a great kid and he made a great charity, and they do a lot of good things for people.”
In total, Connor was able to raise $1,200 that will be used to positively impact a vulnerable population.
However, Connor’s motivation for running his first ultramarathon runs deeper than a tangible donation. His journey is about encouraging others to make the most of their gifts, their talents and their lives.
“Do hard things because you can. There are so many people out there that wish that they could do the things that you can do, so do it for them; because you know that they would swap positions with you in an instant to be able to have the capabilities to do the things that you can do.” said McDonnell.
Not for personal glory, clout, fame or influence, but to break barriers and encourage others to do things they think are impossible.
“Your baseline go up; you just expect life to be tough, and when it’s tough it’s like, okay, now I’m comfortable here.” McDonnell said.
Tough is an understatement when it comes to what Connor had to do to prepare for and complete this monster run. He carb-loaded throughout the week, maintained an intense stretching regimen, and trained consistently to build up his endurance. He did all of this while juggling a part-time job, the Freshman Leadership Program’s weekly service and Reserve Officer Training Corps workouts.
Shockingly, however, McDonnell said that he only trained for two months before attempting this ultramarathon. He said he had not even made up his mind to complete the run until the week he ran it. For comparison, most athletes spend 4-6 months training for something like this, making McDonnell’s story even more surprising.
An exceptionally difficult part of preparing something like what McDonnell did is consistency and staying accountable.
“90% of it is just showing up. Consistency plus effort compounds into results. It’s like a math formula. It’s just that simple.” McDonnell said.
Putting that sentiment into action, Connor spread the word of the run all himself. He posted updates on his journey on social media and hung fliers around school.
The actual day of the run was less than ideal. Connor was battling a slight cold, and it rained a good portion of the day.
“The water was filling my shoes up; my shoes are getting waterlogged and the soles of my shoes are slipping out and going up my leg. I’m not even running on the shoe soles –– I’m running on the bottoms of the shoes.” McDonnell said in the first quarter of his run.
Battling through the first three quarters of the run was grueling, even with a few breaks for meals and a pair of dry socks. As catalogued on his Instagram, Connor almost gave up after mile 76.
“I stopped feeling pain.” McDonnell said when asked what made him keep going.
Throughout the day, close friends, classmates and both the men’s and women’s track teams showed up to support and run with Connor.
“All these people were around me, and it felt like I had a force field around me … It literally felt like a shield. All these people were running around me like my bodyguards. I don’t know. It’s like I didn’t feel anything. It was incredible.”
80 miles in, Connor ran an 8:32 mile. In the final minutes of the run, he was sprinting to reach that 100-mile mark.
McDonnell is grateful for the encouragement he received from all of his supporters.
“The fact that people invested their time and energy into me, I just felt like I had to make it worth their time.” McDonnell said.
In the end, the very thing that encouraged him to complete his first ultramarathon was what helped him soldier through it. He ran for others and with others –– the Jesuit way.
When asked whether he was proud of his accomplishment, McDonnell replied, “Yeah, I’m happy, but I’m ready for the next thing. There’s always a way that we can find our new 100%”
Looking to the future, Connor would like to grow his social media presence so that he can reach a wider audience with his message. The next race he would like to participate in is the Lincoln Marathon in May, and if he completes it in less than three hours, he will be among the top 2% of marathon runners. He does not plan on stopping there, hoping to run the Havalina 100-mile race in Arizona, the 100-mile Race Across the Sky in Leadville, Colorado, the Boston Marathon and the Moab-240 in Utah in 2027.
Following in the footsteps of legends like Cameron Hanes, Truett Hanes and David Goggins, Connor McDonnell hopes to continue to push the limits of physical ability and endurance.
On a gloomy Thursday in Omaha, Neb., one Bluejay made history. He not only pushed to overcome seemingly insurmountable physical task but also underwent an intense examination of the human spirit –– one that few people will ever experience. Though the road was long, difficult and monotonously circular, Connor McDonnell can now say that he ran his first 100-mile ultramarathon right here at Creighton University.