ISLAMORADA MAN CONQUERS 500TH RACE

Robert Brown stands in front of the hundreds of medals he's won over the last 29 years. The Islamorada resident recently completed his 500th race. KELLIE BUTLER FARRELL/Keys Weekly

In October 1993, Robert Brown turned to running while in the middle of a divorce.

“I thought to myself, ‘I better work on this package and get in shape so that if I’m going to meet somebody else, at least I’m not all out of shape and sloppy,’” said the 66-year-old with a chuckle.

What followed over the next 29 years was a passion that became a way of life, with Brown averaging one race every three weeks.

“I’ve run 10 marathons, I ran the Boston Marathon, 29 half marathons, just a large assortment of different distances,” explained Brown.

On Dec. 10, Brown reached a milestone, completing his 500th race. The race was a 5K out of Postcard Inn called the Rumrunner Run. As Robert ran, proud family members waited at the finish line.

Brown’s 31-year-old daughter, Dani Brown, flew in from Napa, California to cheer her dad on.

“I would have traveled across the globe to see that moment,” gushed Dani Brown.

Also present for the monumental accomplishment: Brown’s mother Virginia Klassen and his sister, Vickie Clapper. 

“He set himself a goal years ago and I always knew he would meet the goal,” said Klassen.

“It’s an amazing accomplishment, to say the least,” added Clapper.

Earlier this month, Brown’s mother and sister flew in from Arizona and California for a planned one-week visit. It just so happened their stay coincided with Brown’s crowning achievement.

“I invited them out maybe six months ago, not knowing that this was going to be my 500th race.

They were here and that made it special,” said Brown.

The day of Brown’s 500th race also happened to fall on what would have been the birthday of his late sister. The two were extremely close. She passed away suddenly of heart failure seven years ago.

“It was every bit of the universe saying ‘Here, your family is together, this is the time, this is the place,’” said daughter Dani Brown.

Reaching this lofty goal has come with its fair share of challenges. Brown suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and has a pacemaker. But he always pushed forward.

“It’s a lifestyle. It’s who you are if you’re a runner; that’s what you do. You don’t stop,” said Brown.

Brown moved to Lower Matecumbe from California in 2019 after retiring from a career with the state of California collecting and allocating sales tax.

He came to the Keys for a vacation and fell in love with the island chain and also with a woman he met at the Big Chill during the 4th of July in 2019. She quickly became his running partner and biggest fan.

“So we started doing it together and we’ve been doing it ever since,” said girlfriend Christina Cosme.

Cosme’s first race with Brown was in Key West three years ago. The 53-year-old is in good shape, a cross fitter; still, the run was not easy.

“When we finished, I was like ‘I think I lost a lung or something.’ But we made it and after that I thought ‘I can do this,’” said Cosme with a laugh.

Cosme has already completed 50 races with her boyfriend all around the country.

“Every time we plan a trip, it’s like, ‘okay, we’re going to run one here,’” said Cosme.

Inside Brown’s home in Lower Matecumbe, hundreds of race medals line the wall. They are separated by race distances; 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and 10 full marathons.

Brown has also saved every runner’s bib from all 500 races. On the back of every bib he has jotted down memories of that event.

“He’s the best role model any child could ever ask for,” said Dani.

For Brown and his girlfriend, running is a way of life; a ritual that involves very early mornings followed by a stop at Denny’s after the completion of each race.

“Because of running, I’ve had some great moments,” said Brown.

For Christmas, Cosme plans to give her boyfriend a tattoo to add to his collection on his left arm. This one will read 500 plus, “because we’re not going to stop, we’re just going to slow down a little,” she said.

Brown has no intention of resting on his laurels. Next up, the Reindeer Run 5K at Ocean Reef on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

“Nothing’s going to stop him, nothing,” said Dani Brown. “The only thing that is going to stop him is him being six feet under, he loves this so much, this is truly the love of his life.”

Kellie Butler Farrell is a journalist who calls Islamorada home. Kellie spent two decades in television news and also taught journalism at Barry University in Miami and Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She loves being outside, whether spending time on the water or zipping down the Old Highway on her electric bike, Kellie is always soaking up the island lifestyle. Kellie and her husband own an electric bike rental company, Keys Ebikes.