Police say missing Pleasanton runner may have suffered injury, heat-related stress on trail

PLEASANTON, Calif. (KGO) -- The body of what is believed to be a missing runner is now at the Alameda County coroner's office awaiting official identification.

The body, clad in running clothes, was found by a volunteer searcher yesterday afternoon in the hills above Interstate 680 and 580 in Pleasanton.

RELATED: Family of missing Pleasanton runner thanks community for support after body found

It is essentially wilderness when you go off trail in the 125,000 acres of East Bay Regional Park land. The body of a man was found by a volunteer in Pleasanton Ridge Tuesday afternoon leading to the belief it might be ultra-marathoner Philip Kreycik who vanished on July 10 during an extreme heat wave.

An exhaustive high tech search for the missing runner turned up nothing.

Pleasanton police say the body was found under a tree in a heavily wooded area 200 yards away from where they searched.

RELATED: After 3 weeks of searching, body of missing runner Philip Kreycik found in Pleasanton

While they wait for confirmation of the identity from the coroners office, family and friends took to Facebook to offer condolences and thanks to the volunteers.

Police said they believe Kreycik likely suffered an injury or heat related stress and missed a turn on his carefully plotted route, continuing on the wrong way.

East Bay Regional Park District says they get hundreds of calls every summer from people who get lost, deviating from an intended route onto an animal trail that is basically trodden down grass or dirt.

WATCH: Full press conference on body found in Philip Kreycik case

Here's the full press conference from officials after a body was found in Pleasanton in the area runner Philip Kreycik went missing.

"They can look very inviting to someone that it's an existing trail and it's not," said Police Captain Lance Brede. "A lot of times you can get disoriented out there where you think you make a right turn but you continue to go straight and end up in a completely unfamiliar area. "

They said many calls for help come in from people lost on sunset walks and they suggest people not travel alone on remote trails and have a map on hand in unfamiliar territory.

Preliminary autopsy results are expected in the next few days.