Mais, dats a BIG ditch

Grateful.  That's what I am.  I am grateful to have discovered running, and I am tremendously grateful for the people and experiences it has brought into my life.  It has given me a different perspective on things.  I have always been a very curious and adventurous person, and running fits into that perfectly. While some may be content to stand at the top of the Grand Canyon and look over at the other side and marvel at this wonder of nature, for years now, I have had a strong draw to see the Grand Canyon from a perspective very few experience - up close and personal.  I want to touch the walls of the canyon.  I want to stick my hands in the river at the bottom.  I want to feel the same burning in my legs and lungs that others have felt when attempting to traverse this amazing place.  And this year, I am going to attempt just that.

I, along with a few of my brave (some would say demented) cohorts are heading to the big ditch this fall to pay our respects to mother nature and soak in as much of her beauty as possible.  We are heading to Arizona to attempt the double crossing of the Grand Canyon.  I say "attempt" because there is absolutely no arrogance involved in this endeavor.  Yes, we have many ultra marathons between us.  Yes, we have spent quite a few hours inside the "pain cave" as they say, BUT...we also have the utmost respect for the challenge we are undertaking.

The double crossing is approximately 46 miles long.  Starting at the south rim, descending S. Kaibab Trail, crossing the bottom, ascending N. Kaibab Trail,  then turning around and doing it again, this time, ascending the south rim via Bright Angel trail.

After 23 ultras, including 4 - 100 milers, this is by far the scariest thing I have ever undertaken. And I can't freaking wait.  When I attempted my first ultra - a 50 miler - I did not know if I could finish it.   When I attempted my first 100 miler - I did not know if I could finish it.  Now, barring freak injury, I know I can do these things.  They are still enticing because I always want to do them better, but to have a big unknown on the schedule is exciting to me.  I am a big fan of self sufficiency, and the double crossing embodies this for me.  The motto of the Canyon is "Going down is optional.  Coming back up is mandatory."  There is no back up plan.  It is up to you to make the right decisions to insure your safe return to the top and to safety.  I can't express my excitement for this endeavor.

So, as my partners in crime and I contemplate a long summer of hills, hills, and more hills, all is right in the world.  Stars are finally aligning in my life.  My trail running company, Paix Running, is growing and my races are getting great buzz, my kids are healthy and happy, and my son (18) is doing his first 50k next February at Red Dirt.  Life is good, y'all!

I will attempt to keep you posted on my R2R2R training - if I can stay awake long enough :-).

Paix!

Edie

Bringing them over to the darkside!!

The coolest thing is starting to happen!  More and more otherwise sane folks are becoming ultrarunners!  Here are some local folks who have moved into ultra distance races:

50k Finishers (31 miles)

Tim Sharlow

Jess Russo 

Tyla Hudspeth

50 Milers

Jessica Amy, Jara Ahrabi, Bobbi Parker, Denise Kidder

100 K'ers (62 miles)

Fred Arsement (left)

Nathan Shull

Jim Winter

100 Milers

Smitty Smith, Me, Keith Manuel, Brad Delcambre

Donald Cleveland (left), Lane Gremillion (right)

Really Bad Ass 100 miler

John Powers (right) - John has run 20 - 100 milers,
and has more on the schedule for this season.
HE is a true BADASS!!

These are all fairly normal people.  Chances are, if you are from the Acadiana area, you have some degree of connection to one or more of them.  They started out as beginners sucking wind for their first one mile run, just like everyone else.  The difference with them is that they didn't stop there.  All of these ultra runners have full time jobs and families.  They all have the same responsibilities that you do, and the same 24 hours in each day in which to get things done.  The only difference is the way they budget their time, and the dedication that they have for the sport.

I had to laugh recently at the study from the Mayo Clinic that said that ultrarunning can be detrimental to your health. (Excessive Endurance Training Can Be Too Much of a Good Thing, Research Suggests)  While I respect the research put into the article (even though there seemed to be quite a few statements like: "excessive exercise can lead to rhythm abnormalities" and "excessive sustained exercise may also be associated with coronary artery calcification"), what the Mayo Clinic fails to understand is what motivates many endurance athletes.  

I don't do ultramarathons to become healthy.  I am already healthy.  All of the people in the pictures above were healthy before they began running ultras.  As a friend (Jessica Amy)  wisely said about her reason for running ultras, it's not about adding quantity to your life, its about adding quality to your life. (Read Jessica's open letter to the Mayo Clinic in response to this study, here). 

The point of this post is not to tell you that everyone should run ultras.  This sport is not for everyone.  Just like how I don't do triathlons because I swim like a brick, not everyone is suited to running for up to 30 hours at a time.  The point of this post is to show you that ultras are not filled with super-human people doing impossible things.  Ultras are filled with normal people pushing their limits and achieving some amazing things.  Running ultras parallels life in many ways.  A 50 or 100 mile race is not about crossing the finish line, it is about all of the hard work and dedication that goes into the effort to get there, the relationships that are formed, and the experience that is gained from the moment you decide to go beyond the marathon distance.  It's not about the destination, its about the journey.

Edie