You're bringing back memories of a bike trip I did way back. Bryce, Zion and the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. We camped one night at coral pink sand dunes. That was an incredible place. All of them were.
Not so much life altering, but I keep thinking about a moment on an ordinary after work run in the winter a few years back. There's this podcast called Wild Card and the "prize" is to go back and relive any moment in your life and not change a thing about it. So, I keep thinking mine would be this thing that happened on that run. I was coming through the Nature Preserve on the campus where I worked and it started snowing. Hard. I couldn't see ahead or behind. I stopped and just put my face to the sky with the snow swirling all around. And I felt like I was a part of everything. This was the world embracing me. And me embracing it. I ended up writing a poem about it.
I've written about the San Diego 100 a lot, both running it and volunteering for the race. My family and I have spent years helping out at the race, and we've all had some amazing bonding/growth experiences. More recently though, our Mountain Rescue team does a weekend training every month, and there's a special one every October. We take the new recruits up to the mountains and run scenarios to see if they are a good fit for us, and/or we are a good fit for them. It's a struggle mentally and physically usually under pretty harsh conditions, but it always amazes me how close we get to each other in a short amount of time. Similar to ultra running, but I think the camping and survival aspects of the weekend add to the experience, making it closer to the stage race atmosphere you described.
I am just so amazed at your GTG adventures and only wish I was a few years younger - I would go for it. I enjoyed reading about your path to where you are now. Looking forward to hearing how this upcoming GTG goes. The southwest is near and near to me.
My husband and I did the rim to rim (southbound) in early October about 10 years ago. We camped out (brought our own gear) in official campgrounds and did the hike in 3 nights, four days - very doable. The water on the route is piped in but is turned off sometime in mid-October.
So cool to hear your history with this race and how it changed how you feel about yourself in so many ways outside of running! And will continue to. I can't wait to hear more about this experience. I find myself pulled to new and different adventures and races and not doing the same ones again. A lot of my friends who have done the Vermont 100 feel the same about that race as you describe and they keep coming back. Maybe because I am now in my 60s and started running so much later in life I am trying to make up for lost time...LOL! Also, I am NOT a planner so this race would be torture for me as there is sooooo much planning involved. That was the hardest part of deciding to do 100 miles... knowing I'd have to do some planning. Not that the plans really worked out (hahaha!) but I tried. In any case, I can't wait to hear more about your adventure!
I'm so impressed by this--both the running itself, and the way you go about these things on the mental/psychological level.
Since you asked for comments on the events/experiences we keep returning to, I'll say that for me it's the Zagori Mountain Running race in mid-July, in Greece, which I've done six times so far (starting with a 10k, then the 21k, and then the 44km 3 times, and finally 33km after they changed the distance). The routes go through (sometimes literally) the area where my family is from, and it means a tremendous amount to me to be covering the ground up in those mountains where my ancestors walked or rode horses, usually for work travel, sometimes in wartime, and sometimes for recreation (depending on the generation). The first time I did the marathon distance, after a covid pause in the event, I cried as I crossed the starting line, and I've teared up every time since then.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience of running this race and how it impacted your life. I found it truly moving and inspiring as I approach the same phase in life. I look forward to hearing your wise "why's" and finding my own.
You're bringing back memories of a bike trip I did way back. Bryce, Zion and the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. We camped one night at coral pink sand dunes. That was an incredible place. All of them were.
Not so much life altering, but I keep thinking about a moment on an ordinary after work run in the winter a few years back. There's this podcast called Wild Card and the "prize" is to go back and relive any moment in your life and not change a thing about it. So, I keep thinking mine would be this thing that happened on that run. I was coming through the Nature Preserve on the campus where I worked and it started snowing. Hard. I couldn't see ahead or behind. I stopped and just put my face to the sky with the snow swirling all around. And I felt like I was a part of everything. This was the world embracing me. And me embracing it. I ended up writing a poem about it.
Can't wait to hear about your adventure!
Thank you, Karen. I love that exquisite moment that you described!
I've written about the San Diego 100 a lot, both running it and volunteering for the race. My family and I have spent years helping out at the race, and we've all had some amazing bonding/growth experiences. More recently though, our Mountain Rescue team does a weekend training every month, and there's a special one every October. We take the new recruits up to the mountains and run scenarios to see if they are a good fit for us, and/or we are a good fit for them. It's a struggle mentally and physically usually under pretty harsh conditions, but it always amazes me how close we get to each other in a short amount of time. Similar to ultra running, but I think the camping and survival aspects of the weekend add to the experience, making it closer to the stage race atmosphere you described.
That's really wonderful. I know about SD100 only through my friendship with Scotty Mills. One of these years ...
I am just so amazed at your GTG adventures and only wish I was a few years younger - I would go for it. I enjoyed reading about your path to where you are now. Looking forward to hearing how this upcoming GTG goes. The southwest is near and near to me.
My husband and I did the rim to rim (southbound) in early October about 10 years ago. We camped out (brought our own gear) in official campgrounds and did the hike in 3 nights, four days - very doable. The water on the route is piped in but is turned off sometime in mid-October.
So cool to hear your history with this race and how it changed how you feel about yourself in so many ways outside of running! And will continue to. I can't wait to hear more about this experience. I find myself pulled to new and different adventures and races and not doing the same ones again. A lot of my friends who have done the Vermont 100 feel the same about that race as you describe and they keep coming back. Maybe because I am now in my 60s and started running so much later in life I am trying to make up for lost time...LOL! Also, I am NOT a planner so this race would be torture for me as there is sooooo much planning involved. That was the hardest part of deciding to do 100 miles... knowing I'd have to do some planning. Not that the plans really worked out (hahaha!) but I tried. In any case, I can't wait to hear more about your adventure!
Thank you Ali :-)
I'm so impressed by this--both the running itself, and the way you go about these things on the mental/psychological level.
Since you asked for comments on the events/experiences we keep returning to, I'll say that for me it's the Zagori Mountain Running race in mid-July, in Greece, which I've done six times so far (starting with a 10k, then the 21k, and then the 44km 3 times, and finally 33km after they changed the distance). The routes go through (sometimes literally) the area where my family is from, and it means a tremendous amount to me to be covering the ground up in those mountains where my ancestors walked or rode horses, usually for work travel, sometimes in wartime, and sometimes for recreation (depending on the generation). The first time I did the marathon distance, after a covid pause in the event, I cried as I crossed the starting line, and I've teared up every time since then.
Thank you! I'm just scratching the surface in these posts; more to come in my memoir :-).
I've always appreciated and felt transported by your Zagori race reports.
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I love hanging out adjacent to adventurers who give their all. My spirit will travel with you as you participate. Polly
Thank you so much, Polly.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience of running this race and how it impacted your life. I found it truly moving and inspiring as I approach the same phase in life. I look forward to hearing your wise "why's" and finding my own.
Thank you Rasa for sharing that here :-)
What an amazing story Sarah! I love knowing your history with the G2G and why it matters so much to you. Such empowerment!
Thank you so much for reading—that means a lot.