Running the Grand Canyon - November 2011

Running Grand Canyon

Dante Alighieri says “Nature is the art of God”.

Doug and Eugene, two running friends from Ontario, my support team made up of my wife Edna, Brother Bill and his wife Grace, my cameraman Mel and I found our way to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Purpose of our event was Athletes in Action filming of runners in the Grand Canyon as a backdrop for a running documentary.

To begin the filming Mel and I first got on board a EC 130 helicopter to film the Grand Canyon from above. It was an exhilarating, but somewhat fearful experience as the Chopper flew over the edge of the Canyon South Kaibab Forest. In an instant we found ourselves hanging over the huge and deep Gorge over a mile down.

The next task was to run the famous and most beautiful South Kaibab trail for filming. The major assignment was to hike down into the Canyon, where we would camp for 2 nights, via the Grandview Trail. We had originally planned to hike and film on the Bright Angel (Corridor Category) trail, which is fairly wide and safe. However due unsuccessful attempts at getting the campsite permits, we chose the Grandview Trail which is a much more difficult trail, (a Threshold Category) with only self rescue status.

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet / 1,800 metres). The mighty Colorado River runs deep below in the Canyon from the Lake Powell dam to Lake Mead – Hoover Dam near Las Vegas. The Canyon is the 7th wonder of the world – a fantastic, awesome and inspiring place on this earth. It is one exciting and overwhelming spectacle – with breathtaking views – it literally does take your breath away as you hike up or down the Grandview Trail. Hiking down, you leave the plateau, entering a totally different world – no distinct landmarks to help you orient yourself. You enter a separate realm of the Grand Canyon – leaving you awestruck and fascinated. The Canyon presents fantastic vistas as we hike down the Coconino Sandstone walls. The Horseshoe Mesa is visible at times as we manoeuvre down the narrow, steep cobblestone trail. Pete Berry constructed a juniper log cribbing along the cliff walls to support the Coconino trail. The Canyon envelops you – seemingly the whole world becomes a Canyon – a little unnerving.

We got down in 3 ¼ hours with some difficulty – namely Mel’s backpack was too heavy – thus a painful and sore knee. We spent 2 nights on the Horseshoe Mesa. Mel was kept busy filming the three runners at various locations and backdrops. The Horseshoe Mesa has historic significance – a fascinating era of Pete Berry’s cabin ruins, mining implements and even rusted tin cans and rusted metal bed frames – and items of the past that tell stories of the bygone mining days of this rugged Canyon Mesa. We found some cosy corner with some big rocks to set up a filming setting. for interviews about our personal running experiences. Views from the Mesa are excellent, stretching southeast to the bold tower of Coronado Butte, east up the Canyon to the Palisades of the Desert, and northeast to the mountain-like buttes of the Vishnu Temple. Mel featured various backdrops and angles, and all kinds of running questions and answers were discussed. Great photos and footage were realized as we spotted a Tarantula on the rocks, a big black raven stealing our food, and the various Agave plants with the long dried out seed poles sticking way up into the blue skies. The junipers and pinions, onion cactus and the rocky towering castle-like Buttes were super settings for the filming.

The nights were cool, in fact cold – around the freezing point, or even lower. The wind behaved like a typical desert wind – at one time it was totally quiet and then 3 minutes later it was a gusting strong turbulent wind, flapping the tent canvas and making sleeping almost impossible. I slept about 3 hours each night. My desert sleeping bag was way too thin. I wore 5 layers of sweaters, tights and long johns, borrowed Mel’s jacket, and a sweatshirt, and I still “froze”. He just lay in his bag all toasty warm.

I admit I was physically fit for the Grand Canyon adventure, however mentally I was on the edge of my limits. This was mainly because of the narrow trails. They were very narrow at places and I was getting strength and encouragement from the other runners/hikers. Where one is weak the other is strong. I think I banked off the other runner’s positive-ness, courage, humour and strength.

Eugene got up to the “Saddle” to drop his bag – then went back down to fetch Mel’s pack to make it easier for him to get up. We carried one another’s burden, literally, in spirit, in our humour, in our prayers, making it lighter to get to the top. Encouragement and positive attitudes are so important at times like these. We made it up in 3 hours and 50 minutes. As we slowly made our way up, stepping very cautiously, the resting stops to catch our breath were getting to be more frequent. For ever 20 steps we had to stop and breathe deeply for a few minutes. The air got thinner as we approached the near 7000 feet above sea level on the South Rim. I was reminded of Henry Thoreau’s statement – “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads”.

I realized that to hike the Grandview Grand Canyon Trail, you need to be armed with a positive attitude, an awareness of your limitations, adequate physical and mental conditioning, and the best possible light back packing equipment. Like someone said – “Once you set your foot on this trail, the magic of the Grand Canyon begins to cast its spell on you”.


Albert Martens
November 11, 2011

Manitoba Running Association Hall of Fame Inductee 2011

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My Thoughts & Convictions on Running

MY THOUGHTS & CONVICTIONS ON RUNNING

Having run since 1980, I have thought a lot about the matter of running. Having run about 41,000 kilometers, 46 full marathons and 11 ultra marathons in this time, I would like all runners to consider the matter of Why uRun?

There are many reasons why people run short or long distances – there are probably more reasons for running than there are runners. First of all, an ultra marathon is simply running a longer distance than a full marathon (42.195 km). It is usually 50 km or longer, as long as you want to have it.
Why Run?
• Run for fun
• To see what I am made up of
• To try to find out where is my physical &/or mental limit.
• To feel the wind
• To enjoy the feeling of the light drizzle or a heavy rain.
• For the fun of running through water puddles
• To see the tiny flowers along the road side.
• To smell the air, the fall air, the crunching of my shoes on a cold snowy and icy road.
• To fight the “elements” of nature.
• Run faster because of the dogs.
• Run home faster because I was brutally bite by a dog.
• Run to bear the pain, physical and emotional.
• Run home faster because I was injured due to a bad fall on a downhill gravel forest path.
• Run praying for other people in dire need.
• I have run with tears in my eyes - the rain washing away the tears.
• Ran to add more distance to my life time odometer.
• Run to get into better shape.
• Run to get rid of the stress due to the troubles of the day.
• Run to remember other people.
• Run for the good causes of other runners.
• Run to try to keep up with someone.
• Run to master and conquer a tall and high mountain in the Swiss Alps.
• Run to get lost.
• Run to be found again.

Some of these reasons sound weird, however I want to give you the main 4 reasons for my running, which have really helped me and given it purpose and meaning to my life’s journey. These are the serious reasons for running extreme and long – this is my hard work, my joy, my privilege & obligation, my ministry. Many people, especially non-runners do not understand this and often their reply is “rather you than me”.

1. I run to ‘Go the Distance’ – and enjoy it. The race is there to be run. I have run to simply finish the race and finish it well – smiling. When you start something you should try to finish well in life.

2. Similar to No. one is to see whether I can finish a long and hard race -to test your self. It has intrigued me to try to find out where my limit is. Can I do better and run father and faster – where is the point where I can not improve anymore?

3. Raising funds for a charity
I have run all my long ultra runs for the purpose of helping other people. I have raised many thousands of dollars for the support of less fortunate people. Some examples have been a medical center in Africa, fresh water for sick people in Africa, education and a medical center in Europe, for a Christian school on Eastern Europe. Helping needy people and especially poor children is a huge encouragement and motivation for me when I run very tough races. For such purposes I am willing to suffer minor inconveniences and temporary pain (e.g. ugly blisters) for a little while. To date I have raised about $200,000 for various charities.

4. To Share of my joy in my personal faith
I have run many races just to see how I can become a friend or how I can find another wonderful running friend. I have made many friends in the running world, as well as learnt a lot from other runners. I have also found it very meaningful to find out what other runners are made up of, where and why they run. What is their background, nationality and what they believe in. For my experience it has been a most wonderful aspect of my running, to be able to share with other runners about my faith in Jesus Christ. I share as to what difference Jesus has made in my life. For me running is to use it to bring honour and glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus who gives me air to breathe, legs to run with, a heart to pump the blood, and all the beautiful trails I’ve run / and the all that I am because of Him.


MY CHALLENGE TO YOU.

I would like to encourage (motivate) runners to run for a ‘greater’ purpose. If you are going to run in any case, why not add the dimension running for a charity. Use it for a purpose beyond yourself. Use it to bring success, happiness to others. Don’t just run for a medal, or a start bib, or a personal best.
You may find that you can endure through a long and tough race better, when you running will help some one else. Have you ever tried it? I encourage all runners to run to help others in some way or form, run unselfishly. (not just for your ego). It will make a difference and it will change you and your perspective and I dare say your conviction of running.

Albert Martens

Why do uRun?

Why do uRun?
…because it is faster than walking
…because I can
…because runners run
…the competition
…it is me vs myself
…for recreation
…it’s a cheap fix
…to lose pudginess
…the fresh air
…I have more energy
…to quit smoking
…to relax
…for charity
…it makes me happier
…purifies me
…to get fit
…it’s peaceful and energizing
…it feels good when I stop
…for solitude
…because it gets easier
…self-esteem
…stress relief
…for the endorphins
…for camaraderie
…it makes the food taste better
…to be in a better mood
…because I can do math better
…good feeling of accomplishment
…run away
…it’s a gift to be able to run
…because I live to run
…tired of being fat and miserable
…for health reasons
…I sleep better
…because it’s hard
...because it hurts
…because the blood flows faster
…because I can
…because I can think clearer
…food tastes much better at the end
…it is fun to see other runners from the back
…I like to make others smile
…I like the perfume of other runners
…to see many sizes and colours of everything
…to receive another trophy, or medal or bib number

South Kaibab Trails

Grand Canyon Running 2011

On October 29, two other runners (form Ontario) and I will leave for the Grand Canyon to run and film.  My camera man and crew will assist in filming the gorgeous Grand Canyon as a back drop to our running down into the Canyon.  Plans are to stay at Horseshoe Mesa for two nights and then "loop" run several trails for filming purposes.   Filming for the  purpose of creating some private movie documentaries and shorter clips to be used at various AIA marathon Expo booths in the future. Put on your runners and stay tuned.

    

Sailing from Gull Harbour to Gimli - Sept 11, 2011

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Heb. 12: 1 & 2

"And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus on whom our faith depends from start to finish."