Adventure Runner

When I Grown Up I Want To be An Adventure Runner...

As young kids runners growing up many of us dream of being a firemen, maybe a superhero or a doctor.  Then the mundane realities of adult life settle on us and we grow up wondering what we will be when we (catch your breath...) do finally grown up.  A few of the lucky ones find out early and can follow that calling.  The rest of us go thur life wondering "what will I be when I grown up?"

The good news is that, we the runner inside of us, can still grow up to be anything we want--unless, that is,you want to be SpongeBob.  Myself, I think I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up...An Adventure Runner!

Running The Sahara:

On February 20, Charlie, Ray and Kevin touched the Red Sea, just a few hours before sunset. Their quest had lasted 111 days and taken them through 6 countries: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya, and Egypt. By the team's daily GPS record, they had traveled over 4,300 miles (6,920 kilometers). They fought through injury and extreme fatigue to reach their goal, which changed them forever.


 

Pikes Peak Marathon:

This marathon starts out like a lot of races on Any Street, USA. But your first left turn will have you turning in the direction of up! During the next 10 miles, as you gain almost 6,000 vertical feet, your legs, lungs, heart and mind will be worn to a ragged nothingness. But it won’t be until the next three miles, with still over 2,000' of vertical to go, that you will realize where the Marathon got its moniker—America’s Ultimate Challenge.



The Barkley Marathon:

The Barkley is considered one of the toughest 100 mile races in the world. It has 59,100 feet of climb (and 59,100 feet of descent), more than any other 100 mile race. Since the race began in 1986, only 13 runners out of about 900 have finished within the 60 hour cutoff.


 
Badwater 135:

Recognized globally as "the world's toughest foot race," this legendary event pits approximately 90 of the world's toughest athletes—runners, triathletes, adventure racers, and mountaineers—against one another and the elements. Covering 135 miles (217km) non-stop from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, CA in temperatures up to 130F (55c), it is the most demanding and extreme running race offered anywhere on the planet.


 
I'm not saying I can or will run any of these great adventure runs, but when I go up, I might just give it a try!