Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Antelope Canyon 50 Miler Race Report 2014

On Saturday I had the opportunity to run 50 miles in a place that has been described as one of the most amazing places on Earth - Antelope Canyon.

The Antelope Canyon 50 (they have a 50k and 50 miler) is based out of Page, Arizona. Even the drive to get here is like something from a postcard. I was excited to experience the scenery of the race, and was equally excited to spend 50 miles with some of my best friends: this is Clair, Catherine, Jill, and myself a minute before we started running.

We ran a bunch of miles in the dark waiting for the sun to come up. There were some ominous clouds on the horizon. And then the last thing you'd expect in Arizona....happened. Those ominous clouds turned to snow! As we were running down a ravine of sand, tour groups started driving by on their way to Antelope Canyon. We joked that it was like being in an animal cage at the zoo as everyone goes by looking at you. Notice that pounding snow too:

We soon reached the opening to Antelope Canyon. Certainly reason to celebrate because it is a rare opportunity to experience these slot canyons.

When we got there it was still pretty dark inside. This is the first opening when you get inside the canyon. Out of all the views inside the slot, this is my favorite place:
Antelope Canyon 50k, 50 mile ultramarathon

The actual Antelope Canyon is short, less than half a mile. I thought this would be the highlight of the route but there were even better views to come. Following Antelope Canyon there were more slots we got to run through:
Antelope Canyon 50k, 50 miler ultramarathon

Antelope Canyon 50 miler, 50k race

In order to get to Antelope Canyon earlier in the race, we had to descend a huge ladder to get to the canyon floor below. After the canyon we looped around and went back up that same ladder. You can see how high the climb is, but notice Catherine toward the top of the hill. Our quads were on fire after getting to the top of that puppy.

By this point around mile 16 Catherine's knee was getting unhappy but Jill was feeling great so we told her to go on up ahead. Catherine, Clair, and I pressed on and then out in the middle of nowhere we saw this toilet plunger on the side of the trail. When Clair popped that thing on his head I suddenly admired and respected him even more. Now that's funny.

It was precisely after finding this plunger that we realized something bad had happened.........we were lost. We were able to find our way back but ended up getting lost a total of six times. Sometimes it would take a group of 6-7 other runners gathered up with us trying to figure out where to go next and we accumulated some bonus miles to add to the 50 mile course. Course marking is an area where the race could be improved. I was happy that at least I was able to catch this shot during one of our detours.

The next incredible location we hit was Horseshoe Bend. I have wanted to see this all my life, and to actually experience the views here on the trail, it was simply spectacular.
Antelope Canyon 50k, 50 mile race

The cool thing is that we were on a side trail experiencing views that people never see when they just stop at the scenic turnoff on the side of the road. It was so incredible that I didn't want to leave.

Out of the couple hundred pictures I took, this is one of my favorites:
Horseshoe Bend, Ultramarathon, runners

Let me give you a little more info about the race. There are tons, and tons, and TONS of sand. Not the kind of happy sand you'd find walking on the beach. It is thick, relentless, energy-sucking sand. Like in the movie Neverending Story when the horse stands on sand and get sucks down to its death. We decided that SAND deserved to be added to the list of 4-letter swear words. We started saying things like "Holy sand!" or "Hmmm, this blister feels like it's getting pretty sand big." (It's true, I did get a pretty sand big blister from all that sand sand.) We were so sand happy when we'd get to a section of slick rock and get a break from that sand.

Let me give this report a disclaimer: there are about four incredible once-in-a-lifetime locations on the course (that's all the pictures you're seeing). But to connect to each of those places requires some long, unremarkable routes through that deep sand. So in actuality, much more of the course is long double track trails of sand than it is slot canyons and rim views. This is a typical view of those miles:

I laughed when we saw this writing on a marking flag.....that happened to be stuck into a pile of cow poo:

The next 10ish miles were quite slow because we were doing a lot of route-finding, getting to one flag and then spending some time trying to locate the next flag. Every once in a while the trail would take us again to the edge of an amazing viewpoint.


Eventually we arrived at my favorite part of the whole course: Waterholes Canyon. It was similar to Antelope Canyon minus the tourists. To grasp the size of this area, look at Clair surrounded by the enormous slot canyon:
Waterholes Canyon, runner

I just could not believe that scenery like this could be experienced in the middle of a race. All those miles through Neverending Story sand was worth it. I was in heaven.


Every time I'd try to put my camera away I'd have to pull it right out again to catch a shot of what was around every corner.
Waterholes Canyon, Page, Arizona

Waterholes Canyon, running


I am scared of heights. No, let me rephrase that. I am terrified of heights. So when you're having nightmares about ax murderers or clowns or an eternity of Kenny G music, I am having nightmares about ladders. When I arrived at this particular spot I wondered to myself if the finish line of a 50 miler was worth trying to go up this ladder. Which. Is. Propped. Up. On. Rocks. I gave myself a little pep talk saying something like "Sand it Cory! Get your act together, stop whimpering like a baby, and get up that sand ladder!" For me, getting to the top of this thing was as much an accomplishment as running the 50 miles.
Waterholes Canyon, Page, Arizona, ultramarathon, ladder, slot canyon

Waterholes Canyon, slot canyon, running

We got to the next aid station and I was welcomed by my good friend Rick who had been working the aid station all day. He knows my affinity for sugar and made me a special treat....grilled Nutella taquitos! Those were honestly the best thing I've ever eaten at an aid station. Pure bliss. Thanks Rick!!!!

Unfortunately by this time Clair's body was done. His feet weren't cooperating and he knew that with darkness coming fast he wouldn't be able to keep going for another 11 miles so I he took the 50k route back to the finish. I admire and look up to that man, I was sad to see him go.

So Catherine and I pressed on. Until we got lost. After a bit we found our way again and then out of nowhere guess who came running up behind........Jill! She had gotten lost after she left us earlier in the day and added another 9 miles to her race. I was so happy to see her, and I know she was ecstatic to see us after being alone for a few hours.

This was Jill's first ultramarathon. We talked about how she had heard that in ultras you experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. With about six miles left it was cold and dark and we kept getting lost and she was hungry and frustrated and wanted to quit. She broke down and sobbed. She had reached the lowest of lows. I felt for her because I know that feeling well. But I knew that if she keep going, that low would pass. I knew it would. I gave her a hug and told her that we would help each get to the finish line.

We got to the last aid station and she got something to eat and drink and immediately felt better. She became a new person. I knew that because she had experienced the lowest of lows, that finish line would be even sweeter, an even more incredible accomplishment.

As we neared the finish line I was caught up in how thankful I felt to have the experiences I had throughout the day. I was so thankful to spend time with all these amazing people. I was proud of what we had accomplished as a team. It was a great moment for all of us.

The course marking is an issue, but that's something that can easily be fixed. The long slogs through sand were tough. But it was worth it for those spectacular once-in-a-lifetime views. The Antelope Canyon 50 had the most amazing scenery I've ever seen during a race.

At the finish line we were given a medallion that a Navajo artist had made. Out of all the races I've run, I've never been given something like this. It was an amazing day of snow, sand, slot canyons, and seriously awesome runners. (And a toilet plunger on the side of the trail.)
medallion, race, ultramarathon, Page, Arizona

23 comments:

  1. Wow! What a sand impressing story and experience!! Snow in Arizona? I would have been wondering what state I had come to run in? You are such a great person Cory! I'm always so impressed with your abilities to just help everyone you run with, both mentally and physically. That really is admirable and I have felt blessed to be on that end as well. I'm looking so forward to this Jackpot experience coming soon!! (Yikes-sort of)

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a beautiful, beautiful place to run! (Minus the ladders - what the heck? How is that last one safe???)

    Congrats to you and your friends on another amazing performance. I can't imagine being lost for that many miles and still being able to keep it together!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd love to run there! So gorgeous! Congrats on your finish!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your race report and photos are awesome as usual. It was kind of nice to be able to sit back and relive the race and yet have my sore feet propped up on my desk. You're a winner Cory!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have a completely new appreciation and respect for ultrarunning after this race. It's not even about the distance or the physical feat (well, it is... but...)-- it's about determination and friendship, and knowing you have people that got your back and will literally NOT let you fail ("jill there was zero percent chance I was letting you quit.") If I had to compare this to anything it was like child birth. You have moments of super high HIGHS, and very, very low LOWS. you want to give up. you laugh, you cry, you really don't care who sees you looking like an absolute hot mess. But when it's all over, it was worth it. And then you forget the pain and agony.. and are ready to do it all over again.... so, when's that Buffalo Run? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jill! Buffalo! Really??!!? Please, please!

      Delete
    2. Great Job out there Jill, so impressive to see you stick it out and finish. Nice to meet you and I hope to see you at future events.

      Rick (Slickrock Aid)

      Delete
  6. How famous are you? Signs in cow poop is better than having the paparazzi chase you down on motorbikes. I love your photos as usual but, knowing that not many people get to go there makes them even more special.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I can't believe you captured a photo of my Dad with a plunger on his head! Nice one, that will never happen again. Congrats on your finish, it looks like the scenery was awesome. I will be doing some pacing for the Buffalo 100 with my Dad, so I will see you then! Btw, I am Clair's middle daughter ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! This is so sand awesome! ;P

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unbelievable scenery! I would give anything to run there. Fantastic run once again, well done!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Super photos, Cory! Thanks for being there. We enjoyed putting on the race almost as much as the participants did running it. Long day out in a beautiful landscape! Looking forward to seeing you at the next UA event!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Cory, another great report, pictures, and performance. Great shot of Clair with a plunger on his head. We do anything to get on your blog, don't we? Classic.

    I was glad to see you out there and meet more of your entourage. I am so impressed and inspired by how tough Ultra runners are. I saw a lot of grit (pun intended) on Saturday. Have a great Jackpot race, which will be a walk in the park (another pun) after Antelope Canyon. Just kidding on that, that one will have it's own difficulties, but you will make it look easy.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What beautiful race pictures! Congrats on a great race!

    ReplyDelete
  13. GREAT review and pictures. Looks like an amazing race and congrats on completing yet another ultramarathon. You are a machine.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for this great race report. Everything I've seen about this race, marking issues aside, make it look fantastic. And hard - that sand would have undone me I fear. Congrats on sticking with it and getting it done, all while managing to take all those great pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  16. That's an epic race report. Thank you!
    I've been to horseshoe bend and the lower antelope canyon in 2009, but I visited just the tourist area .. of course I do. :-(

    But the impressions I got in the the slot canyon .. is till now one of the highlights of my entire life.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What an amazing race, this is going on my bucket list! I've always wanted to go there, and what better way than to run it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Cory, Cory, Corrrryyyy! Always and adventure when you do a race; this one was one of the best. If I was going to have a meltdown in a race, you'd be the first one I'd want by my side b/c I know you would pull me right out of it like you did your friend. Glad you had a fantastic time (aside from the SAND, gah - hate that stuff!). You are just so freaking badass, my friend!!

    Carry on...

    ReplyDelete
  19. If you guy would like to find out more on the jewelry that was made contact me at needom29@gmail.com or at 9284291242

    ReplyDelete
  20. This was my first true ultra (i've done a few 50k's) and I absolutely loved this race, got lost 6 or 7 times but I had a blast!

    ReplyDelete