Road tripped to my last marathon of 2015 – 9 hours southwest to Monument Valley Tribal Park in Navaho Nation.

Saturday’s inaugural marathon would be my 1^st outside of 50 State Quest, my first repeat state – would start/finish in Utah, majority of run on dirt roads & trail in Arizona.

Pulled into Goulding’s Lodge on the Rez just before 7pm [arrived after nightfall]…so would have to wait ‘til morning to see Monument Valley’s amazing red landscape.

Bib pick-up & pre-race pasta dinner – my first exposure to the Navajo.  Native flutes piped thru the dining hall while tribal leaders spoke of their efforts to organize the run and improve the wellness of their people.

 

#2016whyIrun   Marathon dues were paid to NavajoYES – an organization created to improve lifelong fitness & youth native empowerment across Diné Bikeyah.

Mission Statement: “to develop a healthy, positive and drug-free lifestyle” – a problem plaguing Rez youth across the Navajo Nation.

Night concluded with a slide show & details ‘bout tomorrow’s run – 10+ miles of red sand, trail dotted with orange flags, followed by a hard-packed dirt shared with half-marathon participants.

 

Race morning – cold & windy…actually bitter cold, wind chills near zero, winds gusted to 30mph.

Waited inside the Navajo Visitors Center ‘til race start. Darted out to hear the National Anthem – sung in Navajo Diné, amazing cultural experience.

Started off quick – course descended almost 1000ft, clouds cleared revealing majestic red rock spiraling upward to the heavens.

WOW moment, absolutely stunning!

Dropped off hard-packed dirt road at mile 4 – half-marathoners continued on, marathoners took to trail. From there, ran in dense red sand – gaiting right, then left, watching my footing, attempting to avoid the deepest sinking pits.

Crossed 2 privacy fences. Ran free across the Rez today, passed circular communal buildings & painted ponies – terrain switched from sand to frozen mud imprinted deep with horse markings.

 

Mile 9 – Totem Pole. Toughest trail climb of the day – not so much running as hiking in sand. Dug deep & passed a number of participants. Vertical hiking – this I can do 🙂

Rejoined hard-packed dirt somewhere near mile 14 or 15 – hard to tell…no mile markers; aid stations were abandoned, unmanned in the extreme conditions.

WIND. Ran with right eye closed, left eye squinted to avoid blowing sand – sand which coated my mouth, nose, ears, both eyes. Tough physical conditions, tougher mental challenge.

Dirt devils formed far in the distance. I’d watch them approach, stop, close both eyes tight & wait as they passed over me. Near impossible to run in the swirling headwind.

Didn’t see another human until mile 23 when a Navajo officer met me with PowerAde from his truck. Only two miles more he promised – last mile half would be UP in the unrelenting wind.  I could now see the Visitors Center, high on a towering red clay bluff.

Standing thru ground swells, running, shuffling, walking, hiking hands on quad – pushing, pushing upward to the Finish line.

Most extreme marathon of my life – fitting way to end 2015: 32 marathons in 32 different states.

 

BIB#      NAME          TIME
9            Haga, KR     5:36:58     Louisville CO

 

Wrapped in mylar, sat in a nearby warming tent & watched the Navajo blessing ceremony.  Back to Colorado in the morning.  Winter break, no running for a couple weeks – in the mountains next weekend, laying low during the holidays.

 

 

Salmon: Jul 22 – Aug 21  [my Native American Animal Symbol]

 

Electric, focused, intuitive, and wholly creative, the Salmon is a real live-wire. His/her energy is palpable. A natural motivator, the Salmon’s confidence and enthusiasm is easily infectious. Soon, everybody is onboard with the Salmon – even if the idea seems too hair-brained to work. Generous, intelligent, and intuitive, it’s no wonder why the Salmon has no shortage of friends. This Native American animal symbol expresses a need for purpose and goals, and has no trouble finding volunteers for his/her personal crusades.

 

 

National Anthem in Native Navajo Diné

 

post-race Navajo ‘blessing ceremony’