Canyon de Chelly ultra

Our friend Robyn told us about a special Canyon de Chelly 50k in northeast Arizona.  It's run on Navajo land in a place you aren't normally allowed to go unguided.  Such a beautiful place and an amazing experience - no wonder there are always many more people who want to run vs. the number of slots in the race.

I put my name in the pot, and John said "what the heck", put an entry in for him too.  It's entirely fitting that he got in and I didn't - I have so many big adventures, it was time for John to get one of his own.  Whether or not he was completely trained for it... at least we had had an adventurous summer on foot.

We camped in Chinle near the race start/finish and picked up his number the day before the race - are you ready John?

Staying warm (sorta) on race morning:

Since we were there anyway, I put my name on the "last minute" wait list in case any slots opened up.  I had been quite far down on the original wait list so I didn't expect anything.  I did show up fully dressed and carrying everything I'd need because you never know...

Which was good, because I was one slot away from getting in at the very last minute!  That made me smile.  No matter, I was perfectly happy driving around to see the course from the canyon rim.  Whatever happens, it was going to be a lovely day.

And they're off!  Go John go  :)

The first several miles are in a sandy wash, a challenging start (and later a challenging finish).  I'm sure the runners were looking forward to the sunrise, and also to the more-solid trail further along the way:

I checked out the National Monument visitor center, then started along the rim to see the various overlooks.  Love the sign on this truck:

Eventually I reached the overlook toward the turnaround; it's the last place where spectators can watch for runners (since we weren't allowed at the turnaround aid station).  The views all along the way are stunning and well worth the drive even for those of us relegated to the rim.

And somewhere down there is the race trail, possibly with tiny little runners who aren't super visible without binoculars:

I hung out there for a while, finally deciding I had missed John on his way out.  Looks like he was running well that morning, excellent!

Enjoying the scenery in the meantime:

The funny thing is that if you yelled from the overlook, the sound would bounce off the canyon walls and eventually make its way down to the runners.  Other people managed to get the attention of racers they knew.  When I saw John coming back from the turnaround, I did a "pew!" call that he would recognize, but I think it was difficult for everyone down below to tell where we were hanging out up above.

I drove around the corner to the next overlook:

It was fun watching John run along the dirt road.  The camera is zoomed in and the photo is cropped, so perhaps you can barely see him:

I had time to admire some cliff dwellings across the way (hard to see under the shady overhang).  It would be neat to return for a guided tour someday and learn some stories from the locals.

Not quite a bird, or a plane:

Bug in the rocks - what a cute surprise:

Another overlook where friends and family could watch for their runner.  I was so glad I'd remembered my binoculars.  Of course, the bigger picture views are awesome in their own right:

John heard and saw me from down there this time, yay!  Go John!

Another picturesque spot along the canyon rim, keeping an eye on the racecourse:

And enjoying my afternoon!

The runners are approaching the sandier sections of the return trip:

John is in the grey shirt in the front of this group crossing the wash:

I parked at the finish line and moseyed back to the bridge that crossed the final mile of the course.  The sand slowed everyone down a good bit, but John was still moving strong.  Woo hoo!

We actually got to say hello to each other at this "overlook"

I booked it back down the road and around through the finish area, which was just as sandy as what John was running on - and somehow he beat me to the finish line!  He's just about to cross it in this picture as I slogged my way over there:

He humored me with a re-creation, thanks John!

Ready for a sit-down while I fetch some fry bread and lemonade:

The awards ceremony, as seen from where John was sitting - congratulations to all runners, fast and not-as-fast!

What an incredible event - highly recommend (for anyone that can get in).  The atmosphere, caring spirit, and uniqueness makes it truly memorable.  Thank you to Shaun Martin and his team and everyone in the community who welcomed us there for the race.