Grand to Grand Fundraiser for Impossible2Possible
Grand to Grand Adventure 2017:
Fundraising for Impossible2Possible
In January 2016, I was selected as a Youth Ambassador for Impossible2Possible (i2P) Expedition Death Valley, and found myself surrounded by people who made crazy sounding adventures I couldn't even dream of doing seem normal. i2P, and the amazing community of people who support this organization, inspired me to push my mental and physical limits beyond what I thought I could ever achieve. I ran my very first marathon in May 2016, followed by the Bad Beaver Ultra 150km 3-day stage race in August that same year, and then completed i2P Expedition Death Valley in September.
During Bad Beaver Ultra in 2016 I was inspired by a couple of incredible women who were preparing for an upcoming race in the Grand Canyon - the Grand 2 Grand Ultra. They were both so strong and determined, and I was excited to follow along with their journey in G2G while we were running in Death Valley. Reading about the challenges, highlights, lessons, and friendships that they experienced in G2G was so exciting and began wondering... "Could I do something like that?". I started pouring over race reports, training blogs, and anything else I could find to learn more about the race. I found out that they were donating a race entry to an i2P supporter who would raise funds towards their race entry to go to i2P, and was incredibly lucky to get that spot for 2017. All proceeds from my fundraising page will go directly towards supporting i2P Youth Expeditions and experiential learning activities.
This year, I'll be the youngest competitor in the 2017 Grand 2 Grand Ultra 273km self supported foot race taking place in 6 stages over 7 days this September. This world class course challenges participants from around the world to dig deep and discover new strengths while creating strong bonds and friendships with other competitors. It starts on one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the awe-inspiring north rim of the Grand Canyon and finished on the summit of the Grand Staircase. The course takes competitors through a desert landscape of sand dunes, red rock slot canyons, buttes, mesas, and hoodoos. The stages will vary in distance, ranging from approximately 8 miles (12 kms) to approximately 53 miles (85 kms). Besides water at checkpoints and shelter at night, participants are expected to carry everything they require to complete the journey without external support.
After my life-changing experiences with i2P I want to give back by supporting the next youth expeditions and spreading the values of i2P in my local community for students, teachers, and people of all ages to challenge themselves to get outside, explore new passions, and dream big. Throughout my journey leading up to and during Grand to Grand, I will be raising awareness and funds for i2P to support their mission to educate, inspire, and empower young people from around the world to reach beyond their perceived limits and achieve extraordinary things. Impossible2Possible uses Experiential Learning Programs and expeditions to deliver the world to the classroom and the classroom to the world! All expedition expenses are covered for Youth Ambassadors and all i2P Experiential Learning Programs are delivered free of charge to schools and students around the world.
Learn more about Impossible2Possible here, and please consider donating to this incredible charity through my fundraising page here.