The Grand to Grand Ultra: Marathon in a very, very different way

For you, half marathons are walks, you do marathons in jeans and triathlons are just for hungover Sundays? Then we might have the ideal challenge for you: the Grand to Grand Ultra in North America. A self-sufficient stage race as unique as the landscape in which it takes place: Here some of the best athletes in the world run against the magnificent backdrop of the Grand Canyon - which is why many call the Grand to Grand Ultra Race also the Grand Canyon Ultra. Imagine it: running an (ultra) marathon at the Grand Canyon. Day after day, fully focused, exhausted but happy - if you like that idea, you'll like our story even more!

Because this story is all about one of the most beautiful and toughest ultra races in the world . And above all about a man who took part in the G2G Ultramarathon in September 2022: Sascha Gramm is a passionate runner . The exceptional athlete takes on the toughest routes in the world. Whether it's frosty stage races through Norway, runs in the heat of the Gobi or ultra runs at the Grand Canyon: Sascha takes the long distances. And he does it so successfully! That's why we're even more pleased that he's telling us about the G2G 2022, where he came in an incredible 9th place overall and even took first place in his age group (40 to 45 year olds) . Are you interested in adventure stories from the G2G Ultra Race? The best tips from running coach and extreme athlete Sascha? Whether it's a training plan or training, mental strength or exciting details about ultrarunning: our story offers you everything .

Interested in reading? Let's go!

The G2G Ultra: the marathon stage race in detail

The Grand to Grand Ultra takes place once a year in the USA . More precisely: in the beautiful state of Utah . Here you start directly at the incomparable Grand Canyon and from there you run a total of 275 km in 6 stages while climbing around 5500 meters in altitude. Most of the stages in the Grand to Grand Ultra are unsurprisingly: ultramarathons. So routes with a length of more than 42 km. But that's not all: The G2G , as it is also called, is a stage race in which there are no aid stations . True to the motto “You are what you eat”, as a runner you have everything in your backpack for this “self-supported foot race”. Or not. And then things get tough. Extreme heat during the day, nasty cold at night and impassable terrain require optimal nutrition, top equipment and wide-awake, well-prepared ultrarunners. It's quite clear: If you don't prepare for the series of ultramarathons, if you don't complete a masterful training plan, you're unlikely to reach your goal.

Sascha Gramm is our Grand Canyon Ultra

Sascha Gramm took 9th overall and even first place in his age group at the Grand to Grand Ultra in September 2022. A fabulous achievement that we take our hats off to. And that makes us proud because: Dextro Energy* supported Sascha with numerous endurance products in what was perhaps the toughest stage race in the world. We are all the more pleased that he tells us about his impressions in the extensive interview and shares many good tips with you. And if you want to find out more about Sascha, his sport, his work as a speaker and his charity work: there is a lot to discover on his Instagram account and on his website .

At the Grand to Grand Ultra, Sascha Gramm also went through narrow slot canyons.

Photographer: Ryan Richardson

Hi dear Sascha, please introduce yourself first!

Hi, I'm Sascha Gramm, 43 years old, I come from Fulda, I'm married and have two daughters. I have been active in endurance sports for over 25 years - whether half marathon or triathlon, Ironman or ultra and stage running. I am also a running coach and speaker.

What were your greatest achievements as a runner?

The longest self-sufficient stage run was “THE TRACK” through the Australian outback [522 km, 9 stages, 10th place] from Alice Springs to Uluru [Ayers Rock]. Here we had temperatures ranging from -4 degrees at night to 48 degrees in the midday sun. Otherwise, for example, I'm at the Gobi March in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia [250 km, best German], the Ultra AFRICA Race in Mozambique [220 km, 2nd place] or the Ultra BOLIVIA Race - including on the largest salt lake in the world World – ran [220 km, 2nd place].

The current goal is to finish the “Continental Challenge,” in which you complete a specific race on each continent.

Now in September 2022 you took part in the Grand to Grand Ultra Race in the USA. What is it and what makes this ultramarathon stage race so special?

In the G2G you start on the north side of the world-famous Grand Canyon and you have to cover around 275 km in 6 stages to reach the finish at the Grand Staircase. The special thing about the competition is the versatility and flexibility required when running in front of a film set. A few years ago I visited the Grand Canyon National Park with my wife and took a helicopter flight over this impressive area. Now the opportunity has arisen to be out and about right here in running shoes - alone against nature. I didn't hesitate for long...

The route included steep climbs and descents over rock massifs, stones, boulders and fields peppered with cacti, riverbeds and dunes. All of this coupled with the enormous heat made the whole thing so challenging. This is also illustrated by the finisher rate, which was only 51%. What also makes G2G Ultra particularly tough is that it is forbidden, for example, to pass on food or accept support from an outsider.

What were your best experiences at this year's Grand to Grand Ultra?

First of all, the starting signal at sunrise directly at the Grand Canyon after the US national anthem was played. A goosebumps moment! Then the fifth stage: We went through a slot canyon. The ambience of the play of colors and the effect of light in this enormous natural backdrop was sensational and made me cheer and scream loudly for joy during this intermediate section. And then of course the finish: hand in hand with a French runner.

What does the training plan look like for an ultramarathon or stage race? How are you preparing? And is there a difference depending on the length (50, 60, 75, 100 or more km)?

If you want to take part in stage races well prepared, you also have to train stage running. Using G2G as an example, this means that I complete several running blocks and increase the amount of running per running block. Within a running block I run 6-7 days in a row and the distance varies from 15 to 35 km per day - and usually with a well-filled backpack on my back. The body gets used to being able to perform at its best even when tired on day 4, 5 or 6. However, it is important to ensure that appropriate regeneration training is carried out between the running blocks, so that the body can recover from the running block and become more efficient. Alternative sports such as swimming, cycling or stability training are also available here. I can recommend the latter to everyone, regardless of performance level.

Can anyone do this? What would you recommend to beginners who want to take part in a G2G Ultra Race at some point?

If you actually want to master such a race, everyone has the chance to make it happen. However, factors such as discipline, sacrifice, motivation, a planned approach and, in particular, having fun with your own project are essential. I recommend that all beginners take part in a running course for beginners in order to get to know the running basics and running technique exercises and to integrate these into their own running session. As a newcomer, you should look for a small, achievable goal such as the finish of a company run and not immediately aim for a stage run in extreme conditions. The body also has to adapt to the stresses of running in the form of tendons, muscles and ligaments and this simply takes time. Otherwise you risk injury and there is a risk of hanging up your running shoes before you even get started - and this sport has far too much to offer for that...

What equipment is required for an ultramarathon or self-catering stage run?

At this point you have to separate the ultramarathon from the stage run. An ultra run is usually run non-stop, while a stage run usually lasts 7-10 days. As a result, the equipment for a multi-day run is much more varied. The self-catering organizers of the stage races only provide tents and water. Everything else you need during the race can be carried in your backpack. A large part of the total weight [for the G2G: 10.5 kg] is attributable to food. Here you usually have to provide 2,000 minimum calories per day. The main meal is an outdoor food in the evening such as spaghetti bolognese or goulash, prepared with hot water and spooned out of the aluminum bag. Otherwise, I have had good experiences with Dextro muesli bars (strawberry, yogurt), the Energy* Bar (chocolate), the new Energy* Gums , the sports tablets and dates or nuts while running. After reaching the stage goal, the first stop is the Recovery° Drink . Don't forget thesalt tablets , which protect against cramps, especially in hot temperatures.

Due to sometimes large differences in temperature or changeable weather, the equipment also includes long trousers, a down jacket, a rain outfit, a hat, a kettle, a first aid kit, a sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a compass, a headlamp, eating utensils or even personal items such as a toothbrush or toilet paper tablets.

How does the Grand to Grand work?

In addition to the sporting preparations for such a race, the organizational requirements also need to be addressed. This initially includes holiday and travel planning, financing [at G2G approx. $3900] and registration for the event, a medical check if necessary with an ECG, vaccinations if necessary, and putting together the equipment. And then the way to the starting line: flight from Frankfurt via Munich to Las Vegas, hotel, long-distance bus (4 hours) to Kanab / Utah (Little Hollywood), meeting the participants and helpers, race check-in with equipment - and medical check, journey in a convoy to the Grand Canyon (2.5 hours), moving into the base camp, 8 runners in tent no. 7 (2 Americans, 3 Americans, 2 British air force soldiers and me ).

The race includes 6 stages and a total distance of 275 km with approximately 5,500 meters of elevation gain. Except for the last stage, all stages are marathon or ultramarathon length:

• Stage 1: 49.6 KM, +504 / -414 meters in altitude
• Stage 2: 43.3 KM, +718 / -928 meters in altitude
• Stage 3: 85.4 KM (queen stage, scheduled for two days), +1,698 / -1304 meters in altitude
• Stage 4: 41.9 KM, +892 / -970 meters in altitude
• Stage 5: 42.6 KM, +893 / -638 meters in altitude
• Stage 6: 12.3 KM, +836 / -265 meters in altitude

The daily routine looked like this:

Wake up at 6 a.m. sharp with a trumpet march, fetch water, prepare breakfast, get dressed, pack a backpack, look at the route again, everyone had to leave the tent swept clean by 7:30 a.m. otherwise there would be a risk of time penalties, 8 a.m. the starting signal for the stage.

Each stage consists of four, the long stage consists of eight checkpoints (CP). You walk from CP to CP within a given time window, where you can refill your water bottles on your backpack and take a short rest if necessary. If you don't reach the cut-off time, the race ends at this point. So “didn’t finish”.

After reaching the new camp (the tents were transported by the crew and set up in the new camp), the top 10 runners first had to undergo an equipment and food check (do they have mandatory equipment and enough food for the next few days?). Only then was the food and moving into the tent on the agenda.

And how did you experience the individual stages?

The environment on the stages was very varied. The terrain was often very demanding and one or two falls were unavoidable. Sometimes I asked myself how I was supposed to master certain sections downhill over scree fields. Then you take one step after the other and at some point you will have completed this section of the route. In addition to crossing a slot canyon, which fortunately was no longer under water, 13 house-high sand dunes on the 85 km long queen stage were another highlight. Here I literally climbed the dunes on all fours and then sat at the top with a big grin, sucked in the air and enjoyed the view of the cloudless starry sky in the now approaching night - magnificent.

The Grand to Grand Ultra was something very special for you because of your previous experiences in Norway. Would you like to tell us about it?

The European race of the so-called “Continental Challenge” is the “Ultra Norway”. The race is a 140 km long non-stop run with 9,000 meters of elevation gain through the Lyngen Alps, 250 km north of the Arctic Circle. Since the route is not marked, you download the route onto your watch and also onto a handheld navigation device before the race. Otherwise, the route is not marked and you have to navigate the very challenging terrain using technology. I was able to complete the most difficult section of the route together with a Frenchman and a Mexican, who unfortunately dropped out during the race. The constantly bad weather with rain and cold simply took its toll. At the penultimate checkpoint (CP) I was taken in a boat across a fjord and here I was informed that due to the difficult conditions, all runners behind me had been taken out of the race and I would now be on my own. It took me almost 9 hours to cover the 20 km to the last campsite, which perhaps gives you an idea of ​​how difficult the journey was. Due to the constant rain, there were constant river crossings and I often found myself up to my waist in 2 degree cold water and also had to look at where I could pass the watercourse due to the sometimes strong currents. After a helper who had run the last campsite met me somewhere in the mountains, I was very excited that I would soon make it to the finish alone. But after a long climb I unfortunately lost the GPS signal. An attempt to reach the organizer by phone failed because there was no telephone network. I just wanted to find out the direction of the route so that I could then work with the compass. All starters had a GPS transmitter in their backpack and the organizer could see where the starters were at any time. So I decided to descend towards the valley with the aim of having reception again at some point. This was preceded by a three-hour search for a GPS signal. By now I had been traveling for over 30 hours. The situation then very quickly became life-threatening. Meanwhile, I was hallucinating and seeing things that weren't there. I rested under my SOS blanket for two hours and could no longer control my legs and arms from the cold and shivering. In a small area of ​​forest I was actually able to make an emergency call with about 10% battery remaining on my smartphone and around 15 minutes later at around 4:30 a.m. I was rescued after a good 41 hours of non-stop running and marching by a large military helicopter and a super friendly crew from the Norwegian army . Until the moment I was greeted with the words “Sascha – nice to meet you”, I didn’t know whether this was real or whether my subconscious had just played a trick on me again. Luckily, apart from hypothermia and numb toes, I didn't suffer any injuries. It turned out that a large-scale search had already started that night because the organizer could no longer locate me.

I will never forget the warm and very emotional reunion with my running friends and the organizing team. After I returned home, I quickly decided to tackle the Grand to Grand Ultra with the motto “Now more than ever”. I compare it to the rider falling off the horse. You don't just give up on a passion because of a setback. I learned a lot from the situation. The joy and gratitude at the G2G were particularly great and I was able to enjoy the race despite all my efforts.

How important is mental power in events like the G2G Ultra Race or other strenuous stage races?

This point is often overlooked when it comes to running challenges. You first have to come to terms with the numerous conditions already described in order to be able to concentrate on running. Body and mind are inseparably linked. A positive attitude and enjoyment of your own activities are a basic requirement and are already “half the battle” on the way to your goal.

How can you increase your mental fitness?

I'm not a mental coach, but I can say from my own experience that I try to prepare myself mentally in the run-up to the races. So I mentally play through certain scenarios and ask myself what I will do if certain situations arise. When these actually become realistic, you react less hectically because you have already dealt with the situation in advance.

A lot can happen during a stage run. In my opinion, you need not just one goal, but several goals. If the first goal - for example a good placement - cannot be achieved for certain reasons, you need an alternative goal - for example to finish well - to maintain motivation.

Is there anything else you would like to tell young runners and advanced runners?

My motto is: “Achieve your goals!” And what is yours?

*Contains carbohydrates

° Proteins contribute to increasing and maintaining muscle mass.

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.

IMAGE CREDITS

Header image: @ sascha.gramm