Gunnison Endurance Project (GEP) Partners with SportHill
2008-09-30 SportHill
Gunnison Endurance Project (GEP) Partners with SportHill The Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim or R2R2R run record attempt will kick off GEP’s partnership with apparel maker SportHill.  GEP/La Sportiva/SportHill runners will attempt to race from the south rim to the north rim and back to the south rim, a distance of about 42 miles with over 10,500 feet of climbing, in less than 7 hours.  GEP’s marathon and hill climbing expert, Tim Parr (2:25 marathoner), is expected to lead the charge followed by teammates Duncan Callahan and Keri Nelson, who will serve in part as support crew while also completing the R2R2R. Nelson, by the way, has a chance to set the women’s R2R2R record all in the same day. According to GEP director and coach, Scott Drum, the R2R2R record attempt epitomizes the type of challenges the group will continually pursue in addition to training for and racing in a variety of trail races—short to ultra distance—all over the country. “I’m especially excited to be working with SportHill and owner, Jim Hill, for all of our apparel needs in that I know SportHill is a great product, an excellent company, and a staunch supporter of the active, outdoor lifestyle,” says Drum.  “The pressure is on for the GEP to climb the ladder of success and become a well known endurance training group throughout the country that excels in everything to do with trail racing and adventure running.” The GEP athletes, all residents of Gunnison, CO, and Western State College of Colorado alumni, already have a proven record of running related success. Callahan is the 2008 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run Champion, Nelson the 2008 Pikes Peak Marathon Champion, and Parr the 2008 Imogene Pass Run Champion and 2nd overall finisher at the 2008 Pikes Peak Ascent. Team GEP, then, is committed to smart training with the help of local professionals who provide free services, such as massage therapy, physical therapy, and sport physiology testing. “The concept of the GEP is to provide a visionary training model for non-traditional endurance athletes,” explains Drum. “Ultimately we hope the GEP vision helps to inspire a new generation of trail and adventure runners to surpass their limitations and promote the idea of maintaining an aggressive, outdoor lifestyle!”