Fire and Ice – Marshall Ulrich’s Longest Day

On the morning of Sunday, February 21st, extreme endurance athlete Marshall Ulrich will attempt the first ever winter crossing of Death Valley – from Badwater Basin to the summit of Mount Whitney – for a total of 131 miles of road to be covered and 9 miles of mountain. His endeavor, what he considers “ice” as opposed to his 30 crossings in Death Valley’s punishing summer heat, which he considers “fire,” is to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association’s fundraising event, The Longest Day, in honor of his close friend and fellow Stray Dogs teammate, Mark Macy, aka Mace, who in 2018, at the age of 64, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.

If you watched Amazon Prime’s World’s Toughest Race – Eco Challenge Fiji, you may have witnessed Ulrich in action at his tenth Eco-Challenge adventure race; he’s one of two people in the world to have competed in all ten Eco-Challenge adventure races. You would have also been introduced to Mace on the Amazon Primes series, who joined forces with his son, endurance athlete Travis Macy, to take part in the adventure as part of Team Endure.

Supporting Ulrich along his upcoming journey will be his wife, Heather, and Stray Dogs racing partner, Dr. Bob Haugh. Ulrich has a tight window: he has to cover the 131 miles of road, which includes over 14,000 feet of cumulative vertical ascent and 6,000 feet of cumulative descent, and start the climb up Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,000 feet, by February 24th. The danger rests in climbing the mountain, as there may be avalanches. According to Ulrich, “as of now, the conditions seem okay, but anything can shift.” Having ascended the Seven Summits, including Mount Everest, all on first attempts, he should know.

His training for the endeavor has been consistent, although he no longer hits the intense weekly mileage he accomplished in the past. Winter temps along the Death Valley route consist of 70 degrees during the day, and 40 degrees at night. Mountain temps will range from -10 degrees to 0 degrees with a wind chill. As of now, winds are at 20 MPH. He estimates it will take 1.5 days to ascend the mountain. To date, there’s no known records of anyone accomplishing the winter crossing.

For Ulrich, it’s never just about clocking miles and adventure, although long-distance racing and extreme expeditions are certainly ingrained in his DNA. What inspires him is the cause, and in this case, it’s about celebrating life. Ulrich, who turns 70-years old in July, noted, “Life is so precious. Mace is only a few years younger than me. He never imagined this would be his fate.” Ulrich is determined to make his life count, and to fill his years with a sense of purpose, which includes helping others in the ways he can. According to Ulrich, since his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, some things are more difficult for his buddy Mace. “The real Mace is still there: funny, strong, caring, and determined. All of those qualities are helping him deal with this disease, but, as always, he wants to do more – for others.”

Ulrich isn’t oblivious to the fact that adventure and living a full life comes with danger. “Stuff always comes up when you put yourself out there,” Ulrich said. “It scares me to take on new challenges, but I also know that the new challenges are what induce growth. Life is short. We cannot afford to stop. We have a finite time here. We need to keep going as long as we can.”

For Ulrich, envisioning and planning a new challenge and embarking on it provokes doubt and fear. “The risk of failing is tangible. It’s not easy to put yourself out there,” Ulrich shared. While he’s familiar with the route and mountain, it doesn’t mean he’s comfortable with the expedition ahead of him. He’s clear, though, that “we grow by trying things that scare us.” Considering that Ulrich has finished more than 131 ultramarathons, averaging over 125 miles each, it’s safe to say, he has grown a lot over the years.

Gratitude is what fuels his journey: he’s aware that beyond his health and drive, without his wife, Heather, and his comrade, Dr. Bob Haugh, this journey, like many others, wouldn’t be possible. “The fact that they’re willing to give their time and support means everything to me.”

Follow along on Ulrich’s journey or donate to Alzheimer’s Association using the links below.

• Marshall Ulrich Death Valley winter crossing: https://share.garmin.com/MUlrich
• On the mountain, where Dr. Bob will join Ulrich: https://share.garmin.com/DrBob
• To donate to Alzheimer’s Association’s The Longest Day, visit here.