Rock/Creek is pleased to announce that the speaker for the 2011 Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k Trail Race will be Diane Van Deren, an elite-level ultrarunner who began competing after undergoing major brain surgery to cure her epilepsy.
Diane has been featured prominently on ESPN and in Runner’s World magazine, and is a sponsored athlete of The North Face. Among her many accomplishments, Diane is the first (and only) woman to complete the biennial 430-mile version of the Yukon Arctic Ultra race. She has also finished Colorado’s infamous Hardrock 100-mile endurance run a total of seven times.
Here’s a synopsis of her scheduled presentation, which is titled Back From The Edge: Diane Van Deren’s Spirited Life and Adventures:
Ultrarunner Diane Van Deren spent ten years racked by epilepsy, but radical brain surgery gifted her with a seizure-free life and a super-human endurance that has driven her to win grueling events like the 2009 Yukon Arctic Ultra, a 430-mile foot race across a frozen wilderness. In 2010 she turned to mountaineering and climbed South America¹s tallest peak, Aconcagua. On this expedition, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester wired her up and monitored her movements to see what sets her apart from other athletes. Medical science is intrigued by Diane Van Deren, a survivor, a peak performer, a wife and mother of three. Her presentation of her inspirational life will intrigue you and drive you to strive for your personal best.
This year’s Rock/Creek StumpJump Trail Race will be held on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Diane will give her presentation on Friday night, September 30, following our “Carbo Dinner” in Coolidge Park. This dinner and speaking engagement are only available to participants of the 50K race. Visit www.rockcreek.com/stumpjump.rco for full details about the Rock/Creek StumpJump 50k & 11-miler.
The following is an ESPN feature about Diane:
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