Canadian Youth put their minds and bodies to the test as they run a marathon a day while going back in time

Three Canadian youth tackle rugged Utah terrain by foot while retracing the history of the earth

OTTAWA, May 10, 2013 /CNW/ - Digging for dinosaur bones after running a marathon a day a far cry from Xbox's and iPad's, but three Canadian youth are doing just that as they tackle on foot, the rugged terrain of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah as a part of the impossible2Possible (i2P) World Expedition Series. The Youth Ambassadors will put their bodies to the test as they attempt to run nearly 200 miles across some of the most rigorous landscapes in the United States.

Alexander Affleck of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Holly Bull of Whitehorse, Yukon and Colin Henderson of London, Ontario will join two American youth, Steve Drost and Emma Morley, on the expedition that will take place from May 12-19, 2013. The youth ambassadors are part of a unique challenge based learning program that pushes the limits of human possibility while delivering one-of-a-kind educational experiences to students around the world. The expeditions are free of charge for the Youth Ambassadors and the schools who follow their journey.

Led by impossible2Possible founder, Ray Zahab and co-founder Bob Cox, the i2P team will begin running May 12th^th and complete the nearly 200 mile run May 19th. Throughout their expedition the i2P team will share the arduous and exhilarating experience of running nearly a marathon per day for 8 consecutive days while thousands of students in classrooms in Canada and the U.S. follow their journey. The Youth Ambassadors will study fossils of dinosaurs, sea shells and creatures that once lived in the ocean. By studying these fossils, the youth will go back 225 million years to uncover history and educate themselves and young people in classrooms on how our world came to be.

"impossible2Possible is proud to lead 6^th stage of the i2P World Expedition Series in Utah. The youth taking part in the expedition were chosen because they lead positive lives and they are role models for today's youth," said Ray Zahab, Founder of impossible2Possible. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for youth to push themselves beyond mental and physical boundaries while educating students in classrooms around the globe."

The Utah expedition marks the 6^th chapter of the "i2P World Expedition Series" which began in 2009 with an unsupported crossing of the Akshayuk Pass in the Canadian Arctic. Since then, the organization has created learning programs from Siberia, the Northern Sahara Desert in Tunisia, the Amazon Jungle in Brazil, the mountains of Bolivia, the Thar desert in India, The Kalihari Desert in Botswana, the Atacama Desert in Chile, and a cross continent run of South America. Canadian students have participated in every expedition.

Some quick facts about the Utah Expedition:

Youth Ambassadors:
Alexander Affleck - Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada 
Holly Bull - Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Colin Henderson - London, Ontario, Canada
Steve Drost - Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA
Emma Morley - Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Average distance per day: 42 km
Average temperature: High of 17˚c, low of -1˚c
Altitude: As high as 11,000 feet at the Aquarius Plateau
Terrain: Sandstone cliffs, canyons and plateaus

The monument was dedicated in 1996 and encompasses 1.9 million acres of unparalleled beauty, a geologic history that spans over 270 million years, where over 20 news species of dinosaurs have been discovered in the last decade. It is also home to one of the most complete late Cretaceous fossil records in the world, along with some of the most rugged terrain any i2P Youth Ambassador team has ever attempted.

About impossible2Possible:

impossible2Possible is a US 501c3 with a mission to use the platform of adventure and technology to educate, inspire, and empower the global community to reach beyond their perceived limits and make positive change in the world. i2P aims to equip today's youth with the understanding and belief that they have the power to change the world. We envision a world of achievers that believe in their hearts that nothing is out of the realm of possibility! www.impossible2Possible.com

SOURCE: impossible2Possible

To book an interview with a Canadian Youth Ambassador, please contact:

Codie Taylor
[phone] ext: 228
[email protected]

For more information, news, partnership opportunities, and donations, please contact: 

Bob Cox
[phone]
[email protected]