Salem Stanely
Growing up just outside of Zion created a lifelong love of visiting national parks for Salem Stanley. Salem is the founder of Vacation Races, a seven-year-old company known for its cup-free races near national parks. This year, they expect to have 30,000 people race near parks like Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, and Yellowstone.
We chatted with Salem to learn a bit more about his company, how he works with the National Parks on these destination races, and his leadership in the zero-waste endurance space.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Getting to visit the parks for work is amazing, and I love that part of the job. While I don't see myself as much of a runner, I LOVE athletics. I really love seeing people put themselves out there and start something that they don't know for sure whether they can finish or not. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to combine athletics with national park visitation, and to do it as a job is simply wonderful.
How are you working with the National Park Service on these races?
We try very hard not to be a burden to the NPS. We do our best to teach people to visit the parks responsibly, and to be the best kinds of park visitors. Most of our events occur just outside park boundaries, and thank goodness. I am extremely grateful that the parks are not available to rent to those with the deepest pockets. We do, however, try and keep the park service updated regarding the event, and we will take their recommendations and suggestions when problems pop up. For example, we used to have Angels Landing as one of our club hikes, however after Zion National Park officials talked to us about the problems created by this, we eliminated that hike as an option. We have also altered start times, and in some instances, our race courses when park officials have asked for it. We try our best to be good stewards.
Vacation Races has been a real leader in zero-waste and sustainability efforts at races. Can you tell us more about what you've been doing?
Our first meaningful efforts were to be the first series to be cup-free. It cost us a little to implement, but was the right decision to make. Once we merged with Ultra Adventures (UA), we took another big step forward. Matt Gunn was the founder of UA, and he spearheaded our efforts to try and send nothing to the landfill. We haven't been perfect, but we have really tried to implement reduce, reuse, recycle, in that order. Too often I see people using recycle as the first line of defense, when in reality, it should be a last resort. We use reusable stuff everywhere we can. We still have a ways to go, but we have been happy with the steps taken so far.
We also started a composting portable toilet system that we are slowly getting off the ground. It's called Great Outdoors, and it is the best poop you will ever take. :) See www.greatoutdoorstoilets.com
What advice would you have for other races that are thinking about implementing more sustainable efforts?
Just start. Do something. The reality is, even if you are a penny-pinching miser who just wants to make money, making attempts at eliminating waste is a wise move. Waste is just that, unnecessary expenditure. Think about your efforts and consider what you can do to reduce your purchases. Ignore industry standards and just focus on your own customer's needs. Do you really need goodie bags? Can you make your event BYOB (bring your own bag)? Can you use reusable plates instead of paper? Start small. What is something you can do without and most of your customers would not care? The point is, just do something. Start.
Which race will be your biggest event?
Yosemite is usually the biggest, although Joshua Tree has been very popular lately. We cap Yosemite at 3,100 participants. (Yosemite will sell out, but you can get a free bib with Team Sierra when you raise $1,000.)
What advice would you give someone that's considering raising money with Team Sierra and joining their first half marathon?
You are more powerful than you think. Just like an athletic event, put yourself out there and see what you can do. There is honor in the attempt. If you are trying to find a way to make your running more meaningful, raising money for a good cause is a perfect way to do that.
This year, we’ll have teams joining the Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, and Great Smoky Mountain Half Marathons. You can see our full list of races here.