Per their yearly tradition, the organizers of the Grand-to-Grand Ultramarathon have selected two local Kane County area runners to champion local causes and represent the community in the race. This year’s chosen candidates, Ron Thomas and Neak Loucks, are embracing the opportunity wholeheartedly.
Left to right, photos by Ty Gant:
“I don’t claim to be a good content creator, but I have a lot of fun,” said Loucks about their Instagram account, @arid_steppe_rat. “Like desert rat, but we’re not really a desert, are we? Too high, too wet—we’re an arid steppe!”
“This year’s my 50-year high school reunion,” says Ron Thomas, “and instead of attending, I’ll be running the race. Two big milestones—one just measuring time and the other an important personal achievement.”
As part of the application process, both runners have committed to raising $2,000 for the Kane County Youth Coalition (KCYC). Thomas shares, “I’m running to promote the good practice of running on local trails. There are so many trails you can walk to from Kanab, and not just run but hike. In a place like Kanab, we—and especially the youth—can always use more awareness of local trails, their beauty, and how we protect and preserve them. I’m really looking forward to introducing more people to trail hiking in the area.”
Loucks adds, “The race organizers pick each year which organization the applicants raise money for; one of the reasons I was quick to apply this year was seeing that KCYC was the selected organization. I’m already involved with KCYC as a subset of the Kane Community Coalition, through my work with the Healthy Kane County Foundation. Both of these entities focus on the community, preventing substance abuse, and promoting positive mental and physical health. Those goals are important to me, and promoting youth development is really important as well. It’s more than just achieving those goals; it’s about teaching the youth leadership skills to pave the way for them to achieve those goals themselves.”
When asked why the Grand-to-Grand Ultramarathon, both runners answered similarly, citing the meditative peace inspired by running through beautiful landscapes.
Thomas explains, “I enjoy the solitude. I’ve always been a solo runner, though I do have a very enthusiastic age group around my own age that shows interest in running. I can demonstrate this as an opportunity to continue with fitness!”
Loucks shares, “The simplicity of having the goal each day being just to keep moving forward—it’s a peaceful sensation. There’s something magical about that cycle: wake up, prepare, move my body, rest. Repeat throughout the race. There’s something special about it, especially in a beautiful place like this.”
Both runners offered advice for aspiring Grand-to-Grand participants. Thomas says, “Maybe it’s a boring answer, but it’s super simple: submit the application with a little bit about yourself, your involvement in the community, and your history with running. Then, do the work. Set aside the time and prepare for a hot, long, and exhausting run. Train in a way that works for you.”
Loucks shared their more academic approach: “I wouldn’t say there’s any one right way to do it. My education is in Anthropology, so I took an anthropologist’s approach: I spoke to everyone who has run it, gathered data, and tried everything out to see what works best for me. Your body is one giant experiment—try things and see what works: what pack is right for me? What carbs are right? What pace is right? Take it as an experiment and learn from it!”
Both Loucks and Thomas are documenting their Grand-to-Grand journeys on dedicated social media accounts. More information on their fundraiser is available at bit.ly/grandKCYC, and further details about the race can be found on the Grand-to-Grand website at g2gultra.com.
https://www.sunews.net/post/meet-the-2026-grand-to-grand-local-scholarship-recipients
