I have been spending a fair amount of time at the Grand Canyon since moving to AZ last Sept. It's a place that has always captured my imagination and makes me just sit and stare sometimes. It's big! About 15 years ago, maybe longer, my Dad and I went on a river trip all the way through the Canyon. In 2007 I moved to Grand Junction, started the 14er's, got 40 of them done, and now am in AZ. I plan on finishing the 14er's by next year.
I was an ultra trail runner in the early 2000's, having migrated from recreational 10k's in San Jose, CA. I liked them, the challenge, the mental and physical strength required to push through. My last ultra was early 2004. I hadn't run really at all since then, giving in to downhill mtb racing, coaching ice hockey, and climbing. For most of my life I have been drawn to risk oriented activities, long distance stuff, and mountains. After moving to AZ recently, and my reintroduction to the Grand Canyon, I dabbled with an RRR run.
On Christmas eve last year, 2014, Tracy and I did a Rim to River hike. It was an awesome 17 miles, going down the S Kaibab and back up the Bright Angel. We made it in 8 hrs. hiking time, 9 hrs total time on trail. It was during this hike that I hatched the idea for an RRR run. I set a date....a full moon night of April 5th, set my training plan, and off I went. It had been close to 10 years since I had run any sort of distances. I live out of town in Surprise, AZ, and this allows me to run and mtb ride and road bike ride right from my front door. I started running 7 mile "training" runs, 60 mile road bicycle rides, and just kept increasing my miles as time went on. I felt good, ran and rode strong, did my Kundalini yoga, and had a positive frame of mind for the long run. I had some hopes of how long it might take me and came up with a 12 hr total time would be great but a more realistic time might be 13 to 15 hrs to cover the 42 miles. I was not trying for an FKT or anything like that. I'm 54 years old, I wanted to enjoy it yet have it be a challenge, and I stopped and took lots of pictures too!
On April 4th, Tracy and I drove up to the Grand Canyon. My plan was to use the steep but shorter S Kaibab trail for my exit to the south rim. The Bright Angel trail is less steep but about 3 miles longer, and I figured after 35 miles the shorter trip out would be better. My water plan seemed to lay out really well....water every 7 miles, if I was to believe the info I got on the NPS website. We arrived at the Canyon late, around midnight I think, and we crashed in the back of the car. My alarm was set for 5:00 am.
Alarm goes off and I'm up quickly. I actually slept a bit, which I usually don't do before big climbs or stuff. I traveled with an Ultimate Directions hip belt pack that held two 24 oz bottles and I also wore a smaller Camelback that held a 20 oz bottle and my food and shell jacket. I used Hammer Nutrition products throughout the day. I carried Heed, Endurolytes Fizz, and Perpetuem. I ate no solid food. My plan was 150 ish calories per hour, electrolytes, and 20 oz to 24 oz of water per hour. I had a headlamp also but didn't really use it much as it was a full moon. I was off by 5:20 am and Tracy was going to visit friends in Williams and I would get a hold of her when I was done.
The first 7 miles are downhill to say the least. The trail drops more than 4700 ft in those 7 miles. It dumps you at the river and the bridge. I ran the 7 miles, which in hindsight was a bit of a mistake. Having power hiked it on Christmas eve, I knew it took Tracy and I just 2 hrs 30 minutes to hike it quickly. My time running it was only 45 minutes faster, but surely beat up my thighs early in the day. I also fell twice on the descent, cutting up both my hands and knees. All in all I made it to the river in good shape, my thighs feeling a bit tight but knew I had a nice long 7 mile flat section. I watered up at Phantom Ranch and off I went. The trail over the next 7 miles, which covers Phantom Ranch to Cottonwood campground gains about 1600 feet in the 7 miles. As the Grand Canyon goes, that's flat! I had 68 oz of water with me, mixed with protein powder and electrolytes. I was at Phantom Ranch by 7:10 am.
I ran across a few people coming down from Cottonwood campground. Some were day hikers, coming up from Phantom Ranch. Others were hikers that had come off the N Rim and stayed at the yurts up there. The N Rim doesn't open till May 15th of each year, so no cars can get to the N Rim yet. The run to Cottonwood was super sweet. I took lots of pictures and ran at a relaxed pace. Weather was perfect too. I got to Cottonwood campground and found a few people that were camping there. I was anxious to find water..but alas the water was shut off at Cottonwood! I now had to rethink my plan. I had 68 oz of water when I left Phantom Ranch. Since I could not refill at Cottonwood I had to go 14 miles, the distance from Phantom to the N Rim, with no refill. I could fill from the creek that I ran next to almost all day. That was my backup plan. I stayed at Cottonwood for about 15 minutes, changed my socks, and off I went. I felt pretty much alone in the Canyon, seeing few people after I left Phantom Ranch. That was just fine with me.
After Cottonwood, the trail starts to get steep, rising 4100 ft in 7 miles. Elevation wasn't bad, not like the 14er's. At the river, it's 2480 ft. At the S Rim, it's 7260 ft and the N Rim is at 8240 ft. I was a bit nervous about my water situation, but struck on. I didn't fill from the creek and ran then power hiked up the steep sections to the N Rim. I again ran across a few people coming down from the N Rim and got great news. The water at the top of the N Rim was ON! I relaxed a bit, however I was running low at this point. The last 4 miles to the N Rim gains just a bit more than 3000 ft. I was getting tired but knew there was water and a nice break waiting for me at the top.
I arrived at the N Rim to a little snow here and there and no people. After a few minutes a couple came up that I had passed on the way up to the N Rim. They were on a 3 day trip through the Canyon. They had just finished working at the S Rim for some time and were headed to Alaska. I filled all my waters and chugged down about 300 calories! I went heavy on the electrolytes and protein drink. I could feel the power and ambition flood back into me. After about 20 minutes or so, 2 ladies from eastern Canada showed up. There were now 6 of us...a party! The 2 ladies were struggling. One had a very swollen knee. She said she had not fallen but her knee cap was super sore and her knee was big! It looked awful. She was limping badly. I don't think the ladies quite knew what they were getting into. I shared 4 ibuprofen with them, as they had only 1. I also gave them a Clif Bar that I had brought but was an emergency food stash for me. I don't eat solid foods on my ultra's. I stayed an hour at the N Rim, soaking it all in. I was off at 3:00 pm, having arrived at 2:00 pm. It had taken me 7 hrs, with breaks, to get the 21 miles to the N Rim. I was pleased, knowing I now had 14 miles of downhill to get back to the river! I was off and the 2 Canadians weren't far behind. Due to the injury, they moved slow. Boy, downhill is easy...I should say easier I guess. My thighs were feeling the miles but I was hydrated and felt really good, considering. I blew right through Cottonwood on the way back to Phantom Ranch. It was just getting dark when I got there. It was about 7:00 pm now. It had taken me 4 hrs to cover the 14 miles from the N Rim. I was moving slower. As much as I tried, it was hard not to look at the S Rim, which was staring at me, and think about the climb to get back out..4780 ft in 7 miles. It would be a thigh buster to be sure.
I rested for just a bit at Phantom then off I went. I got in the mantra....one foot in front of the other. This was the first time all day I started to feel a bit quezzy in the stomach. Not sure why though. I may have been a bit behind on my calories and water by this point. Phantom Ranch on the return marked 35 miles in, 7 to go! I was also at the 12 hr mark, about 10.5 of the hrs moving, the rest were stops I made. The 7 miles to the S Rim are broken up into nice measurable "goals", which helped me at this point. 2.6 miles to the Tip Off, 1.4 miles to Skeleton Point, 1.5 miles to Cedar Ridge, and 1.5 to the top. Not much to say at this point..up I went! I had a big full moon to keep me company. It was tough but I made it, the last miles my head down, staggering a bit, plodding along.
I got to the top and the car waiting for me at 12:24 am, Monday morning. I had 17 hrs of moving time and a total time on trail of 19 hrs. The run has right about 11,000 ft of elevation gain. I was pleased. When I ran ultra's earlier in my life, I had 2 goals each race...finish and don't be last! I felt good about my experience. I really had a fun time. It was hard, I had my moments of doubt, but I have learned I'm pretty good at putting one foot in front of the other. My thighs and calves were very tight and sore the next few days but Tracy, a massage therapist, took care of me. I had no problems with my feet or my gear. I loved it..the experience, the solitude, the challenge. I have always been drawn to those things.
Mike
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