The sun is up, the air is fresh, the stone is old

R2R2R

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Location:

Logan,UT,USA

Member Since:

Dec 15, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

PRs after age 40:

 

5k     15:15  Running of the Leopards.

8k      22:21  Alta Death Dash

10k   33:02    Des News

Half Marathon      1:10  Timp Half

Marathon        2:32    Ogden

First solo R2R2R Bass Trails Grand Canyon 

First R2R2R Grand Canyon Toroweap Overlook

 

Short-Term Running Goals:

Not be fat all year

Long-Term Running Goals:

Smell the dirt, feel the mountain, taste the wind.

Personal:

 

"Our legs are tight, our feet are flying, and we are gliding over the roll of the land. The sun is up, the air is fresh, the stone is old, and we are free and at peace. The clock has stopped because another time has taken over." C. Bowden

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Race: R2R2R (49.41 Miles) 10:20:37
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
49.410.000.000.0049.41

Not a race, but when one of us on FRB gets a chance to run a R2R2R in the Grand Canyon we usually post it as such since it's a better way to share the experience.  I've always kind of felt I was cheating the Canyon a little by running the R2R2R in early Spring, late Fall, or at night.  Today I ended up with a day off without kids which is unusual so I took the chance to run the canyon.

This run was from the Grand Canyon North Rim campground, North Rim to the South Rim via Bright Angel and back.  Full sun all day but with a great temp/dew point spread which really helped.  In a change from previous years I started the descent down the North Rim slow, just below 10 minute pace.  In the canyon base coming through Cottonwood the temps were already noticably different from previous years.  Forcasts were 78 F at the Noth Rim, 103 F at Phantom Ranch, and 85 at the South Rim.  They didn't dissapoint.  Phantom Ranch was 94 F on the first pass through and 104 F coming back.  I stayed soaked as much as I could but it would pretty much evaporate in 15 minutes.  Up the South Rim via Bright Angel and still going fairly conservative.  I reached the Rim in 5:12 including breaks to refill water four times.  The trip back was hot as I expected and I ran carefully.  My stomach was having difficulty taking in enough water to stay hydrated.  Went through some pretty queasy miles in the heat.  But my pace stayed pretty much the same mostly because I was running so slow to begin with.  Reaching Cottonwood I knew the hardest part was ahead and jumped in the swimming hole in the river.  I will never run across the canyon again without doing this.  Incredible deep pool.  I soaked until I was shivering and my legs were numb.  I knew it was a sure way to get my core temps down quick.  The climb up the North Rim kicked by butt completely.  It always has.  One day I will be in shape to just run up this thing instead of a total suffer fest.  I had a 100 ounce Camelbak and was soaking myself completly every chance I had.  I basically never ran dry on the run back.  Came up the North Rim and ran the last mile to the campground.  The first R2R2R that I have ever ran faster on the way back than the way over. 

Insane fun day of running!  Couple of notes on the run today.  There were 4 emergency evacuations today, one helicopter one our of Phantom ranch that happened while I was there.  The hikers up the South Rim were shot.  I could have spent the day helping people try to get up and sharing my water.  I have never witnessed so many people just crashing.  The caution signs all over on the South Rim make a lot more sense now.  I never saw a single runner in the canyon either way, a first in my experience.  In the middle cooridor I only ran into three groups of hikers the entire day.  Last, at the trailhead on the North Rim a ranger came up to me as I was prepping for start and asked about the run.  He gave me a high five and was really excited with a lot of questions.  Talked through the water stops and asked if I needed anything. 

Total stats from Garmin GPS:  49.4 miles, 15,330 feet elevation gain, 15, 427 feet elevation lost.  Net elevation during run 30,757 feet.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00Calories: 0.00
Comments
From Rob Murphy on Fri, Aug 08, 2014 at 19:23:25 from 24.10.247.181

What the… in August?

Don't know if I'll ever get down there again before I get too old. Nice run.

From Steve on Sat, Aug 09, 2014 at 00:07:53 from 66.87.127.166

Oh, you'll be back. I face planted it hard in the exact spot you did two years ago. Just lay there a minute wondering if it was worth getting up.

From Superfly on Sat, Aug 09, 2014 at 04:41:58 from 64.255.82.224

Dude!!!! Your are an animal! Good job. Glad you lived :).

From Jon on Sat, Aug 09, 2014 at 14:05:47 from 107.203.52.135

Beautiful pictures

From Quintus Cassadamius on Sat, Aug 09, 2014 at 17:02:04 from 24.10.247.181

I don't get it.

From Steve on Sat, Aug 09, 2014 at 17:15:21 from 66.87.127.85

Me either half the time. Does anyone?

From steve ash on Sun, Aug 10, 2014 at 00:12:11 from 174.52.33.62

If I had the means, the time and the trail experience, I would do it too.

Life is short..

From Jon on Sun, Aug 10, 2014 at 01:03:04 from 107.203.52.135

Do any of us get it?

Ashbaker, life is indeed short. You don't need money for this run, and it's well worth the time. Start running trails!

From Quintus Cassadamius on Sun, Aug 10, 2014 at 16:40:54 from 24.10.247.181

Is there free beer at the end?

From Steve on Sun, Aug 10, 2014 at 17:01:32 from 66.87.126.41

Jon ' s right. It's gas money. The only way to get trail experience is to get out on them. I don't spend much time on the roads anymore. It bores me to tears. I love the racing though so I'll train on them when I must, but I barely can take a 15 mile road run anymore. I wouldn't run at all if it had to be on a treadmill. I'd be surfing or something real.

This week I saw 14 deer, 3 skunks, 4 new spotted fawns, one elk herd, 4 buck deer grazing together, and I ran right into a group of pure white mountain goats today on top of Ben Lomond Peak.

I guess today up there for a few minutes I "got it".

From jtshad on Mon, Aug 11, 2014 at 09:41:09 from 141.221.191.225

Animal!

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