This wasn't a race, but another group trail run across the Grand Canyon. This time there were eight runners. Having experience with this run before, we again used a safety runner. Since we are all from up north we start at the North Rim and head south, then come back, using the Bright Angel trail both directions. My son Bently was the safety runner. His job was to run with the group down to Roaring Springs off the North Rim, 5.5 miles, then head back up with any gear that wasn't needed or any runner that wanted to call it off then. He then chilled out at the North Rim where he had cell reception and each runner was required to check in with him reaching the South Rim. Depending on condition of the group and the time estimated at that point to make the return trip, he would run down the North Rim again to Roaring Springs and meet each runner as they started up the North Rim climb. This position takes 22 miles of running with 11,700 feet of climb and a heavy pack so it's a tough job and a busy one.
Me, Bethany Ericksen, Walter Brown, Zac Zimmerman, Bill Hiatt, Rachel Moody, Bently, and Mark Payne ran this one. At least double that amount dropped out for various reasons before the start which is usually the first slimming that the R2R2R does. It's tough to make the sacrifices the logistics of this run require. Pretty great group this year, and strong. I learned a lot of new things this time.
Weather was the most perfect that I have ever seen at the Canyon. High pressure system, 30.34", meant a cloudless sky and more consistent temperature swings. 38 degrees at 6:30am at the North Rim start, no snow. 70 degrees at Phantom Ranch. 57 degrees at the South Rim. 16% humidity. I knew the weather had already solved half my potential problems. Nearly derailed at the start by an engine light on the RV which could not be solved. This meant we arrived at the North Rim Kaibab Trailhead at 2am. Ouch. Most of the group got sleep on the way down, but we pushed back the start until 6:30am. I was a bit wound up from the drive and the worries of the next day so I only got two hours of restless sleep. When we started the run this was my biggest concern by far. A group run in this canyon could easily turn into a triple crossing, up for 24 hours or more. We started down the North Rim and the group took it very easy, running 10 minute pace all the way to Roaring Springs. For the first time that I've seen, everyone ran together so I got a lot of footage of runners going through the canyon together which I never have before. We passed a lot of hikers and two groups goings one way, R2R, on the way down. At Roaring Springs Bently picked up coats and gear that anyone didn't want and headed back up to the RV. Nobody joined him to return. For some reason the water was turned off at Cottonwood which I took note of for the return. Running through the Canyon the group traded off lead numerous times and we reached Phantom Ranch as a group. It was just a fun run, nobody was interested in a fast time and it was a solid group of runners. Gaps opened up as we began the climb south, runners staying with those who ran the hills at more of their pace. We began to leave a few runners and I'd head back down along the trail and run with each for a bit as we went along, then go back to the lead group. At Indian Gardens Bill wasn't sure about the climb up the South Rim. His calves had been bothering him. He decided to head back to the North Rim taking it slowly. Tough decision since he was only 4 or 5 miles from the South Rim. The rest continued on and split up into groups of two. Rachel insisted on power hiking the hills instead of running which meant that she would fall behind often. Zac and Mark were feeling great and shot up the south rim. I was really feeling the lack of sleep now and was yawning every 5 minutes while climbing and just took it slow. I eventually caught up to Mark and we were able to keep Zac in sight until just a mile or so below the rim. At the South Rim I was encouraged to see Rachel had actually caught up to Walter and Bethany by power hiking the climb, and they reached the South Rim together. Time running at this point was 5:40, total time including breaks and yakking with people in the canyon made this crossing 6:45.
The restaraunt was crazy busy so lunch took an hour and twenty minutes. We did our phone check ins with Bently on the North Rim and planned his start time down to meet us. Zac was feeling great and headed back early. I came alive with a great lunch and all tiredness dissapeared. Awesome! I knew I wasn't in the best shape this year but if I took it slow I'd make it. One of the best parts of the day happened 3/4 mile down the trail from the visitor's center. two ladies were walking and yelled at Rachel as we ran past, "Pick up your knees!", clearly disturbed by her form. Yep, two ladies telling a trail runner how to run who has already run 25 miles in the canyon while they have stumbled almost one.
Reaching Indian Gardens again I knew that each runner would be bonking at different times. This is always a challenge when getting a group across because if you wait for each one, you run out of time. But there are some tricks. The most effective is just to slow down through the 30 to 40 mile point so that everyone's digestion keeps up. A R2R2R is not so much an endurance run as just a long day of eating. Walter, the most talented runner of us, always has issues eating and running after 8 hours on the trail so we were going to avoid that this year. If we could. I bonked just after Phantom Ranch for a while and went back to hike with Rachel until my strength returned. Rachel said that she was tired enough that running wasn't going to be an option any more. I was worried because the run doesn't really start until then. That's just too long to hike. But we had made excellent time coming down, just over an hour into Indian Gardens, the last stop. Mark and Zac were now well ahead. I told Rachel that if she kept up the even pace we would soon catch back up to Walter and Bethany since they would be hitting their rough patch. Sure enough we came around a bend an hour later and Walter was puking on the side of the trail. Bethany and Rachel had brought tons of food and shared with us the whole way back. Just awesome since Phantom Ranch closed early. Two miles later, Rachel was now bonking and laid on her back at Cottonwood Campgrounds trying to recover. She was eating great though so it was only a question of time to finish. I made some trekking poles for her so she could take some climb off her legs and we headed up to Roaring Springs. Bently was there doing his homework and had cold sodas, jackets, and food for everyone. He told us where each person or our group ahead of us were so I knew where everyone was. He had given food, water, ibuprofin, or clothing to each one as they had passed him. It was a tremendous difference to have him at that point. Anyone who has run R2R2R knows that Roaring Springs is desolation for you on the return. You are hurting, tired, and have 5.5 miles and almost 6,000 feet to climb. It's not uncommon for a R2R2R runner to take four hours from this point. We started up the North Rim climb and I was surprised by now that Rachel had not slowed at all through the day. She was going to take this climb at the same pace that she went across the canyon floor. So we started catching the others in the group that were going faster, and ended the run pretty much together except for Zac, Mark, and Bill who had got back early. It was the first time that I had ever climbed the North Rim enjoying the experience. :-)
Total elapsed time for the last runner was 15:20, run time 13:45. Respectable.
 
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