This is Part 1 of my written account (penned on Halloween night) of a Grand Canyon R3 attempt on October 26, 2007. Due to its length, I've split it into 3 separate posts. 
We had water and a varied assortment of runner’s nutrition and energy products with fun names like GU, shot blocks and Clif Bars. If successful, we would cover about 45 miles each. We would descend over 10,000’ total; and more daunting was the fact that we would ascend about the same. I figured we were looking at somewhere between 12 and 18 hours. But how would I know? I’d never done anything quite like this before. The longest run I’d been on was about 5 - 6 hours, though I’d been on 10 – 12-hour day hikes before. I’d been over 12- & 13,000’ mountain passes and 14,000’ peaks. And I had just finished 2 12-day stints in Oklahoma for work in a little over a month’s time; I figured I was on my feet for upwards of 12 hours most of those days. All those places were/are familiar – I knew what to expect; friends, peers, coaches had brought me through all those experiences – slow and methodical. That should prepare me, right?
Kirk and I started running around the same time, and he’s developed into a phenomenally talented runner taking full advantage of some incredible natural abilities. Chris has been running a bit longer and is the beneficiary of good genes (his Dad was an ultrarunner) and a recent finisher of the Bulldog 50K Ultra in Malibu, CA. Me, sure I’d done 20+ miles a few times. I had done a couple back-to-back 15+ mile training runs over the last couple months tacking on 30+ miles in a weekend. I had fooled around with hydration and nutrition and pace and breaks during these training runs, but no watches or monitors. A techno-gadget guy I am not. More stuff to concern myself with – I have trouble enough with hydration and nutrition.
And then there was one……..
October 31, 2007
When I started running in July 2005, I had modest goals: lose some weight, get out a little more, get in better shape. I had lost my way a bit in life, losing some focus of the important “stuff.” I’d just gone through 14 difficult months – emotionally, physically, mentally - after my Dad had passed away from cancer in May 2004. Other than that, I had no huge complaints. I had a wonderful lady at my side. We had just moved into a new place in a fantastically vibrant North Boulder neighborhood 3 blocks from trail access. There were great neighbors everywhere. I had a good job, though too far from home for a reasonable daily commute. Then I started trail running utilizing the close proximity to the beauty of the Foothills to regain focus and reground myself. I was never good with patience, but I knew I would need to commit to the long haul (literally and figuratively) for this trail running thing to work out. Patience, not one of my stronger suits.
So, it was with great amazement that less than a week ago I found myself at the Grand Canyon, in the parking lot of the South Kaibab (SK) Trail at 2am on Friday, October 26, 2007 under a full moon. 40 degrees or so, no wind to speak of, starry-bright sky - perfection. Standing there with 2 former co-workers, Kirk and Chris, we were about to set out on all our first R3 attempts.
October 31, 2007
When I started running in July 2005, I had modest goals: lose some weight, get out a little more, get in better shape. I had lost my way a bit in life, losing some focus of the important “stuff.” I’d just gone through 14 difficult months – emotionally, physically, mentally - after my Dad had passed away from cancer in May 2004. Other than that, I had no huge complaints. I had a wonderful lady at my side. We had just moved into a new place in a fantastically vibrant North Boulder neighborhood 3 blocks from trail access. There were great neighbors everywhere. I had a good job, though too far from home for a reasonable daily commute. Then I started trail running utilizing the close proximity to the beauty of the Foothills to regain focus and reground myself. I was never good with patience, but I knew I would need to commit to the long haul (literally and figuratively) for this trail running thing to work out. Patience, not one of my stronger suits.
So, it was with great amazement that less than a week ago I found myself at the Grand Canyon, in the parking lot of the South Kaibab (SK) Trail at 2am on Friday, October 26, 2007 under a full moon. 40 degrees or so, no wind to speak of, starry-bright sky - perfection. Standing there with 2 former co-workers, Kirk and Chris, we were about to set out on all our first R3 attempts.
We had water and a varied assortment of runner’s nutrition and energy products with fun names like GU, shot blocks and Clif Bars. If successful, we would cover about 45 miles each. We would descend over 10,000’ total; and more daunting was the fact that we would ascend about the same. I figured we were looking at somewhere between 12 and 18 hours. But how would I know? I’d never done anything quite like this before. The longest run I’d been on was about 5 - 6 hours, though I’d been on 10 – 12-hour day hikes before. I’d been over 12- & 13,000’ mountain passes and 14,000’ peaks. And I had just finished 2 12-day stints in Oklahoma for work in a little over a month’s time; I figured I was on my feet for upwards of 12 hours most of those days. All those places were/are familiar – I knew what to expect; friends, peers, coaches had brought me through all those experiences – slow and methodical. That should prepare me, right?
Kirk and I started running around the same time, and he’s developed into a phenomenally talented runner taking full advantage of some incredible natural abilities. Chris has been running a bit longer and is the beneficiary of good genes (his Dad was an ultrarunner) and a recent finisher of the Bulldog 50K Ultra in Malibu, CA. Me, sure I’d done 20+ miles a few times. I had done a couple back-to-back 15+ mile training runs over the last couple months tacking on 30+ miles in a weekend. I had fooled around with hydration and nutrition and pace and breaks during these training runs, but no watches or monitors. A techno-gadget guy I am not. More stuff to concern myself with – I have trouble enough with hydration and nutrition.
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