R2R2R - April 28th, 2009

I snapped this first photo at 5:45am when I first reached the rim. There were about thirty people that I could see widely spread out and strategically placed in their own private world as they watched the sunrise over the canyon. It was eerily still. I snapped this photo, took another of my watch to mark the time and elevation and then it was only the sound of my fading pattering feet as I dropped into the Bright Angel Trail.

Since the last time I ran the R2R2R back in November 2008, I'd been wanting to do a solo crossing with a bit of a push just to see how fast I could do it. Trevor and I were supposed to run this route together after Zane Grey, but as you know, that didn't pan out, so here I found myself... on the Bright Angel Trail... on a Tuesday... to see what I could do. I know the record for this route is something stupid like7 1/2 hours or something ridiculous like that. I had no intentions of coming anywhere near that. It's would be physiologically impossible for me. I'm just not made like that. But I was entertaining the thought of going across and back in under 10 hours. I thought that would be feasible for me to accomplish. I still wanted the photo and video documentary so I stopped alot to take pictures and enjoy myself and all, but I also made sure to keep my stops minimal and only dally for a moment or two. And due to my ever growing fascination with this route, I also kept track of my splits.

Indian Garden in 40 minutes.

Phantom Ranch in 1 hr 40 minutes.

The base of the North Rim Climb at Roaring Springs Pumphouse in 3 hrs, 35 minutes.

North Rim in 5 hrs, 15 minutes.

Roaring Springs Pumphouse in 6 hrs, 20 minutes.

Phantom Ranch in 7 hrs, 45 minutes.

Indian Garden in 8 hrs, 55 minutes.

South Rim in 11 hrs, 15 minutes.

I felt good the entire way. No knee pain. So stomach issues. No soreness. No nothin. Nothin but the magnificent environment surrounding me and the simplicity and beauty of travelling light and travelling fast with my senses feeling exceptionally alive.

As you can see, I missed 10 hours by quite alot. But you know, even if I hadn't stopped to take pics and all that, I think that would've saved me only about 15-30 minutes. Which got me wondering... Where could another 45-60 minutes be made up?

I've concluded that the answer to this question has a very simple answer: The climbs.

There are two gigantic climbs with a combined elevation gain of over 8,000 ft. He/she who is capable of running hundreds if not thousands of tall, steep, slanted, and unevenly spaced stairs over the course of 50 miles is thus capable of completing this route in under 10 hours. He/she who is not capable of running up these haphazard steps (like myself), then I'm not sure how 10 hours is possible.

But...

There may be loophole in this equation...