Part Three

 

What was the best and worst part of running the Grand Canyon?

Kara – The best part was running down the canyon at 4am into complete darkness with a bunch of crazy awesome chicks. There was just this epic sense of adventure and an incredible feeling of excitement. And nothing hurt yet which was a plus. The worst part was the complete loss of skin on the top of both feet. After running in the rain for 7 hours it seems that my skin gave up and abandoned ship. It looks like my feet have been boiled. Seriously…I can’t put shoes on.

Cody – I don’t know if I could pin point that. The day was a total adventure from start to finish, the scenery was epic, the terrain was incredibly challenging, both mentally and physically. I guess the best part is the memories that we have from the entire day. It was truly the adventure of a lifetime.

Sabina – To be honest the day was full of epic highs and major lows for me. The worst part for me was from mile 31-38 lets just say I was in pretty bad shape…soaking wet, in pain, and with 6 hours to go. The best part… well there are so many moments that come to mind but what really made it all worth it was at mile 45 the sky’s cleared and this amazing rainbow shot out from the middle of the Grand Canyon, it was a good friend saying hello. 

Would you do it again?

Kara – Maybe. It was an incredible experience but I’m ready for something new! What’s the next grand adventure going to be??

Cody – You know, I think running the Grand Canyon should be a bucket list run, that said… I checked it off my list and have no plans of going back

Sabina – I think that question is tricky.  If you asked me at mile 40 I would say NEVER AGAIN! But looking back on it now Never say Never. 

Any Advice for someone wanting to run R2R2R?

Kara – Be prepared for changes in weather. We were very happy that we packed rain gear and an extra base layer when 7 hours of thunderstorms rolled in.

Don’t forget to eat! The easiest way to bonk is by forgetting to eat. Even if you don’t feel hungry, keep that food coming. We each packed a variety of snacks from pizza rolls to Fig Newtons, GUs and everything in between. You never know what you’ll end up craving so the more options the better!

Remember, it always gets better. No matter how terrible you’re feeling, things will turn around and you’ll be laughing at the meltdown you’re having in no time.

Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy the views, laugh and have fun. This is supposed to be fun, even if it may not feel like it all the time. If you’re not enjoying it, then why even bother!

Cody – Definitely plan out the route you’re taking. The Grand Canyon is a total beast and if you get down there unprepared you still have to somehow make it back out. Plan on having extreme low points and extreme high points – if you’re expecting that roller coaster of emotions, it’s much easier to deal with. Lastly, know where the water stops are and plan to bring a variety of things to eat so you don’t get flavor fatigue. Oh and definitely bring a poncho. 

Sabina – YES! Knowing what I know now I would have done a lot of things a little different. 1) Don’t underestimate the Grand Canyon and mother nature, ITS A BEAST!  2) Train on the steepest mountain you can find, hike up it and run down over and over! 3) Enjoy every moment of it even if you are miserable because its EPIC! Good Luck 🙂