5.14.24 // Rim to Rim to Rim

Rim to Rim to Rim.
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Distance: 49.93 miles
Elevation Gain: 11,119 feet
Time: 14 hours, 57 minutes
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R2R2R has been on my shortlist of wants for a long time. And this past weekend, I was able to experience it! The Grand Canyon is one of those places I truly can't get enough of. To run both rims was a dream and something I yearned for to celebrate the canyon's beauty and experience the magnitude of Mother Nature. But it's no simple run...
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The week leading up to it was challenging. I had a lot of doubts and wasn't sure I'd be able to accomplish the R2R2R, at least not well. I got in my head and seriously considered calling it off altogether.
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Even on the morning of the run, things didn't fall into place. We ended up getting a later start than I wanted (I had hopes of starting in the dark to see the stars and watch the sunrise), then I realized I brought the wrong shorts (I have two pairs of shorts that are the same color, different in length), my headlamp wouldn't turn on (full battery, but no light), and finally the neck niggle I was struggling with flared up, making the first mile a tearful one because I couldn't seem to shake off the pain between my shoulder blades and down my arm.
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But isn't that just ultra-running? A series of challenges, problem-solving on the fly, and trusting the good old Burnt Toast Theory.
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The late start was actually great because my headlamp wasn't working. The wrong shorts gave me more sun coverage. Tylenol for my neck may also have prepared my body for the long haul ahead of me.
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Despite the upfront challenges, it was an incredible run. Once the start of the morning was situated, there weren't any low lows or even high highs. The legs started moving and kept going, fueled by goofy songs, silly stories, and snow, starting with the dawn and ending with the dusk.
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I learned a lot about myself out there, especially what fuel works best for me, what I'm capable of, and the vast beauty of Mother Nature.