Grand Canyon - Rim to Rim to Rim - Initial Highlights

Mission accomplished by Team Fat Ass Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim Road Trip: Rick Arikado, Daniel Probst, Glenn Pace, Colin Freeland, Geoff Palmer and Ean Jackson.

Smokin homegrown

Despite how excellent the Grand Canyon FatAss adventure was, there is an definite level of comfort in arriving safely back home. Seeing Sibylle run out into the early Monday morning downpour looking for her husband, last to exit the van in their driveway, was heart-warming. We were more than happy to hand his sick-ass over to his waiting family and head off home ourselves. I was no where near as stiff legged as I thought I would be after the run coupled with the hours upon hours sitting in the van for the return trip. I somehow convinced myself to rejoin John Hill's performance running clinic and attend the Wed night session. Workout for the night was 1.5 mile/1.5 mile/1 mile. After the warmup run, waiting for the workout to begin, I was close to falling asleep leaning against the bleachers at Brockton Oval. After a brief description of my previous weekend's running, John's typical eye-rolling and plenty of whining on my part, he gave me an "easy" 6:45/m pace for the two mile & a halfs and 6:30/m pace for the single mile. Happy to say I survived without pooping or popping like Ean & Dan's workout's this week. I always try to run my best effort for the distance given at interval workouts and am always amazed at how close he pegs my fitness level. He had me nailed to the second on both the 1.5 mile runs, I ran 10:08 and 10:06. Then I smoked the last 1 mile leg though at 6:23. I guess there was a little juice left in the legs after all. Can't wait to see what he expects next week when I can't whine about having just done the Rim2Rim2Rim.

The Grand Canyon "weekend" run

A Club Fat Ass adventure to the Grand Canyon

It’s 10:15 and raining out side as I see the minivan pull around the corner. I grab my bags and race out to the van to start our mad dash to the Grand Canyon. For the next 24 plus hours we will switch off drivers only stopping for food and gas. The clock is now ticking on our quest to conquer the Grand Canyons Rim to Rim to Rim. A double crossing of the Canyon in one day covering a distance of 45 miles with no less then 10,000ft of climb!

As the sun comes up past the 20 hour mark the sky is clear and out the window it’s starting to look more like the wild west. It’s now just a few hours until we reach the canyons edge, that is if we can keep Ean the current driver from stopping at every view point along the way. After finding our campsite we just can’t wait to get the legs moving so we head out on a little adventure. All lacking from sleep, our planned shortcut to the South Kaibab trail head leads us on a hilarious miss adventure through scrub brush and on non existent trails ending up dazed and confused along the side of the road. After running the road back to the camp we all agree to follow the well marked paved path to the trail head in the morning.

Before the sun sets for the night we all take in one last look across the canyon to the North rim over twenty miles away. Looking down you can just barely make out Phantom ranch at the bottom and the Colorado river carving it’s way deeper into the earth. Though the distance is not anything new to this seasoned group of Ultra runners the vast depth and space of the canyon definitely makes us all consider the amount of effort this will require. We feast on our last meal at the bar in the lodge and then head back to camp to prepare for tomorrows journey.

4:00am and slowly but surely I start to see the headlamps click on one by one. We pack up the van and run from the campsite to the canyons edge following the agreed upon path to the trail head. Back at the campsite the brisk morning air was calm but here on the canyons edge it was anything but. We take a group picture all hoping it’s not our last. As we leave the trail head and make our way around the first bend the wind tries violently to blow us in to the dark abyss below. Thankfully as we descend down into the canyon and though time and history the wind calms down and the temperatures rises. The Journey we came all this way for is now under our feet as we casually make our way down the trail. Before we even make it half way down to the river the orange glow of the sunrise starts to fill the sky. Non of us came to set any records so we all stop to take in the amazing sight of the canyon coming to life in the early morning. Now light we turn off our headlamps and careen down the trail like a group of kids. Only running fifteen minutes from the last stop we stop again before the next set of switch backs and do a head count. “One, two, Five ? We’re missing someone“. It’s Rick, we look back up the trail and see no one. We stand there for a few minutes and still no Rick? Finally after starting to walk back up the trail we see a small figure in the distance running down the trail. He had just missed seeing us drop over a set of switch backs and had turned around and ran back up the trail. Now all together we finish the decent to the bottom and race across the suspension bridge that spans the Colorado river.

Just after crossing the bridge we run into the park ranger out on morning patrol. He gives us a stern warning to give hikers the right of way on the trail, like we had already done something wrong. He tells us that these two weeks are the busiest weeks for rim crossings and that there’s a dozen people already in front of us. We make our way though Phantom Ranch trying to avoid the smells of morning breakfast. The next six miles are just amazing. The trail winds it’s way back and forth over countless foot bridges and along a raging brook that keeps the air cool and crisp. Thankfully the park has potable water every so often and we stop and fill up to keep hydrated. The temperature in the canyon must have been around eighty most of the day. Just perfect considering how hot it can get down here. We hiked it up to the north rim but only stayed for a sort time do to the bugs that were trying to eat us. We were now half way!

After the climb to the North Rim we were all grateful to be heading back down. Everyone feeling good we stretched our legs and flew down the trail. As I come flying around the corner I see Ean and some hikers standing along side the trail looking at something. Oh! There’s a three foot coral snake in the middle of the trail. The hikers were scared to death but we just took some close up pictures and headed on our way. The little stretch back to phantom ranch seemed to go on just a little longer than remembered. Though in the end it had to be some of the best running of the trip. When we get to phantom ranch we found no one manning the store where you can pick up snacks for the trail. Disappointed that we couldn’t enjoy a cold coke we carry on and suffice with water. At the watering hole I look over and see Colin looking a little burned up. Soon I will be looking and feeling the same. Only taking one water bottle full of water I head out feeling great. In fact as soon as we cross the river and head up the canyon I’m feeling super and take the lead. I mean it’s just one last climb. Only 4,500ft. Well after running out of water at about three miles up I wasn’t feeling so super. I had thought that we were going to hit water sooner but I was wrong. So I just walked it the next few miles. “Water!” We had made it to the small camp of Indian Garden. We all fill up and regroup for the real climb ahead. After getting dehydrated I got my energy back and was on the attack again. The sun set quick and when the darkness fell you could see the twinkle of flashlights zig zaging back and forth far above on the switch backs ahead. As I catch up with the rest of the group I pass Colin not looking much better than before. We all stop at the next water hole and give him a good look over. Still far from the top we lighten his load and get him working again. From then on he’s back in the game. It’s only a few miles to the top but we still have 2,000ft to climb. The trail just never seems to end as we climb up and up, now being able to make out the lights from the lodge above. We pass hiker after hiker slowly trudging up the trail. I think we all felt a little for them as we knew we’d be up and out much sooner then they would be. Though it always feels long at the end we all make it out of the canyon in one piece. With the wind now blowing again and the air cool and crisp I yell out over and over “We did it!” We then make our way to the lodge and catch the bus back to camp, pack up and head for food. Then with no time to spare it’s back to hours on the road trying to stay awake as we make the 1,500 mile trek home stopping only for food and gas and a little sleep this time.

We had run the Grand canyon Rim to Rim to Rim in just 14 hours and 10 minutes. Not a record but what a “weekend adventure” it was. We had driven over 3,000 miles and only slept out side the van 12 hours out of the four and a half day journey. And I had to laugh when later I received the email saying that the rental agency had to send the lot attendant back to check the odometer one more time. We definitely got the most out or our unlimited miles. I would like to say a big thank you to Geoff Palmer, Rick Arikado, Glenn Pace, Ean Jackson and Colin freeland for letting me tag along on this incredible journey and of course Vancouver BC’s Club fat ass for supporting it all.

Thank you!

Daniel Probst

The downfall of a Runners High

After returning from doing the R2R2R down at the grand canyon I was just buzzing with excitement. Even after sitting in a “minivan” 50+ hours and returning home at 5:30am in the morning then heading to work at 7:00am I couldn’t shake the buzz. Wednesday is my weekly run with the local gang from Fairhaven runners and I just couldn’t wait to tell my story of the past few days.

I have now developed a weakness for attacking the trails after a long run. I have come to a point that I know longer feel the need for recovery. Though I am now learning I do! So we take off up the logging road nicknamed “Burn out” I hang back and get my running legs working again. But soon enough I’m charging to the front. The thought of only being out on the trail for 2 hours spurs me on to push extra hard. We head around the back side of lost lake and up one last climb. Now it’s a extremely fast decent down a gravel road to fragrance lake. I can’t believe how fast I’m running and how great I feel just to bomb down the trail. I feel no effects of the past few days of travel or adventure. Now down at the lake it’s just one more fast single track decent to the bottom. Even in the dark which it was you can just fly down this trail. So I proceed to charge down the mountain a full force chasing the guys ahead of me. Sure enough I feel like a running monster and start passing one after another as though they were standing still. Now only one left. I get right on his heals and wait for my chance. I follow for a short time and chase him down switch back after switch back. When I take the next corner at full force and hear a “POP! POP!” in my left ankle. Crap! I just toasted my other ankle. Yes I mean other ankle. See I had just sprained my right ankle after coming back from Hard Rock 100 just a little over two months ago. In a similar situation. It’s not a painful sprain and I limp it back to the car. Now embarrassed from the lack of self control.

I would like to say I have learned my lesson and am now resting but tomorrow I have a 50k fun run. Maybe I’ll rest after that.