Pine Belt Pacers Forum

I have hiked the Grand Canyon three times and this Summer I will be going back twice more. My first hike was about 25 years ago, the second was about 9-10 years ago, and the most recent was a couple of years ago when I did a rim to rim with son Robin, daughter Chrissy and a friend from Houston.

I always said that I wanted to be healthy enough so that I could hike the canyon with my grandkids. If you go rim to rim from North to South, it is a tough hike with an elevation loss of 1 mile over the course of nearly 15 miles of switchbacks. Then, you go out the South trail and gain back that mile while hiking about 9 miles. The temperature in the inner canyon will probably be 100-120 degrees.

The first hike this year will be in late June/early July and I will be doing that one with my daughter, son-in-law and 11 year old granddaughter. We will hike down from the North Rim, camp at Cottonwood which is half way, spend one night in dorms at Phantom Ranch, and then hike out to the South Rim, camping at Indian Garden which is halfway.

The second hike will be in mid August with a friend from NM. We will hike down the South Kaibab trail which is about 7 miles but rather steep with no available water. We will spend two nights in the dorm at Phantom Ranch and hike out the South Bright Angel Trail which is about 9 miles.

I could probably do these hikes without any specific training, but from experience I know that I would be very sore, tired and would not enjoy the beauty of the canyon. For those reasons, I will do a training program that is specific to the demands of the hike.

Since I attained my 5K goal time on Saturday, I am now willing to cut back on my running and start the Canyon training. I will most likely alternate running days with other activities.

I started the program today. I went to the Y and ran 2.5 miles on the TM followed by 1 mile of walking with the incline from 1% to 8%. Then I did my usual weights while also incorporating some balance work and step-ups. I did 4 x 1 minute of stepping up and down on a box which was about 10-12 inches high. Then I did the piriformis/hamstring stretches which I think are keeping me injury-free.

Tomorrow I will probably walk at least an hour on hills.

This was my first week of trainig for my rim to rim hike of the Grand Canyon. Here's the summary

Sunday - ran 3 miles; walked 2 miles
Monday - ran 2.5 miles; walked 2 miles on TM including 1 mile @ 2% to 8% incline; 4 x 1 minute box steps; weights & balance activities
Tuesday - walked 3.58 miles of hills
Wednesday - ran 4 miles @ 10:17 per mile pace; walked 2.5 miles including 1 mile on TM @ 2% to 8% incline; 4 x 1 minute box steps; weights & balance activities
Thursday - walked an 1 hour 6 minutes at USM stadium (steps and ramps)
Friday - ran 4 @ 9:59 per mile pace; walked 2.75 miles; weights and balance activities

As you can see, my running miles are way down. That's OK because my priority is to get into condition so that I can hike the canyon with minimal discomfort.

For the week, I ran 13.5 miles, walked 14.75 miles (including hills, ramps and bleachers. I also did 3 weight lifting sessions including balancing activities.

Yesterday I had a very good 5 mile run. The pace for my last three 4-5 mile runs has been 9:59, 10:03 and 9:55. This is significantly faster than usual. For the past 10 days, I've been alternating running and "Grand Canyon" training. The GC training is walking hills or doing the USM stadium ramps and steps. Maybe there is something to be said for this cross training. Time will tell. I wish I had a 5K race on my schedule so that I could test this.

Tomorrow will be a rest day, so I can close week two of training for my rim to rim hike of the Grand Canyon. I'm trying to maintain my running base, so I am alternating running and GC specific training. One thing that is happening is that my pace for my runs is getting significantly quicker. I usually run something between 10:00-10:40 for my daily runs. With this alternate schedule, for the past two weeks of runs, I've averaged about 9:58 for the 3-5 mile runs.

Here's the summary for the week's training:

Sunday - 4 mile run @ 10:03 pace followed by 2 mile TM walk @ between minus 3% and plus 8%; 10 minutes box stepping; weights
Monday - 5 miles of hill walking (with 15 pound backpack) in 1:37
Tuesday - 5 mile run @ 9:55 pace; 2 mile walk; weights
Wednesday - 1:19 at USM stadium steps and ramps
Thursday - 3 miles @ 9:54 pace; 2 mile walk; weights
Friday - 6 miles of hill walking in 1:54 (with 15 pound backpack)

Total of 12 miles running, 20 miles walking, 3 weight lifting sessions, 10 minutes of box stepping

Becky,

Do you have to have special permission to run/walk the USM stadium?

Thanks!
Tanya

There are usually several gates that are open during the week. I have never encountered anyone who questioned me about my being there. I just act like I belong there and if anyone asks, I'll tell them what I'm doing. Hopefully, there will never be a problem.

Thanks for the information, Becky! I'm going to add this in to my training from time to time.

Tanya

I just finished the third week of my training. I've got to be careful because my left knee is a bit sore. I think it is the down steps of the USM stadium that did it. In the canyon, there are some step ups and step downs that are approximately equal to two regular stair steps so I've been incorporating some work where I go up and down two steps at a time. This is a lot of stress on the knees, so I will skip that until the soreness is gone. It's not an injury; just a reminder that I need to back off.

I continue to be faster on my runs which I'm doing on alternate days. For three of the four runs that I did this week, I averaged just over 10 minutes per mile.

Here's the summary of the week's training:

Sunday - ran 6 miles @ 10:03 pace; walked 1 mile; weights
Monday - walked USM stadium steps and ramps for 1 hour 36 minutes
Tuesday - ran 4 miles @ 10:10 pace; jogged .5 mile; walked 1.25 miles; weights
Wednesday - walked 6.5 miles of hills wearing 15-20 pound backpack
Thursday - ran 5 miles of Fartlek on treadmill; walked 1 mile; weights
Friday - walked 1.5 miles
Saturday - ran 6 miles @ 10:01 pace; walked 1.75 miles

Totals for the week - ran 21.5 miles, walked 17 miles and did 3 sessions of weights.

Today is a planned rest day and I really need it. Some of my usual aches and pains are talking to me. I'll rest and take ibuprophen and try to keep them at bay so I can continue my training for the two Grand Canyon hikes. I will be faced with some challenges over the next two weeks. We will taking a road trip and I will be faced with finding places to hill walk or do stairs, steps, ramps, etc. On Monday we will go to Atlanta to visit my daughter's family. Then, on Friday we will go to Bland, VA to visit Elmer and Ann Beardshall. Then we are going to OH to visit the areas where Hollie grew up and attended college. After that, we will go through KY and tour Mammoth Cave. After that or anywhere in between the planned destinations, we will venture where ever we wish. This should be a fun trip. Since Hollie broke his ankle just over a year ago, we have not done our usual amount of travel. I miss that and am happy that he's back to the point that we will be able to return to the road which includes lots of walking and hiking.

Here's the summary for the week of workout:

Sunday - ran 3 miles on treadmill, 1 mile walk, weights
Monday - 6.5 miles hill walking at Cascade development and other areas off Richburg road
Tuesday - ran 3 miles @ 9:05 pace, 2 mile walk
Wednesday - ran 4.5 miles @ 10:00 pace, 1.5 mile walk, weights
Thursday - walked USM stadium steps and ramps for 1 hour 35 minutes
Friday - ran 4 miles on treadmill, 1.5 mile walk, weights
Saturday - Rest

Totals: ran 14.5 miles, walked 17 miles, 3 sessions of weights

It's been four weeks since I posted about my Grand Canyon training. The reason being that during the three weeks that we were on our road trip, I really did not do much training that was specific to hiking the canyon. I did manage to run 3-4 days a week, but the mileage is way down.

For the week beginning May 26, I ran a total of 16 miles and walked 11.75. The next week I ran 17.5 and walked 12.75, then 21 running and 5 walking. I ended the past week with 12 miles running and 19.75 miles of walking. As you can see, I really picked up the walking last week. I'll do the same this week. I should be able to get in at least 1 day of walking the steps/ramps at USM and a couple of sessions of hills at the Cascade Subdivision off Richberg Road.

Actually, I've rather enjoyed the break from *training* for running and concentrating on *training* for walking hills and steps. I'm sure that the first two days in the canyon where we will walk a total of over 17 miles with 14 of it downhill will kick my butt. Then, I'll have two days where we will hike a total over 12 miles with about 9 of it uphill. This will be done in temperatures of up to 115 degrees during the day.

If my GC hike had begun today, they'd probably have to haul me out on a mule. I did the big time bonk!

My plan was to start at Jackson Road and run/walk the 6.5 miles round trip to Clyde. I planned on starting at about 10:00 am. Due to various circumstances, it was noon before I got started. Once a started, I knew I probably had not had enough fluids, but it was too late to do anything about it. I first walked a mile and then ran 1.75 before having to walk. After another .25 of walking and .25 running, I made it to Clyde where I drank as much water as I could stand. I had a bandana which I wet and gave myself a sponge bath. I then put the wet bandana around my neck and started back toward Jackson Rd. This time I ran 1.5 miles and then walked .25 before trying to run. That attempt was about .25 before I gave up and walked it in. After I finished, I drove to Walmart where I got a 20 ounce soft drink and a bag of crunchy cheetos which I drank and ate while doing my shopping. I quickly felt better. When I got home, our thermometer read 95 degrees, so it was probably close to that when I was attempting to run/walk.

I need to take my own advice and be hydrated *every* day. This was just one of those days when I did not follow my usual fluid intake plan and it was not a good experience. I'm sure that this experience will help me to be more mentally and physically prepared for the heat of the canyon.

Running at noon on these hot days? My dear Coach.... ARE YOU CRAZY???

I have been running nothing (zero, nada) the last couple of weeks, but if I start running again, you will for sure see me doing the running before 8-9am (probably between 5 and 7am). I don't want to be playing outside when the temperature reaches 85ºF and beyond!

Usually, I would agree with Raul that attempting to run/walk at noon on a day when the temperature will reach nearly 100 is evidence that I am totally nuts. But, not in this case. I've got to attempt to be prepared for the heat of the canyon. The last time we did this hike, when we reached Cottonwood campground at about 4:00 pm, the temperature was 120 degrees. It was so hot that we all just got in the creek and stayed there until we had cooled off. Then, just before trying to sleep, we cooled off again. By the time the sun went down, the ground was still so hot that even with a sleeping pad, it was very difficult to sleep due to the heat of the ground.

At about 2:30 am I gave up any attempt at sleeping. My friend Darleen was sleeping on top of a picnic table, so I joined her by trying to sleep on one of the benches. A few minutes later, I realized she was a awake and as we were talking and looking at the most beautifully clear star studded sky, a meteor shot across. It totally lit up the night and seemed to take about 20 seconds to make the journey.

The next day, the temperature at Phantom Ranch was 120 degrees. That wasn't too bad because we slept in the "dorms" that had evaporative cooling.

Some of you may be asking, why even do such a trip in this heat. I would much prefer to do this during the Fall or Spring, but since my daughter and son-in-law are teachers, this is the only time we could do it. It is extremely difficult to get permits during what is traditionally Spring Break, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. Heck---it's difficult to get permits for any time of the year. You have to make the reservations and pay 12 months in advance of the trip.

Having written all the above, I must say that for me the Grand Canyon is the most beautiful place in the world. The experience of seeing the meteor was absolutely unreal. I don't even like to hike or camp, but it is the only way I can enjoy the beauty of the canyon. I'm sure not going to ride a mule. That really scares me and I imagine I'd be so sore I wouldn't enjoy the experience.

Anyway, that's my reason for going out in the heat of the day to train. Today, I will walk the steps/ramps of USM stadium---and I will be hot and tired and people will think I am crazy.

We've all been discussing the importance of fluid intake while exercising in the current heat and humidity that has such a grip on the Hattiesburg area. Today I got a lesson in how much fluid one can lose in a relatively short time.

I just got back from 2 hours of hiking hills while wearing a 21 pound
backpack. I also had a fanny pack in front that weighed 1-2 pounds. The
temperature was 94 degrees when I finished. I did 6.15 miles in 2 hours.
During that time I drank 64 ounces of fluids. When I got home, I weighed
myself and even though I consumed about 4 pounds of fluid and did not
urinate during the hike, I weighed 2.5 pounds less than when I started.

This just points out how much fluid we lose when exercising in high temperature. We've all got to be aware of this and be sure we're drinking and eating enough. I could have used a couple of gels.

Today, I walked continusly. On our GC hike we will be stopping every 30-45 minutes and will be eating during these rest breaks. We will also be using hydration packs that we will suck on throughout the hike.

In general, I felt pretty good today. Other then getting very hot during the hike, my feet are sore and my calves are tender. All of this is to be expected. I have one more stadium workout, which I'll do on Friday. We will fly to Las Vegas on Monday, drive to the North Rim on Tuesday and begin our hike on Wednesday.

Today was my last workout at USM stadium. I walked the steps and ramps of the stadium, as well as the steps behind Thad Cochran for a little under 2 hours. Now, it's time to get all my food, clothing, tent, etc figured out. The less weight I have the carry, the better I'll feel.

I'll probably run tomorrow and Sunday. We leave from NO on Monday and drive to the North rim on Tuesday. So, I'll have two days of rest before beginning the hike.

I've been monitoring the weather and it looks like the temperatures will be a bit cooler than usual, but there is a slight chance of thundershowers. Vicki knows how much I like the idea of a lightning show.