Part 1: R2R2R Lessons Learned in One Day
Katelyn Kommer
On my 24th birthday (April 24th), I ran 48 miles through the Grand Canyon. Rim to Rim to Rim starts at the South Rim, descends into the canyon and up to the North Rim, and then doubles back, totaling roughly 11,000 feet of elevation gain. I don’t quite know why I decided to do this, and how I actually followed through even though I was severely undertrained. But, as most physical accomplishments are, this was one of the most formative days of my life and I quite literally ran into my 24th year a hell of a lot wiser.
Yeah, you have to train.
Up until mile 38, I would have said that you can squeak it out with minimal training. And then as soon as I started the final 10 mile climb in the heat of the day, I really really wished I had a few longer training runs under my belt. I ran for 125 consecutive days leading up to R2R2R, but my longest “training” run was 14 miles with 4,500 feet of elevation gain. Less than a third of the miles and half the elevation gain. Though I know we can do so much more than we think, logging a 20-25 mile run with a couple thousand more feet could have helped immensely. Also, I had done absolutely zero heat training and fought 90 degree temperatures. If you’re planning a summer run or race, train for the conditions you expect.
Slow and steady gets you to the top.
Even on the flats and downhills, I kept my pace between 12 and 14-minute miles. This low heart-rate pace helped with my overall fatigue levels, and also did wonders for my joints and legs. In the past, I have suffered from a handful of overuse injuries in my knees, achilles, and hips. I was expecting to have some sort of ailment by the time I finished, but after 48 miles the only pain I felt was in my psyche and my extremely sore calves. I attribute much of this to the low and slow mileage.
Find a way to chunk up the mileage.
Because I had backpacked Rim to Rim to Rim before, I had a grasp on what to expect. This allowed me to chunk up the run into sections, so I focused on getting to the next good stopping point or water refill. “Run the mile you’re in” is hard advice to grasp, but this is how I put it into practice. Instead of fixating on “man, I’m only on mile 7 of 48,” I try to think about being 3 miles away from the end of the first descent.
Document it if you want, but don’t focus on the content.
I hardly took any photos or videos. At the beginning, I tried to pull out my phone every few miles to take a quick video update but I just couldn’t dedicate any energy to anything other than getting through the miles. Because I had done the course before I also felt less of a need to document, but in all honesty I was not as focused on the amazing scenery as I was the physical endeavor. If at all possible, I highly recommend a day hike or quick run in the Grand Canyon (or wherever you run a scenic ultra) before the event so you can fully enjoy and document some scenery before your run.
This is a really hard run. Seriously.
Though my nonchalant attitude going into the run helped my nerves, I want to make sure all my friends who run it after me know what to expect. I heard multiple people on the trail saying that Rim to Rim to Rim in a day is harder than an Ironman. I haven’t done an Ironman, but I was moving and suffering for 17 hours straight. The last three hours were an ongoing mental battle, and if there was a way to bail I probably would have. But, that’s the beauty of the Grand Canyon. The only way out is up.
Trekking poles are 1000% worth the weight.
I hadn’t done a long run with poles before, and I’m so happy I made the decision to bring them. They seriously reduced the amount of effort I used on the climbs, and helped to lessen the impact on steep descents. The running pack I used had a place to strap them for the flatter sections, so I didn’t have to carry them the entire way. One unanticipated bonus was that I could angrily stab my poles into the ground when the North Rim summit was .7 miles longer than expected.
You’ll catch up on calories eventually; listen to your hunger cues.
I battled nausea and heat exhaustion most of the day, so I had an extremely hard time getting enough calories. Afterwards, I’m normally the person who can shovel food down like none other. However, I had no interest in finishing my burger and fries, and ate somewhat light the next couple of days as well. Then, roughly three days after my run, the hunger hit. For about two days I snacked and ate so much birthday cake, and miraculously my legs started to feel better as well.
This is what I was training for - now it’s time to rest.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the post-accomplishment high and want to keep pushing. But, time and time again, I’ve not given myself enough rest after a tough physical challenge. Especially when friends and family want to know “what’s next?!”, it’s difficult to be okay with letting a bit of my fitness go. However, fighting the urge to keep going and allowing myself to fall into an easier pattern of training for a while is what will keep me healthy in the long term. I want to be able to have more days like this in the future.
