It all started one day when Mimi asked me (Tyler) what do you want to do for your birthday? My reply was to hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day. So without knowing much about the trek and NO specific Grand Canyon training we jumped in the car and drove from Tucson, AZ  to the south rim of the Grand Canyon for the adventure.

Every time we do the Grand Canyon rim to rim hike or run we post photos on Facebook and share our adventure.  We get tons of questions on the logistics of doing rim to rim.

Doing Grand Canyon rim to rim never gets old. It is majestic… an experience and adventure everyone should set out to do in their lifetime. Words and pictures can only do so much in sharing the experience with others but actually doing the trek is something you will remember for life as an epic incredible adventure.

This post is to explain how to do Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day.

TRAINING FOR GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM IN ONE DAY

When training for the Grand Canyon rim to rim in one day we highly recommend that you focus your training on steep up and downhill training.  If your legs are not trained for steep downhills it makes the day trek a tough one. The key to training rim to rim is having your downhill legs ready.

The downhill will trash your legs more than the uphill so preparing for the downhill is the best training you can do to get ready for rim to rim.

The first year we did Grand Canyon rim to rim in a day we were not trained for it and a couple miles into the start of the downhill on the South Kaibab Trail my legs were cramping up. The last mile to the bottom of the canyon to the Colorado River my legs were trashed.

The key to a successful and enjoyable rim to rim is training for the downhill and pacing yourself at the start. You will be on a high as you start down the canyon so pull yourself back enjoy the views and ease your way into the downhill.

Trekking poles are recommended especially for the uphill. So training with poles to get ready for rim to rim on uphill training hikes is something to consider. The first 1 through about 8 times we did rim to rim we did not use trekking poles. Then one year we were getting ready for the Leadville 100 mile run and started using poles to get ready for Leadville. That summer we did Grand Canyon rim to rim with poles. WOW… what a huge difference it made on the uphill coming out of the canyon!

GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM ROUTE

The route we recommend and what most people do is going down the South Kaibab Trail and up the Bright Angel Trail.

The descent from the top of the Grand Canyon down the South Kaibab Trail to the Colorado River is 6.5 miles and straight down as you can see from the elevation profile below.

Once you get to the bottom of South Kaibab Trail you are going to cross the Colorado River and head west towards Phantom Ranch. Instead of going to Phantom Ranch you will stay left and cross the Colorado River on another bridge. You will parallel the Colorado River for about 1.8 miles before heading up the Bright Angel Trail.

The climb out of the Grand Canyon up the Bright Angel Trail is about 8.4 miles.

The total distance of Grand Canyon Rim to Rim is 16.7 miles

Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Elevation Profile

Click on the Strava link below to see the map and interactive elevation profile.

PARKING AND SHUTTLE TO SOUTH KAIBAB TRAILHEAD

Boarding the Hikers’ Express Shuttle at the Backcountry Information Center

You want to park your car at Backcountry Information Center lot D and get on the Hikers’ Express Shuttle Bus that will take you straight to the South Kaibab Trailhead.

If you park at Backcountry Information Center, you can walk back to your car once you summit the canyon at the top Bright Angel Trail.

Hiker’s Express Shuttle Bus leaves at different times depending on the time of the year.

To see what time the shuttle bus leaves depending on the time of the year you will be doing rim to rim click here.

We always get on the first shuttle bus and get to the trailhead as early as possible to enjoy the sunrise and the awesome photos as we head down the canyon. Plus it is a good idea to get an early start depending on your speed… as for some it can be a long day on the trail.  Especially smart to get an early start in the hotter months.

EQUIPMENT, CLOTHING, PACK, FOOD, AND WATER FOR DAY RIM TO RIM GRAND CANYON HIKE OR RUN

You want to be prepared with food, hydration and proper clothing for the time of the year. Think light as to how you pack.

We recommend a light pack that allows for some storage of food, clothing and trekking pools. The hydration pack does not need to have a huge bladder because there are two places to refill your bladder.

Water Stops

1. There is NO water on the South Kaibab Trail.
2. At the bottom of the canyon once you cross over the Colorado River there is water spigot between the trail and the Colorado River.
3. Indian Garden is at about mile 12 which is a great place to stop and fill up your water, fuel up and take a rest before your final 4.8 mile climb out of the canyon.

Indian Garden water stop

Equipment

• Pack with a water bladder. No need for a huge pack… a 7-liter bladder is sufficient.
• Trekking Poles. We recommend Black Diamond 3 piece carbon poles. They are lightweight and compact.
• Camera: we like to bring several things to take pictures with. Stopping and enjoying the views while taking pictures is so worth it.
  • Phone: make sure you put your phone in airplane mode and take it off wifi so you don’t kill your battery.
  • Go Pro with a selfie stick. You can get some really cool pictures with photo burst on a Go Pro.
  • Small compact camera.
• Garmin GPS

Clothing

It all depends on the time of the year. We have done rim to rim in the extreme cold when it was 17 degrees on top of the rim and in mid-summer in 100-degree heat. So make sure you have proper clothing. As you get to the bottom of the canyon it gets much warmer than on the rim of the canyon. There can be a big temperature change from the top to the bottom.

We have always done the trip with smaller packs and have worn layers of clothing that can be compacted down and stuffed in our packs.

Cold Months

• Gloves
• Head Cover
• Upper Layers
• Sunglasses
• Tights
• Hat

Hot Months

• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Long sleeve sun shirt
• Sunscreen
• Xero Shoes go kick your shoes off and get wet in the water

Food and Nutrition

Everyone has their favorites when it comes to food and nutrition. No need to pack the cooler and carry more food than you need. Keep it light and healthy.  Eat and drink nutrition that is going to keep your energy levels high and give you the fuel you need to sustain the climb out of the canyon.

Below is the list of things we like to eat and drink that has served us well over the years.

• Favorite energy bars
• Homemade Rice Cakes. We like banana, blueberry, strawberry, coconut, lemon. Click Here
• Gels 
• Trail mix
• Electrolyte pills (Endurolytes)
• Energy Shots 
• Put a small ziplock bag with your favorite sports drink in your pack to mix in your bladder when filling up your water at the various water stops.

LODGING FOR GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM

There are lots of options as to where to stay. You can stay inside the park which is going to be a little bit more expensive. We usually get a hotel in Grand Canyon Village which is a couple of miles outside the entrance of the park.

We have also camped out in the warmer months in a tent.

If you are going to hotel it, make sure you reserve your room in advance. At times, hotels are 100% booked. We made the mistake one year of not having a reservation and came close to having to sleep in our car so book your accommodations in advance.

If you want a hotel that is right on the rim where you can walk to Back Country to get on the shuttle Hikers’ Express check out El Tovar Hotel.

GRAND CANYON PARK FEE

There is a fee to get into the park. Sometimes there can be a huge line as you enter the park. So if you are staying outside the park and want to make the 1st shuttle, give yourself plenty of time so you don’t miss the 1st shuttle out.

GRAND CANYON RIM TO RIM PICTURES

Below are some pictures of our last Grand Canyon Rim To Rim in a day hike/run we did in late November 2017.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”7″ gal_title=”Grand Canyon R2R 2017″]

OTHER EPIC OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA

Mt Humphrey Peak 12,633 ft

Many time when doing Grand Canyon rim to rim we plan a long weekend and squeeze some other cool outdoor activities into the trip.

When often times will bring our bikes and do a killer ride in Flagstaff, Arizona. Flagstaff has some epic bike rides and hikes.

Below are some links to some of our other favorite things to do in northern Arizona.

1. Lake Mary Road Bike Ride: One of the best and most scenic road bike rides in Arizona.
2. Around the Peaks Mountain Bike Ride: Killer mountain bike ride.
3. Mt Humphreys Hike: Highest point in Arizona a trek worth doing.

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People all the time ask us “Why Do The Two Of You Workout All The Time?” our answer was always “So We Can Eat Whatever We Want!”

In our earlier years, our diet and nutrition were good and we liked to have thought we ate healthy. But looking back compared to now we have definitely evolved over time and our diet and nutrition is so much better. As a result, we feel our overall health is better with less exercise and better eating habits.

When you are in your 20’s and 30’s you can get away with a bad diet and poor nutrition through exercise. Your body may not show the effects of a bad diet but you will not have optimal energy that you would with a clean diet. As you change your diet, you lean out and your energy level will go through the roof.

BOOKS, AUDIOS & DOCUMENTARIES THAT MADE US RETHINK OUR DIET AND NUTRITION OVER THE YEARS

We started down the path of major diet change after we listened to Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health on Audible while on a road trip. If you have not read or listened to the book we highly recommend it. The book had a huge impact on us to make some major changes to our diet and nutrition.

In the book, the author talked about people, specifically triathletes, who worked out all the time doing crazy hours of training that were still overweight and not lean. Through our training and doing triathlons we could relate with what the author William Davis MD was saying. We know quite a few triathletes who train all the time and are still overweight. They are fit and in shape but not what you would think they should look like based on their training. This really got us thinking. Is it their diet and nutrition? This is a perfect example as to… NO, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet!

Through our quest to take our nutrition to another level we started to listen and read other books on the subject matter.

Another book that had a huge impact on us was Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness. Even if you are not an ultra-marathon runner the book is worth reading or listening to. It is a motivational story that will inspire you and also put you on the path of better nutrition and performance with any sport or excise you choose.

Eat and Run  moved our thoughts to eating much more plant-based foods and made us cut out lots of animal and whey products from our daily consumption.

This also lead us to juicing on a regular basis. We upgraded our juicer to a Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor and wow what a difference. Our favorite juice to juice up is:

One lemon, Big chunk of ginger, Green apple, 2 Carrots, 1 Big beat, Couple stalks of celery and 1/2 of a Cucumber

Juice up our favorite recipe and enjoy. If you are new to juicing go light on the ginger at first.

Over the last 5 years, we have made some major changes in our diet and really like the way we feel. Recently we have been on a big kick to being much more conscious in regards to our daily sugar intake. It has been a major shocker to us as to how much sugar is in food products. Just start to read all your labels and see for yourself!

We recently watched a few documentaries on Netflix. We highly recommend watching The Sugar Film and Fed Up on Netflix. It will be a huge eye opener. Sugar is as or more addicting than Crack Cocaine or Heroin and is one of the main reasons Americans are so FAT and facing an obesity epidemic.

Below is a trailer of “That Sugar Film” check it out on Netflix.

IN CONCLUSION: Can You Out Exercise a Bad Diet and Poor Nutrition?

Our answer is NO! Especially as you get older and your metabolism starts to slow down it is so important to have a healthy diet and good nutritional habits to keep your weight in check and energy levels up.

Through the changes we have made with our diet, we feel better than we have felt before. We’re healthier, leaner and fitter than we were in our 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.

Is it easy to keep a disciplined diet?  Definitely NOT with all the social pressures out there. A couple small changes to your eating habits can make a huge difference. Start with a few small things and watch your diet evolve over time.

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Recently I did a blog post about “How to Stay Motivated to Work Out… Is Easy If You Do This One Thing!” and for us this race was our carrot for the last several months. It motivated us to get up early and get our work out in before starting our day. The other thing that happens as you work out and are training for an event you tend to be much more disciplined with your diet and saying “NO” to junk food becomes easier.

Looking back I can’t say we have ever done what we did this weekend. There is a 1st for everything. And the 1st for us was that we both won our age groups. Our first place awards are in the picture above. Check out the results.

There is one benefit to getting older. As you age up, there tends to be less people in your age group. We both love competition so I don’t know if that is a positive thing or not. Although there was a competitive field at this years event so we did have competition.

We like doing Xterra traithlons because the bike is an off road bike. You are on a mountain bike and the run is a trail run. The events are usually at cool outdoor venues so you can camp out and enjoy the outdoors. The other cool thing about Xterra races is that they take you through some crazy terrain.

This year on the run, we had to swim across the lake with our running gear on towards the finish. The picture below is Mimi coming across the lake in her running gear. You can see a runner on the other side of the bank getting ready to enter the water. Try swimming with your running shoes and sunglasses on. Made for a fun finish to the race.

Thanks to Seton and Debbie Claggett owners of TriSports.com for putting on a great race. Lots of time goes into putting on a well organized race. They did an awesome job! Also a BIG thanks to Jim Stites our swim coach for all the help he gives us with our swimming and great swim workouts.

Below are a few pictures from the Xterra race.

The post Deuces Wild Xterra Triathlon 2017 Was Our Carrot For The Last Several Months! appeared first on Tyler & Mimi Ford .

Frankly, it is quite simple: drinking caffeine stimulates contractions in your gut, which switch on the urge to visit the bathroom as feces move to the rectum.

Through some embarrassing experiments that involved participants drinking coffee, hot water, and decaf coffee. In addition to eating a high-calorie burger meal. Researchers discovered that caffeinated coffee increased gut contraction 60 percent more than hot water, and 23 percent more than decaf. The experiment showed that caffeine, which is a known stimulant, does have something to do with firing up your colon, but there might be something else involved. There’s probably something in the coffee itself that triggers your bathroom journey.

Therefore, the scientists involved in the experiment came up with a hypothesis: Caffeine reaches your stomach within a few minutes of ingesting it. Since caffeine contains hundreds of compounds, they are not sure which one initiates the generation of particular hormones in our bodies, such as motilin. Motilin, in its turn, stimulates gut contractions. Gastrin, another compound found in coffee, causes acid secretion in our stomach. That’s how poop happens.

STRONG LINK BETWEEN CAFFEINE AND BOWL MOVEMENTS

Coffee is not the only source of caffeine, soft drinks, chocolate, tea, and energy shots and drinks contain caffeine as well. However, there’s enough research suggesting a strong link between caffeine and strong bowel movements.

The effects of caffeine on your bowl movement seem to be ruled by your own body. Some people suffer diarrhea after the morning cup of coffee. But don’t be quick to blame the caffeine as other additions like milk, cream, sugar, or artificial sweeteners can play a significant role in the situation. Another factor to consider is having a lactose intolerance that you know nothing about. Diarrhea is one of the known symptoms of consuming dairy products. Excessive sugar consumption is also a reason for the uninvited guest that is diarrhea.

There’s also another reason that you want to go for number 2 after a shot of caffeine, which is acidity. Coffee carries a compound called chlorogenic acid, which increases stomach acid levels. The high degree of stomach acidity could be a key to the mystery so never dismiss that. If you are amongst the 70 percent of the population that doesn’t get the laxative effect after consuming caffeine, don’t worry. Also, remember that at some level, our bodies build tolerance and after a while of drinking caffeine, you stop getting the urge to go to the bathroom.

CAFFEINE AND POOPING MAY JUST BE A MATTER OF THE MIND

One last thing to consider is the psychological link between drinking caffeine and going to the bathroom in the morning. If your morning routine usually consists of breakfast and bathroom, your mind may connect the two, and thus triggers the bathroom trip after a cup of coffee.

Finally, there is enough evidence to say with confidence that caffeine will send you to the toilet. As for the exact reason, it remains to be seen. Whatever the reason, caffeine will make you poop.

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A year ago I was challenged by a friend to join the Veterans 22 which was to do 22 push-ups a day for 22 days. I had no desire to do push-ups before but this was for a good cause and I am always up for a challenge. Well my first day attempt was a disaster. I had no idea that push-ups were that hard, or that I was that weak in my upper body strength.  I could barely do 1 push-up let alone 22. So I started with one full one and then 21 push-ups on my knees.  By the end of the 22 days, I was able to almost do 22 full push-ups.

That was the beginning of the year of the push-ups. A friend that I challenged to do the Veteran 22 push-up challenge with me decided that it would be a good idea to continue on our fitness journey. So we decided to video ourselves doing 22 push-ups and send it to each other every day since she lives in the Bay area in CA and I live in Tucson, AZ.  Now we can both pump out 22 push-ups like its nothing and our upper bodies have definition and strength.

Here are the 5 steps to help build upper body strength:

1. Set a Goal – It could be any goal such as doing Planks, push-ups, pull-ups anything that will increase upper body strength.
2. Find a partner to hold you accountable – You can either do it together if it’s a spouse or someone you live with, or it can be someone that is willing to send a video like with my accountability partner.
3. Consistency – Doing something every day. Like John Maxwell says, “Everyday I sharpen my ax, how often, EVERYDAY. “
4. Track Your Progress – Make a calendar to show how many or how far you get each day. That will show progress which always helps in sticking to your goal.
5. Good Nutrition – Eat right and take a good multi-vitamin to help build muscle. Especially as we age we need to have the building blocks of good nutrients to help build a healthy body. If you are looking for a good liquid multivitamin I recommend is the Complete Essentials.
6. Have fun! – If you are not having fun with what you are doing you will quit. I have picked a friend that has made this journey fun and rewarding. The best part we have become closer and better friends because of it, not to mention stronger and healthier too!

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Over the years we have stayed very consistent with working out, diet and nutrition. Therefore our body weight, depending on the time, will only fluctuate a couple of pounds.

THE ONE THING TO STAY MOTIVATED TO WORK OUT IS… HAVE SOME TYPE OF RACE OR EVENT ON YOUR CALENDAR EVERY 3 TO 6 MONTHS OUT.

We guarantee if you plan a race or some type of competition you will stay motivated. For us, we schedule triathlons, cycling events, treks that take fitness like Grand Canyon Rim 2 Rim. It does not matter what you do just put an event on your calendar and pay for it and see what happens. YOU WILL GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF BED! 

There is something about knowing you have an event or competition coming up. You train for it especially if the event is paid for.

The other cool thing that happens is your diet and nutrition will improve. When you improve your fitness level your eating habits follow. Your body naturally craves good nutrition and saying NO to junk food becomes easier.

So if you are having a hard time getting up in the morning and motivated to work output some type of event on your calendar like a 10k run, triathlon, cycling event. There are tons of things to do just pick one and commit to it and watch what happens.

PS: Want something cool to go do that will be a memory of a lifetime and will get your BUTT out of bed plan Grand Canyon Rim 2 Rim trek!

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There are many things in life you get a 2nd change at like; relationships, finances, careers, etc. Your health is not one of them… so why not take care of yourself?  – Tyler Ford

There are many health benefits of being happy. These facts are sometimes ignored but these are the key through finding happiness. It takes work and self-awareness to be happy in today’s world with social media, news and the constant noise of life.

FIVE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEING HAPPY

Sleep better. If you are happy, you have a peace of mind and this will make you feel relaxed. Studies proved that people who are suffering from an illness like diabetes and some coronary heart disease feel better if their loved ones cheer them during their condition.

Mental stability and proper function of the brain. Happiness exercises the mind. People can focus and concentrate on the things they need to do and their thinking capacity is productive because of the motivation they got from the feeling of being happy.

The mindset is affected in a way that a person becomes aggressive to develop his wellness and fitness like losing weight and meditation. These are additional factors that come together with happiness to make a person healthy and fit.

Faster recovery from being sick. There had been analyses conducted wherein happy people are those who are less likely to suffer from any sickness or serious condition because it helps boost our immune system and blood cells that shield us.

We are all exposed to viruses. Being happy helps in the faster recovery of our body against sickness, too.

Lower and healthy heart rate. This prevents the risk of any heart disease which is sometimes caused by stress. People who are happy have lower levels of stress hormones that harm our health and increased our heart rate.

Lower body inflammation. People who regularly feel the happy have a low amount of proinflammatory cytokines in the body which are the sources of many diseases.

BOTTOM LINE: HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEING HAPPY

Certain diseases like strokes, depression, heart attacks, and diabetes are most likely to be avoided if the person has an optimistic outlook and emotional vitality.

Both emotional balance and enthusiasm can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. So, even if you never smoked or exercise, your emotional happiness still matters for your overall health.

Therefore, even diet and workouts will not totally be effective if you just do it without feeling the happiness. It will sometimes hinder you to do such things to make you fit if you have a heavy heart. Diet and workout have less value to optimal health if you are not happy.

Studies proved that people who are happy are less likely to have gray hair and wrinkles which are the factors of aging. This is a good way to become beautiful without much effort.

Your inner being is also healthy aside from the outside characteristic that you have. You will look blooming and people around you will realize you are beautiful.

Proper nutrition can have an effect on healthy aging and overall happiness.

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Instead of gaining weight during the holiday season why not start now to lose weight and get fit and start 2017 feeling great?

Follow these 5 simple holiday nutrition and exercise tips and tricks and you’ll avoid the holiday weight gain that afflicts so many other people:

#1 Drink Water – and Lots of It

Boring I know – but the reason this tip stays around year after year is because it works. Adequate water intake keeps your metabolism humming along at a maximum rate and staves off hunger cravings as well.

In fact many people mistake thirst for hunger and end up eating to quench their thirst. This results in more calories than you body needs and – you guessed it – excess pounds.

#2 Increase Your Exercise A Little Bit

Weight gain or weight loss is simple math. If you burn more calories than you consume it is common sense you will lose weight.

During the holidays most people consume more calories. Knowing this why not increase your exercise a little to offset the increase in calories.

Just increase your exercise time maybe ten minutes here, fifteen minutes there. It all adds up.

You’ll burn off those holiday treats and easily avoid extra weight gain.

#3 Cut Back Where You Can At Other Meals

Did you know that the average number of calories consumed by one person during a typical Thanksgiving dinner is 7,100! That’s about 2 pounds strictly in terms of calories alone.

But not to worry. All you have to do is make small calorie cutbacks at other meals you’ll easily make up for the extra calories.

Bottom line: cut back where you can in little ways. You won’t miss the little sacrifices and you can then enjoy your holiday meals – guilt free!

#4 Limit Your Alcohol Intake

According to MedicineNet when alcohol is added to a meal it increases calorie consumption by 33%.

By limiting your alcohol in take during the holiday season you can drastically cut back on calorie intake. Plus the other huge benefit of less alcohol is you will sleep better, wake up feeling better which leads to felling more productive. If you wake up feeling better and are more productive you will be more likely to get your exercise in.

Making good health and nutrition decisions during the holidays can have huge compounding effects for either gaining weight, maintaining or even losing weight.

#5 Set Goals Now!

Instead of making that new years resolution after the holidays to lose weight why not start now?

Roll into 2017 and feel better than ever by challenging yourself during the holidays to lose some weight and get fit.

So those are 5 tips to avoid holiday weight gain this year. Follow them and you’re guaranteed to save yourself the stress of unwanted weight gain.

Roll into 2012 feeling awesome!

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If you live in Arizona or are going to be visiting the state seeing the Grand Canyon with your own eyes is a must!

I grew up in Tucson, Arizona and even went to Northern Arizona University which is only about one hour from the Grand Canyon but had never been to the Grand Canyon.

On my 40th birthday my wife asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday… on a whim I said, “lets go hike the Grand Canyon.” Ever since then, hiking the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim on my birthday has been an annual event of ours.

So on November 6th, 2016 we did our annual Rim to Rim trek. It never gets old! 

There is something about the Grand Canyon that is hard to explain unless you have been there and witnessed one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World yourself. Going to the Grand Canyon and looking down is one aspect of seeing the canyon but if you really want to experience the Grand Canyon to get the full experience hiking to the bottom of the canyon is the ultimate.

There is an energy and beauty to the Grand Canyon that is absolutely amazing. Life comes to a standstill with NO phones, internet, TV, radio… just peace and quiet of your own thoughts and Mother Nature.

10 Reasons to Hike the Grand Canyon:

1. 1 of the 7 Wonders of The World: See one of the 7 natural wonders of the world! Needs to be on everyone’s Live List!
2. Gods Creation: Appreciate Gods gifts!
3. Move: Get out there and get your body moving!
4. Be Outdoors in Fresh Air: Be outside and enjoy mother nature!
5. Inexpensive way to have fun: Seeing the Grand Canyon is NOT expensive especially if you live in the western states.
6. AWE Inspiring: Breath taking and beautiful.
7. Get Grounded and Eliminate Noise: Great way to get grounded and reflect on what is important through quietness and mother nature.
8. Meet Cool People: Meet people from all over the world!
9. Set Goals: Having a goal  of hiking the Grand Canyon helps motivate you to get your butt out of bed!
10. Celebrate a special day: Like an anniversary!

Getting yourself ready and in shape to hike the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim will be one of the best experiences and memories you will ever have. Words can not describe the beauty of the canyon you need to witness it with your own eyes.

Below are some pictures of our trip on November 6th, 2016. This year the weather was warmer than normal. Usually there is snow on the top of the rim. The hike can be done year around but in the winter months be prepared for colder temps and snow on the rim.

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This past weekend I decided to do the Deuces Wild Xterra Triathlon in Show Low, Arizona and had a solid race.

Swimming has always been my strength when it comes to triathlons. I came out of the water in 3rd with the other top two swimmers. The three of us put a big gap on the field coming out of the water.

I have to say I was a little rusty in my swim to bike transition and headed out on the bike course in 3rd place. My bike was solid and I held my own out there. The question was did I have a big enough gap to hold off the runners?

From bike to run I was leading my age group but knew there would be some fast runners trying to run me down. The run portion of triathlons have always been my weak leg. I just don’t train fast when running to avoid injury. Unfortunately, I did get run down by a few runners and ended up 7th overall and 2nd in my age group.

It was great being out there and competing!

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