Grand Canyon 2023

** May 19 2023 Update - Success!! 

41 total miles in 10 hrs 50 min.  Started just before 5am.  Amazing Experience!!!

Actual Route

#	Leg	Mileage	Water
1	BA trailhead to Gardens	4.9	H
2	Gardens to Plateau Point and back (1.5 each way)	3	H
3	Gardens to Phantom	4.5	P
4	Phantom to closure sign past Cottonwood	14.6	P
6	Phantom to Black bridge to the Tonto trail via South Kaibab	2.8
7	SK Kaibab to Gardens via West Tonto Trail	4.6	H
8	Gardens to BA trailhead	4.9	H
	BA trailhead on Rim Trail towards South Kaibab out and back	1.7
		41 miles
	H=Havasupai Gardens, Phantom Ranch, TH=Trail head on South Rim, SK =South Kaibab

Timeline

Mon

• Aaron and Jay arrive am; pickup car head to Flag
• Chris arrive am and scoop up Evan based on address he shares (approx 2 hrs from airport; 114 miles)
• Aim to meet at hotel 4-5pm as backup if phone coversage no good
• Check into hotel (Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn - 74 Arizona 64, Grand Canyon Village, Arizona 86023) ; if time permits, drive to Canyon rim; potential light run on Rim trail to South Kaibab and shuttle back or vice versa; scope out for am
• Buy any last min supplies; RunFlagstaff.com - Tailwind, Gels, bars
• Buy trail map
• Dinner, lights out early
• Dinner options (no preference or order)
• Outside Park Big E Steakhouse We Cook Pizza and Pasta
• At hotel (Big E right across street; restaurant in hotel)
• Inside Park (views might be pretty awesome) -

Tues

• 4.01am wake-up
• 4.30am on road
• 5-5.15am into Canyon (at latest)
• 12-14 hours (5am-7pm)
• Sunrise 5.20am; Sunset 7.30pm
• Weather - 40-50s in am; up to 80-90s in Canyon

Wed

• Contingency day however, need to be in Phoenix early Thurs am
• Day 2 Hike/Run options
• Preferred: Sedona - Baldwin Trail to Cathedral Rock or Devil's Bridge
• approx 105 miles from Grand Canyon Village to Sedona - chance of showers, high in 80s
• Grand Canyon Day 2 - 21.5
• South Kaibab BA via Rim to SK - 5 miles (alt take shuttle; 16.5 total then)
• SK to Phantom Ranch - 7.1 miles
• Phantom to Havasupai Gardens - 4.5 miles
• Havasupai Gardens to BA trailhead - 4.9 miles
• Grand Canyon Day 2 - 24.9
• Hermits Rest to Havasupai Gardens - 20 miles (no water)
• Havasupai Gardens to BA trailhead - 4.9 miles (if add Plateau Point +3 miles more)
• Buffalo Park Flagstaff
• Stay at Evan's Uncle's house - approx 4-5pm

Thurs

• Return car, flight home (Aaron noonish but will arrive earlier to get everyone home)

Grand Canyon Alerts (trail closures, water outages, weather)

Weather

Modified R2R2R

	Modified R2R2R
#	Leg	Mileage	Water
1	BA trailhead to Havasupai Gardens	4.9	H
2	Havasupai to Plateau Point and back (1.5 each way)	3	H
3	Havasupai Gardens to Phantom / BA Campground	4.5	BAP
4	Phantom to Cotttonwood and back (6.8 each way)	13.6	BAP
5	Phantom to Sumner Wash and back via Clear Creek trail (1.7 each way)	3.4	BAP
6	Phantom to Blackbridge to the Tipoff	2.7
7	Tipoff to Havasupai Gardens vs East Tonto Trail (7.2 without water)	4.5	H
8	Havasupai Gardens to BA trailhead	4.9	H
	1.5 rest and 3 mile rest currently on BA trail - currently no water	41.5
	H=Havasupai Gardens, BAP=Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch, TH=Trail head on South Rim
	alt add ons or changes
a	Phantom to BA Trailhead after 4 or 5	9.4	H
b	Tipoff rest of way up South Kaibab after 6	4.6
c	Phantom up South Kaibab (same as b but reflects full distance)	7.1	TH
d	BA trailhead to Hermit's Rest on Rim Trail	5	TH
e	Further out on Clear Creek trail on #5	1-10

Official National Park Service Grand Canyon Alerts ** trail closures, weather alerts and water availability

---------------------------------

Aaron Pack/Provisions

Glide on neck, legs, chest, arm pits before

Key in pant pocket. 2-3 gels in pant pocket; 704 hat, tech T, light shorts, Hoka SpeedGoats, Balega socks, wind breaker

For Pack:

• Credit card, $20 cash, medical card, bandaids, small sunscreen
• Phantom Ranch is open during daylight hours. Snacks, drinks and medical supplies 8am-4pm; 8pm-10pm - credit cards and cash accepted
• map, route directions with alternatives to go longer or bail out if needed
• Wind breaker (start with it on)
• 4 bottles; 2 500ml on front chest, one preloaded with Skratch, 1 in packet preloaded with tailwind, 1 empty (fill up at Phantom Ranch)
• 6 tailwind (320 calories, salt electrolytes, spillage so 300 each)
• 2 scratch
• 6 bars, some solid stuff 1 nut pack
• a few substantive foods
• 600-800 calorie burn per hr; 240-280 digest an hour

Boston Marathon Scorecard

Boston is everything folks come back from the race gushing about.  It truly is a special experience for a marathoner.  I am so thankful that I have had 2 really good experiences in Boston even though I landed in the medical tent at the finish line both times.  My first was 2010 and my 2nd and most recent was 2021 in the fall edition for the first time in history because of the pandemic.  It was not my best time but I am proud of how I competed and gave it everything as I was in medical over an hour after.  Boston destroys your quads like no other Marathon I have done.  If you ever have the opportunity to qualify and experience Boston, do it!  Thanks to my family and friends for all the support leading up to and thru the event. 

Marathon Scorecard
	Boston (2010)		Boston (2021) - Fall edition
Training Consistency	A+	Fairly injury free and sick free cycle. Had some injuries but did not miss much time and was able to keep training going.   Had more miles and more 6 day efforts than ever before.	A	Didn’t miss any time because of injury or sickness.  Focused on long runs, did decent workouts.  Mostly cut out med long run and mileage was 50-60 pretty consistently.
Workouts	B	Intervals were good. Long runs good.   Not enough tempos and especially marathon pace tempos over longer distances.	B	No killer workouts.  Just good consistency. Should have committed to more hilly runs which will do in the future for a Boston cycle.
Taper	A	79.8,67,52.8,40.8	B	Pushed right up until 1 week and did 2 miles at pace 2 days before race.  Might have been a tad too aggressive but felt good race morning.
Pre Race Weekend	B-	Ate too much night before and ate greasy meatballs with spagetti which was stupid on my part. Did yard work Sat and hamstrings were really tight Sunday.  Started race with left hamstring still tight.	A+	Great sleep the whole week before. Great accommodations up in Boston.  Had a good meal the night before.
Pre Race Morning	B	Struggling with this. Seeing Megan. I think I am eating stuff that is leading to stomach trouble.	B	Not sure got enough in me.  Probably should have forced a bit more nutrition in me.  Peed constantly before though and on the first mile
Race Hydration/Nutrition	C+	Thought I drank ok but skipped some stops and should not have. Didn't take enough GUI and need to consider something else because I am so tired of GUI. Put myself in dangerous place after as visited medical tent. Lost 40 seconds at mile 13.1 to use the porta john to poop.	C+	Had 3 Gels.  Going forward need to carry 4.  Peed so much before and stopped on 1st mile that was reluctant to drink for a bit.  Boston has water/gatorade every mile so I think I was getting plenty in even though hit medical
Effort	B+	Splits did not fall off as much as I thought.  Was surviving 4 of last 5 miles rather than racing but kept it together and did a good job to compete the last mile.	A+	Really proud of how I competed especially the last several miles even though I got passed by so many folks.  I committed to not stopping as was able to keep the pace under 8 min.  Went straight to the medical tent in a wheel chair after as I completely gave it everything.
Pace	B-	Too fast at start despite telling myself over and over not to.	B	I went out about where I wanted to.  Maybe a bit over my head with the pace but 1.22 at half was about right since Boston is such an aggressive downhill the first half.  Just ran out of gas the last few miles.
Weight	A	Was 162 for MCM which was post college low. Got to 159 before Boston. Passed folks on uphills and felt good on uphills which is a good gauge.	A+	166 before I left.  Lean, probably should have done push-ups and core as did very little.  Will integrate these into upcoming cycle.
Form	B+	Really thought about it and ran upright but always an area that I need to be aware of.	B-	Reasonable although to be honest didn’t think about this too much the last half and probably should have to have kept a bit more focused on being efficient.
Stretching/Strength	B-	Should do more core. Get content and not consistent with stretching.	B-	Abandoned pushups and core.  Did more hip flexor stretches but probably need to work these things back into routine going forward.
Course	B+	Point to Point.  Fast first half.  Forgiving last couple miles	A	Boston is so unforgiving!  Absolutely loved it but goodness 16-21 is brutal.  Fans were amazing and really willed me thru the last couple of miles. I need to figure out better how to race this course.
Weather	A	Perfect.  A bit windy but not enough to impact performance.	B-	High 60s and overcast with a slight head wind.  The 90% humidity I think is what eventually did me in. Comparatively for Boston was ok
Fan Support	A+	Awesome throughout.  Really helped last 4 miles	A+	Incredible! Huge crowds pretty much the entire way.  Was giving high 5s to kids who put their hands out, cheered back to crowd and lots of high 5s going thru Wessley.  Crowd was so helpful the last few miles when I was really suffering.
Competition	B+	Lots of targets.  Had trouble locking in with a group	A	Forgot how much quality competition is at a major.  The only weirdness is with the rolling start, was constantly passing folks and then had some folks pass me.  The downside is when I started to not feel good, I was still passing folks even though I was slowing down. Still an A because there were so many targets to try and catch.
Race Am Logistics	B-	Long.  Did fine with it but just a long time to wait.	A+	Excellent!  Got on bus at a good time from the subway.  Didn’t have to wait around much at all before starting the race.  Portajohn situation was easy. Wore warm clothes that thru off at start.
Shoes	B	Wore trainers	B+	Wore a new pair of brooks flats that were more support than the 361s and a thin pair of Belagu socks..  Think they will be awesome for 8k-half.  A bit of a stretch for a marathon but I don’t think they hurt me.  Might have beat up my legs a tad bit more.  Might have to finally break down and go super shoes.

Marathon Splits
	2010	2021
	Boston	Boston
	6.12	6.38
	37.04	38.30
	60.08	62.20
	1.19.21	1.22.09
	62.47	65.19
	2.02.55	2.07.48
	39.35	45.24
	6.22	7.18
1	5.54	6.22
2	5.47	6.09
3	5.56	6.09
4	5.52	6.07
5	6.14	6.08
6	5.58	6.14
7	5.59	6.13
8	6.12	6.16
9	6.05	6.22
10	6.11	6.20
11	6.09	6.23
12	6.1	6.20
13	6.06	6.17
14	6.49	6.15
15	6.16	6.34
16	6.12	6.19
17	6.13	6.42
18	6.18	6.48
19	6.12	6.38
20	6.22	7.03
21	6.31	7.30
22	6.14	7.10
23	6.24	7.10
24	6.24	7.26
25	6.29	7.55
26	6.18	7.28
	1.15	1.25
	2.42.41	2.53.53