MY FIRST GRAND CANYON HIKE...

When I said YES to the Hubs when asked if I wanted to hike the Grand Canyon with a group of people from church, I said, SURE.  I assumed we were going to do something I've wanted to do for a long time....hike down to the bottom of the canyon, spend the night at Phantom Ranch, explore, see waterfalls, etc., then hike back out.

You know, I had other things on my mind...wedding...retreat...moving Mom.  Then I find out we are doing something crazy athletic-type people do.  Hiking down to the bottom of the canyon and then come back out in one day!

I decided to roll with it.  If my husband thought I could do it, I would!  Besides I did run a couple of half-marathons a few years back, right?  (Never mind the fact that the last couple of miles I walked)  Anyway, we trained some and were off!  It was a great time with some folks I didn't know very well and really enjoyed getting to know better!

I'd say it was an awesome experience - and it was - I saw views of the Grand Canyon I had never seen on previous visits - but honestly it was just a really long hike!  One foot after another.  Seventeen miles to be exact.  Part of the time going down, and the other part going up.  The last two miles of up was hard.  (Why do I always have a problem with the last two miles?)  My calves felt like rocks and I had a hard time lifting my leg to step up on some of those higher steps.  The group slowed down a little to accommodate me and sometimes it was so slow and steep that I felt like I lost momentum and worried them a little.  Plus my nose dripped the entire day.  TMI?  In my mind I wnted to tell everyone who was saying, only 3 more miles, "SHUT UP!"  They had been talking about a mile and a half and I thought they meant to the top.  But then I realized it was to the next bathroom hut.  ARGH.  Just quit talking!  Then the last 30 minutes all I could think was this old song in my mind from Phillipians 4:

I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me,  

I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me. 

Day by day, hour by hour, I am kept by his pow'r!
I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.

(The Hubs and me about 3 miles from the end - thankful for an old tree seat)

11 1/2 hours after we started - we made it- 17 miles with virtually no problems! Quite a feat when you consider there were ten in our group.  One minor fall, no blisters or injuries, just a couple gear problems that were solved, lots of calories eaten and our Camelbacks in constant use, and lots of oohs and aahs at the views.

It felt good to cry and  lay down cheer and hug and take photos at the top.  And some WAY TOO ENERGETIC people decided we should do jumping photos at the top...

         (Here's my sweet friend and coach with her Hubs)

Maybe I sound casual about it, but really there's no way I would have ever attempted this without the Hubs and a great friend and coach who loves these challenges!  She knows how to train, how to fuel the body, how to pack, how to dress, and how to pace.  Thankful for her and this opportunity!

Other favorites:

One member of our group is an elite runner and RAN the trail!  He took this picture of us on the trail from above - if you zoom in you can see some little pink and blue dots...that's us!