In less than 36 hours I will be starting a journey that I have dreamt about for years; something that has remained on my long term goals list while others have dropped off. In the wee hours of Friday, March 9th, 2012 I will be running across the Grand Canyon, and back. This route, commonly referred to as rim to rim to rim (or in the Twitterverse as #r2r2r) is an epic 41 mile out and back utilizing the South Kaibab and North Kaibab trails, with 21,100' of elevation change (that is 4 miles of vertical change, with the most brutal section coming at the end, where it is a 4,000' climb in less than 4 miles with an average grade of 15% back to the south rim). To say the least, there is a reason why not many people attempt this route at all, let alone with a goal of completing it in one day.
While most people attempt this run in late spring or early fall, the opportunity presented itself recently and everything began to fall into place, point me westward. There will be many struggles and challenges, including hydration, fueling and the elements. All of which will test my physical and mental fortitude.
I will admit that despite my passion for climbing and my eagerness for epic adventures, my recent history has been speckled with failures. First it was the shortened Run Across Alabama where I was able to complete only 135 of the 180 miles over a 4-day period in July of 2009 with friends Jon Elmore and Eric Schotz. That was followed by the epic failures on the Pinhoti Trail Adventure Run, where although I made it 173 miles of treacherous trail from Flagg Mountain to the Alabama/Georgia border, I was unable to complete the entire 335 route ending at the Benton MacKaye Trailhead with fellow adventurer and friend Rob Youngren. Despite my attempts and failures, I managed to complete the Trapp Hill Traverse in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on a solo effort last summer.
So when friend Timothy Pitts (henceforth known as TP2) asked if I wanted to join him, I didn't immediately say yes. I was extremely intrigued, but I was afraid. Yes, I was scared to death of yet another failure. I had to spend much time praying and in deep thought before realizing that this was something I wanted to do; no it was something I had to do.
I have said this before, but it is worth repeating. "Though undeserving, I know that God will show His grace to me on Friday by giving me strength and guidance, and by taking care of me on the journey." This time it would be a bonus if he got us there and back in less than 12 hours, but I will settle for making it alive!
So why do I feel like this is something I have to do? Because as Leo Buscaglia once said, "Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God." I have been given this amazing gift and the only way I can give him thanks and praise is to sacrifice my body back to him, such that my efforts may be seen as an inspiration to others. Will I get personal satisfaction out of completing this journey and crossing it off of my bucket list? Yes, of course. But I will try to remain focused on why I am out there and not let the obsession with the result be my false idol. When times get difficult, I know that my training and my faith will give my body the ability to do what my head my say I can not.
Matthew 5:16 - Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
I pray that others see the great lengths that I am willing to go for his glory and be inspired, in their own way, to do the same. Let me be the light to shine before men.