I sit on the balcony of my hotel looking out over the Pacific Ocean. 72 hours ago, I was in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Needless to say it's been a busy week. I am not going to post my complete report of the Grand Canyon until I have time to process everything and do it justice. But I will say that it was an amazing, inspiring journey.
Hiking the Canyon, spending 2 nights at Phantom Ranch, and exploring some trails I've never taken before allowed me to experience the GC in a way that I missed out on when I ran it. I saw things along the way that I missed in my previous haste. The Canyon did not disappoint, and I was reminded of why I love it so much.
I took over 300 photos during our 3 day trip. I had the honor and pleasure of leading my mom on her first trip to the Grand Canyon. As we stood overlooking the South Rim on Friday, I knew that she had little idea of the adventure she was about to embark on. And she was up for it all. She hiked those trails for 10 hours a day with a smile on her face the whole time. She took her shoes off and iced her legs in the chilly Colorado River with me on Sunday. She didn't melt when it rained, she just relished the experience and allowed the drops to cool her off. Needless to say, I will join my mom on any challenge she decides to take on.
Now, surrounded by thousands of people, all in a hurry, I miss my quiet retreat on the trails. I enjoy the surf and the sand, and when I am out on my standup paddleboard alone in the ocean I have a similar solitude. As we approach race day, I am much calmer this time around. I have a good feeling and can't wait to watch my husband on Saturday, take on the race that he has trained for since we first started Ironman. This is his payday. Good luck, Baby. I am here for you every step of the 140.6 miles!
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