Grand Canyon: Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim

“Go outside
and face the east
and greet the sun
with some kind of
blessing
or chant
or song
that you made yourself
and keep for
early morning”
*excerpted from The Way to Start a Day by Byrd Baylor

On April 19th, 2008 I embarked on another Grand Canyon, Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim odyssey (my third time running this route)

This year, I almost did not attempt the Big-Deep double-back. A recent car accident left me stunned and a bit physically damaged. It also fueled self-doubt. I began to wonder if anything mattered……Why did that guy bash into the back of my car? Did my life matter? Do I positively impact or contribute to anyone? Am I a good mother? Do I uplift and contribute to other peoples’ lives?

With much guidance from the right source, I was able to settle my mind and set goals for the run. These were:

1.) to focus my mind “in the moment” for the entire duration of the “run”
2.) to think only loving thoughts
3.) to lead with my heart wide open

Starting by headlamp at 2 am, I slowly and gently descended the Bright Angle trail reaching the North Rim in just 7 hours. Feeling strong, after a long break, it was time to return to the South Rim. By focusing on being fully present, the experience was timeless and pleasant…..until…….until….until I Bonked!

It seemed like I would easily break 13.5 hours for the round trip …until I passed through Indian Gardens on the last ascent. With 3.5 miles to go, my body was done…cooked….toasted. In short, I bonked hard. Staying with the experience, reaching outside myself, I slowly, ever so slowly, took 2.5 hours to climb the last 3 miles back to the Bright Angel trailhead. Ugh!

I’ll probably need to run this route two to three more times before I get the hang of doing a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim. Upon reflection on the goals I'd set for this adventure....I successfully achieved each one in excess of anything I've ever accomplished or experienced before - that was indeed a true miracle.

My favorite piece of gear on this year’s outing was my Backcountry Access Stash Diva pack. The freezeproof hydration system performed brilliantly, keeping my water supply cool despite the blistering 90-degree heat.

Rim Job Stats - Bright Angel Trailhead, start and finish
47 miles roundtrip
11,000 ft elevation gain
15 hours, 50 minutes (includes over 60 minutes of breaks)
Carrying a 13.5 lb backpack

Have a great week.

Flashing With Silver

Spring-like weather is finally upon us here in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. Longer days coax the sub-alpine flowers skyward as the sun gently transforms the snow into joyous water.

“Flashing with silver
Follow the wild goose cry
Dip, dip and swing
Dip, dip and swing”

This popular canoe round is often heard from paddlers on the Gunnison and Colorado rivers.

The surging Spring run-off reminds us to stay in-the-flow of life. With that in mind, we busily prepare for Pow Wow season and look forward to re-connecting with old friends, forging new relationships, while dancing in the spiral of life.

As an experiment, why not try to stay in-the-flow? Observe what happens in your life. Have a great week!

Spring Snow

“The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love.” Margaret Atwood

Spring in the Rockies is a time for love
a time of awakening
a time for gentleness
and
a time for renewal of spirit.

Friday, I joined the crew for an awesome ski tour in Rocky Mountain National Park. It felt good to be out with these strong, fun, high-quality people. They understand the energy patterns of the seasons, and the beauty of our sacred mother earth. They especially understand how being in snow transmutes its magic upon us in a unique way, unlike nature’s other mediums of soil, rock, rain, water or wind.

The sun warmed our spirits as we descended the soft, cushy layer of pow.

Click here to see a few pics from the outing.

© 2007-2008 Jill Salva

Luna Sport Energy Chews

Many distance athletes eat on the run. For long days mountaineering, my preference is for real foods like pizza, Italian sub sandwiches, apples, Salmon Jerky and Cornish hens. However, when moving full throttle (like trail slogging), it’s difficult to eat something heavy and then resume running.

On long mileage days, I’ve been relying on fruit, chocolate and Clif Shot Bloks – which I refer to as “Snot Bloks”. The great thing about Bloks is that they are easy to digest and the flavors are tolerable.

Now, Luna is getting into the act. The blueberry flavored Luna Sport Moons, trump the Clif Shot Bloks. As the name suggests, Luna Moons are moon shaped chews. These are the texture of gummy bears. Being smaller than the Clif Shot Bloks is an advantage, because they are easier to eat while running.

There is a statement on the package front that reads, “Nutrition for Women Athletes”. Mmmm…gender based nutrition sounds like marketing to me. According to the packaging on the back, these chews contain the antioxidant vitamins A, C & E in significant amounts.

My understanding is that men need these antioxidant vitamins as well. So whether you’re a guy or gal, checkout the blueberry Luna Sport Moons. In an already over crowded goo, gel and Blok market there’s definitely room for the Luna Sport Moons.

Carries-Broken-Log: Encounters with Mountain Lions

Night running is something I have enjoyed immensely this winter. Not only does it provide solitude, it also gives me the opportunity to work with animal medicine for balance and healing.

Earlier this winter, on one night run, the clouds were low…so low in fact they created a soupy fog. The sky was spitting a rather unusual rain and snow mixture, yet I ventured out into the vast whiteness. Visibility was less than three feet in any direction. The combination of my warm breath, perspiration and the descending slush caused my eyelashes to freeze and stick together. I also experienced a vertiginous sensation as the ethereal whiteness enveloped me.

After crossing a creek on this particular trail, there is just one mile back to the trailhead, I jumped across the frozen creek and suddenly my headlamp illuminated a long slender deer leg. Stopping dead in my tracks, it took about a minute to process this appendage. I remember thinking, “What could rip off a deer leg?” (There was no deer body around.) Then I thought…. a big mountain lion could rip off a deer leg instantly! Yikes! I spun in circles, off-balance, swaying my headlamp left and right desperately trying to find the rest of the deer, the mountain lion or both. Where the hell was the rest of the deer body? the blood looked fresh. Where was the mountain lion? Feeling extremely exposed and afraid, I picked up a large gnarled log and proceeded to hike out the last mile to my car. In an effort to look unappetizing, I banged the log on the ground and began to growl. My chosen log could have been better because after a few taps it broke in two! Now I was welding a very broken log … all the while praying to Great Spirit for guidance and protection.

Once home I shared this story with my daughter and from that time on, she’s affectionately referred to me as “Carries-Broken-Log”.

Flash forward to yesterday’s lovely conditions. Daytime temperatures hovered in the upper 40s. My training schedule called for a 20+ miler. Late in the afternoon, I slipped on my muddy trail runners, comfy backpack, and dual headlamps then headed out for some mileage. For some reason, on this run, I did not bring my iPod. Last night seemed like an excellent time to immerse myself in nature’s lessons; listening, seeing, smelling, and feeling what Great Spirit has in store for me.

While on the Mesa Trail, my headlamps suddenly illuminated two large eyes close to the ground. These were the largest animal eyes I have ever seen (and I’ve seen bears before!). The eyes were fixed square on me, stationary, unmoving. Mmmmm…I slowed to a walk and then with trepidation turned fully toward these glowing orbs. My headlamp illuminated a mature cougar crouched perhaps five feet from me. It was ready to pouch on its prey. In that moment, I felt very small, which I am not. I am 5’7” and 132 lbs. The cougar looked to be larger than me! Its front paws appeared broad and powerful.

Staying completely calm so as not to send “fear hormones” to the cat’s nose, I spied a broken log not more than two feet from me. (Two feet closer to the mountain lion!) Calmly, confidently and slowly I took one step forward and slowly bent to the ground to pickup the broken log. Raising it above my head, I made all sorts of ridiculous growling and hissing noises, careful not to make any sudden moves, yet making sure this cougar knew that I was in-charge!

The statuesque mountain lion never moved nor removed its eyes from me. With a growl and the broken log held high above my head, I began to walk away from it…. turning around every few feet to see if the cougar was tracking me. Then I talked out loud, very loud as a matter of fact…. thanking Great Spirit for keeping me safe and also for giving me powerful medicine to work with. I also gave thanks for that broken log. Carries-Broken-Log walked the next three-and-a-half miles with that log held high above her head, growling and hissing until she reached the parking lot.

All content on this blog is (c) 2007-2008 by Jill Salva.

Week 2 of 14: Bump it up a notch

Some weeks are longer than others. My most recent week was over a month long. Delving deeply into experimentation with energy, I’ve emerged renewed just in time for Spring and the awakening of our great Mother Earth. Thanks to those who continued to check this blog. I had vastly underestimated the number of regular visitors.

Kudos to those of you who kept on training. Renee, 49, asked me some interesting questions about preparing for her first 14er. One of her concerns was her age. She wondered if she was too old to do a 14er. As far as I know there’s no age limit on climbing. If you have the drive and desire to climb, then by all means go for it!

Renee also wanted to know if she should do a 14er with a group of people or if it was ok to do one alone. As with most things in life, some people thrive in a group setting, while others bask in the solitude of being alone. I’ve done many 14ers solo during a weekday without seeing anyone else all day. It is perfectly fine to go it alone. If this is what you choose, then self-reliance is your mantra. Be sure to have the proper conditioning, be certain of your route, and tell someone where you are going and when you are expected back home. We’ll go over the essential gear at a future date.

Because the 14ers are so popular, it is often rare to have one of them to yourself. Especially on summer weekends, there can be literally hundreds of people slogging up the trails.

Week Two Training
NOTE: These workouts assume a novice climber, without a base level of physical conditioning. Adjust them to suit your lifestyle and use commonsense.
1. Each morning read your 14er intention out loud.
Our sample intention: On or before July 15, 2008 I climb Mt. Wilson quickly and easily with two friends who share my passion for the outdoors.
2. Wearing a 12 lb backpack, walk 2 days this week for 30 minutes and one day this week for 45 minutes. Your pace should be brisk. Go ahead and swing your arms. Many people choose Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for their walks (taking Monday as a rest day).
3. On alternate days, Tuesday and Thursday, stretch or do yoga for 60 minutes.
4. Substitue a fruit or vegetable for one serving of junk food.

Have a great week all!

Week 1 of 14: Ready, Set, Go

Climbing up to the summit of a 14,000+ peak is an achievable goal for most everyone. It just takes the right attitude, some fitness, mental toughness, a few pieces of gear and a willingness to have fun!

Learn as much as possible about the 14er you want to climb. The Internet has loads of great beta on routes, gear, and more. Two popular web sites are 14erworld and 14ers.com. Check 'em out for the latest on gear, 14er-isms, route info and more.

Over the next 14 weeks, we’ll focus on “training”. Tweak these workouts as needed. They are not a substitute for commonsense. This is a work in-progress and the first time I have embarked on a project of this sort for an online audience.

If you followed through on the assignment from January, then you’ve observed where your energy flows, or is stuck, in physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realms. Observe any changes in these areas as you begin to put your training into motion.

Congratulations if your house is perhaps a bit less cluttered and you feel rested. Having a comfortable organized home environment reduces stress and will support your training. Sleep, the almighty sleep. Remember to continue to get plenty of sleep in order to recover from your workouts.

Set Your Intention
Write down your goal. For me, I prefer to use BIG note cards to write out my goals. For example, you might write something like:

On or before July 15, 2008 I climb Mt. Wilson quickly and easily with two friends who share my passion for the outdoors.

Be as clear as possible in setting your intention. Be sure to include a date and what you want to feel while climbing the mountain.

The cool thing about setting your intention is that it’s your own personal beeswax, so you can make it whatever you want it to be. After writing your intention, say it out load. This affirms your intention and in a sense programs your energy fields (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual) readying them for your upcoming adventure. There are probably people at Harvard who have done scientific research on the power of language.

Week One Training
NOTE: As for physical workouts, I am assuming a novice climber, or someone without a base level of physical activity.
1. Each morning read your 14er intention out loud.
2. Wearing a 10 lb backpack, walk 3 days this week for 30 minutes. You should be able to carry on a conversation during your walks. For weight in your backpack, you can use clothes, gear, plastic milk jugs filled with water or something else. Be creative and have fun.
3. Do some basic stretching 2 times this week. It can be on the same days as your walk or on other days.

Have a great week!