The Next Endurance Challenge -- Setting Accountability

For the next 15 weeks, this blog will follow my training and preparation to traverse the Grand Canyon from Rim to Rim (R2R) in one day.  This is not a venture to be taken lightly, or to be undertaken without training and experience in both outdoor adventure and endurance sports.  As a veteran of both -- and a happy slave to a training plan -- I'll chronicle my mental and physical preparation in hopes of exciting, inspiring and informing this community of people dedicated to "doing stuff."

So, why this first post?  Why to create accountability, of course.  In my years of expanding my self awareness, I've come to understand that "putting it out there" is, for me, an important start point to realizing a goal.

The plan I've adopted to train physically for the R2R is a sixteen-week marathon training plan that incorporates a strong cross-training component to help avoid injury and to allow me to concentrate on developing the downhill ruggedness and uphill strength I'll need.

I plan to continue my Bikram yoga practice, at a rate of two times a week as well (at least in part because I think the heat conditioning may be of value).

Today's R2R training is 45 minutes on my favorite cardio machine, the versa-climber.  I'll be aiming for a 4,000 vertical foot workout today (zone 3).

Already I look forward to the soothing ointment of a stretch goal and the harmonizing rhythm of the body in motion:

Life has no smooth road for any of us; and in the bracing atmosphere of a high aim the very roughness stimulates the climber to steadier steps, till the legend, over steep ways to the stars, fulfills itself. – W. C. Doane