Total distance: 39.6 miles
Elevation gain: 10012′
Moving average: 4.2 mph
Max speed: 12.7 mph (!)
Car to bar time: 10:22

Lamentably, the gps saw fit to loose the signal on numerous occasions, so the profile is a disaster. Someone with more patience than I could likely stitch it together, but I don’t care to try very hard right now. So, how about some other numbers.

Bald Eagles saw: 1
Deer migrating down the Bright Angel trail: 3
Inches of snow at 5k on the North Kaibab: 3
Blisters caused by brand new shoes: 0
Gels eaten: 5
Snickers eaten: 2
Jalapeno bagels eaten: 1

A ranger told me the eagle has taken up winter residence in the lower reaches of Bright Angle creek for the past five years. A very clever eagle; little competition and less southbound flying. I also saw a flying arch high on the Redwall south of Roaring Springs I’d never before noticed. The snow on the South Kaibab was impressive, wet feet and lots of postholing guaranteed. Rain shadows and north-facing slopes.

I was able to run most of the initial descent (except the middle miles through the Supai, very icy) and the stretch back down south on the North Kaibab. Legs hurt, but not debilitatingly. A moving average over 4 mph on a run of this length in the Canyon is something I’ll take. Not quite as fast as I’d have hoped, and my expectations for the Red Hot in two weeks need to be lessened. It’s also been easy to be discouraged about C2M. However, after yesterday, and given that I have 20-24 hours to finish the 100k, it looks very doable. Granted the equivalent would have been to’ve turned around at the end and gone back all the way to the north rim, daunting; and points to pacing being crucial early on. The other logistical issue is trekking poles. I don’t like running with them, but in the 100k I don’t think I’ll actually be running too much. I didn’t bring poles yesterday, which was fine, but over a longer haul they’ll be invaluable. The question now is whether to start with them, or put them in a drop bag and pick them up around halfway.

It’s a good adventure: outcome very much in doubt.

Political update for the day (from watching This Week as I write): Clinton on the defensive. She spent the virtual entirety of her quite long interview directly answering charges against her, directly or indirectly from the Obama camp. More obvious than ever I think is that she will loose the nomination because she’s never been able to dictate the conversation. I do become more and more worried that she’ll somehow manage anyway. She looks worse with every week.