Hello 2011Â Hikers!Â
The Countdown has begun and we are 66 days out from our next adventure!  I know everyone is hitting the cardio VERY hard, tilting the treadmill as high as it will go, and preparing yourselves for a great year. We have some new hikers on board this year, welcome!
You should be walking in your hiking shoes, making sure you are not developing Hot Spots (where blisters will later form), and going through your equipment list to make sure you have everything you need. You should be trying out electrolyte replacement drinks to see what you like, and consider bringing different flavors with you on the trip. Last year, after 24 miles of grape, I couldn’t take another swig of the purple stuff. Hiking Day # 2 for me was all orange flavored! You should also be working out with your backpacks full of water/electrolytes so you are accustomed to drinking liquids all day long. Dehydration will kill you in the Canyon so getting used to the constant fluid intake is an essential new habit. A gallon of water an hour takes constant effort. Working out with your packs will also remind you that you will be carrying extra weight on the hike and as your hiking day plays out that extra 10 to 15 pounds gets heavier and heavier. Train now!
From our private e-m ails and FB posts it sounds like there are some great practice hikes going on all over the country! Keep up the hard work. With an elevation change of 10,000 feet from Rim to Rim, temperatures well over 100 degrees, and hiking at elevations well over where we all live (6,000 – 8,000 + feet above sea level), it adds up to one of the hardest days you will ever have and your superb physical preparedness is not an option but a REQUIREMENT.
Talk to you all soon, Jean
