CONQUERING THE CANYON

Rachel and the Grand Caynon

Although many of us are perpetually working towards fitness goals, sometimes the motivations behind them become diluted. It’s easy to say “I’m going to eat healthier” or “I want to lose weight” but it is just as easy to lose sight of the reasons WHY we set these goals for ourselves. Many of us want to lose weight to ward off illness and disease and make it easier to move about and enjoy ourselves. We want to “look and feel great” and fit into our “skinny” jeans!

Although I cannot speak for all Americans, I can certainly speak for myself and others may or may not identify with me! I live in a fairly safe area. I have a car and I can drive to wherever I need to go, and if I need to go far, I can fly or take a train. I buy my food at a grocery store and my sanitized, drinkable tap water comes out of a faucet when I turn it on. When it’s hot out, I stay inside and turn on a fan, and if it’s REALLY hot, I go somewhere where there is A/C. I don’t worry about being ambushed by criminals or attacked by wild animals, but if for some reason this happens, I will grab my cell phone and call 911.

Rachel Hiking

My boyfriend and I decided to brave the odds and hike into the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River and back in a day, a feat that is discouraged by park authorities because of its difficulty. The difference in elevation between rim and river is over 6,000’, temperatures are over 100° at the river, terrain is rugged, cell reception is patchy at best and the presence of park personnel is almost nonexistent. Thoroughly prepared with provisions and armed with the trusted advice of Kardio Kate, we descended into the Canyon and commenced the most difficult physical challenge either of us had ever experienced. It took 16 hours, countless liters of water and several encounters with scary wildlife (wild big-horned sheep, snake, scorpions and mangy squirrels) but we did it and lived to tell about it!

Depending on who you ask, some may say we bravely embarked on a great adventure while others would say we stupidly put our lives in great danger. Both statements are arguably true. It was after this hike that I was reminded of a very real reason why we should keep our health and fitness at optimal levels: to survive when survival is truly difficult!

Essential Gear:
-“CamelBaks”: backpacks with hydration vessels
-Bodyglide: essentially body lubricant, especially useful on feet to prevent blistering
-Lambswool socks: they sound hot but actually keep you cool and dry!
-Electrolyte capsules: to maintain your body’s water/electrolyte balance
-Sunblock
-Beef Jerky: amazing source of non-perishable protein and my new favorite snack. Alien Fresh Jerky is the best!
-Flashlight: in case you are caught in the dark, which we were.

Prepare Your Body:
-Stretch!
-Strength-train your hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves
-Interval training: work to reduce your “recovery time” from short bursts of exertion. The faster your heart and breathing rates decline, the better off you are on uneven terrain.

Cheers to Your Health!

Rach

Posted in Main at July 8th, 2010 by Rachel
Tags: fitness
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