PHOENIX – The moon and the stars are the only natural light in the early morning as ambitious hikers and runners take to the Grand Canyon to attempt a rim-to-rim journey – or the more difficult rim-to-rim-to-rim voyage.
Cold temperatures, wind, and sometimes snow meet the runners on the north and the south rims before they begin their descent. As they find their way down the canyon, they’ll shed layers, working up a sweat from the physical exertion and the rising temperatures as they get closer to the canyon floor.
For ultra runners, going rim-to-rim-to-rim at the Grand Canyon, or R3 as it’s known in the community, is widely viewed as a milestone, even if it doesn’t cover the distance they often cover in other races…