Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Hike

(1 customer review)

BEST FOR: Anybody who is looking to do the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim hike.
PREREQS: A regular exercise routine: you workout at least 4 times a week for 30-45 minutes.
NUMBER OF WEEKS: 20

If standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon is breath-taking, hiking down, through, and up the Canyon is absolutely magnificent—and way less crowded.

This 20-week program is built to get you away from the crowds and down into the Canyon and back up again, feeling strong and capable. The program’s focus is not on speed, but rather on the endurance and strength necessary for a successful hike. Depending on your direction and route, you’ll cover 20+ miles and climb and descend between 4,000-6000 feet of elevation, do you need to be physically and mentally ready for a long day as you go down, down, down before climbing up, up, up.

Want more specifics? Check out Grand Canyon: Training + Logistics from Dimity, who hiked rim to rim in 2018.

$70.00

  • *Race Date

    Step One: Select your race date:

    If you don’t know your race date yet, please select a date that you estimate will be close to your race date. When you solidify it, let us know and we can change it.

     
    Training Date

    Step Two: Your training will begin on:

    Mark this date in your calendar as your official start date! (If your program has already started, no worries; email us and we’ll help you jump in.)

-

The Details

The Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim hiking program mixes up a variety of workouts, including easy runs/brisk walks; stairs (either outside or at the gym); hill repeats (both outside and on a treadmill); strength circuits; and long, hilly hikes on the weekend. You do not have to run to complete this program; the on-the-road-or-trail workouts can be done walking or hiking.

Over twenty weeks, you’ll increase your endurance and strength—and learn best nutrition and hydration habits—so that your Canyon day is as memorable and astounding as the Canyon itself.

BIGGEST WEEK OF TRAINING: 3 x 60 min. workouts; 1 x 50 min. workout; 1 x :20 min. workout; 3 short strength sessions; 3:30 hike; two rest days.

LONGEST HIKE DISTANCES: One 4-5 hour hike (that includes 2,250 feet of climbing over at least 10 miles); one 5-6 hour hike (that includes 3,000 feet of climbing over at least 15 miles).

WORKOUT OVERVIEW:  The workouts are a blend of brisk walks/easy runs; climbing workouts (done on stairs, at a stadium, or on a Stepmill at the gym); hill repeats (done outside or on a treadmill); easy cross-training sessions; strength circuits; and long, hilly hikes on the weekends. You do not have to run any of the workouts; you can walk or hike all of them. Most weeks have two rest days, and you can move the workouts around to fit your schedule.

FITNESS EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS: The workouts utilize a stair machine or stadium/set of stairs; a treadmill; and a stationary bike. There are only two workouts with a stationary bike, so if you don’t have a bike, you can easily substitute something else, but the climbing workouts are mandatory.

You definitely need to have access to either a long set of stairs, a stadium, or a Stepmill (the climbing machine where you pick up your feet with each step). A Stairmaster (the machine where your feet stay on the pedals the whole time) can suffice, but we recommend one of the other three options.

WEEKLY OVERVIEW: (workouts are explained fully in the program)

As you train for the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim hike, you’re supported step by step with the following:

  • A 13-page comprehensive training program. In addition to detailed, engaging workouts, the program covers the gear you’ll need for the Grand Canyon hike as well as nutrition + hydration.
  • Daily workouts in a Training Peaks Account. This free training tool will help you chart the nearly daily growth of your endurance base. It also sends you a daily email with your workouts for today and tomorrow so you can plan accordingly.
  • The ability to ask questions anytime. You can drop us an email to ask a question about your training or other issues, and we’ll respond within 48 hours.

Upon registration, you will receive a package stocked with training essentials, including GU Roctane Drink Mix, two GU Energy items (an Energy Gel and GU Chews); a pair of blister-banishing Wrightsock running socks; a 2-oz. bottle of Sweat X Odor Eliminator spray; and an AMR sticker for your water bottle or laptop. Over $25 worth of swag!

(Domestic shipping is FREE for all merchandise and training swag packages. International shipping is not currently available but we invite you to participate in any of our online programs! Just email us at tlamclub@anothermotherrunner.com and we will help you bypass the shipping at checkout.)

QUESTIONS + ANSWERS

This 20-week program starts based on your target adventure date. On the front page, put in your expected race date, and it will give your start date, 20 weeks prior. You can sign up for for the program anytime, but the newsletters won’t begin until your start date.

If you’re ready to hike the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim, this is your program. Ideally, before beginning, you have a regular workout habit: 3-4 times a week of 30-45 minutes.

Absolutely. You’ll just turn all the brisk walk/easy run; treadmill; and Saturday hiking workouts into running workouts. (And run as much as possible in them; sometimes hiking quickly is a better call, energy-wise!)

Definitely. You can adjust the longer Saturday hikes to your itinerary. Instead of carrying a day pack, you’ll want to carry a load similar to what you’ll have going up and down the Canyon.

The workouts utilize a stair machine or stadium/set of stairs; a treadmill; and a stationary bike. There are only two workouts with a stationary bike, so if you don’t have a bike, you can easily substitute something else, but the climbing workouts are mandatory.

You definitely need to have access to either a long set of stairs, a stadium, or a Stepmill (the climbing machine where you pick up your feet with each step).

In the program, we provide a list of everything a hiker needs for a late June Canyon hike. Two strong recommendations from us: a pack with a hydration bladder and a set of hiking poles.

You can definitely still train for a great day in the Grand Canyon, but you’ll need to get inventive on your workouts and hikes. You may end up doing hill repeats on your hikes to get elevation; you may spend some time in a hotel stairwell for hill repeats. Investigate what trails are near you and think about how to best use them; for instance, athletes in Minnesota used a ski hill for their long hikes.

The North Rim is open from mid-May to mid-September; going towards the beginning or end will be cooler. Hiking from rim to rim in a day requires quite a bit of planning and making reservations. We recommend making reservations, especially on the North Rim, about a year in advance.

Within a few weeks of registration, every participant in a Train Like a Mother program receives a stocked swag package with some of our favorite training essentials. Domestic shipping is now FREE for all merchandise and training swag packages.

International shipping is not currently available but we invite you to participate in any of our online programs! Just email us at tlamclub@anothermotherrunner.com and we will help you bypass the shipping at checkout.

We definitely want this to work into your life and your active lifestyle. You can email us within 2 weeks of starting the program and we will set you up with another plan or a partial credit for an upcoming challenge. We will not be able to issue a straight-up refund.

With a smart training plan, doable strength training, and advice on foam rolling and other self-care, we’re going to do our best to keep you injury-free. That said, if you have an injury or illness that totally slays your training, let us know within two weeks. We’ll work with you to get you a partial credit for an upcoming program.

Reviews (1)

1 review for Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Hike

  1. Natalie (verified owner)

    I recently had the absolute joy of hiking the Grand Canyon with six other BAMRs, and we can attest that the TLAM “Rim-to-Rim Hike” plan delivered what it promised: a solid structure of suggested workouts geared for the specific strength demands of hiking (hello glutes!) as well as unique gear/nutrition/hydration tips and encouraging perspectives from coaches who have completed the amazing R2R experience. I especially appreciated this plan’s FREE Training Peaks account which provided an encouraging daily e-mail about each upcoming workout. Although I have run many marathons, I knew I needed advice on how to safely tackle the unique demands of a day-long, strenuous desert hike with its varied terrain, increased need for calories and electrolytes (thankful for the Nuun tabs included in the swag bag!), and extreme elevation changes. Detailed suggestions for how to incorporate climbing stairs, finally practicing those glute bridges consistently, and embracing long, hilly hikes were all included in the program. This plan prepared me physically and mentally for the challenge of essentially climbing a mountain (in reverse!). It offered invaluable tips on necessary canyon gear (i.e., hiking poles and a backpack with hydration bladder) as well as encouragement for how to make the day special (setting intentions and expectations with an emphasis on taking in the epic scenery and awe of one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World!) . I took Dimity up on e-mailing @tlamclub early-on with questions, and her enthusiastic coaching advice was a huge boost to my skills and confidence. The suggestion to take the detour to Ribbon Falls was priceless. This program made a “bucket-list” goal of hiking the Grand Canyon an attainable and enjoyable reality!

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Go to Top