Steve, I thought about 8 years having gone by between Whitney and my rim to rim, and wondered if being 8 years older was significant.
But I've ruled it out (although, of course, it's got to apply to SOME extent -- just that I don't think it was the major factor.) Biggest reason being that my times for all training program pursuits (22 mile hikes, up and down those condo stairs 150 x, my runs) were just about like they'd been 8 years ago.
I've had a few more days hindsight now since my first post -- and my conclusion is that two factors came into play. One of them centers around a mistake I made -- not enough food and not enough breaks. If THAT hadn't happened I might have had a different opininon vis a vis the rim to rim being harder than my Whitney trip. Might -- not sure. The second factor, which I opine is equal to or more relevant than the first -- what we've all read so much about: the fact that the going UP comes AFTER the going down. A lot of energy is expended on that 15 miles going down 5,761 feet -- with another mile and a a half of hiking before turning up hill (which my research showed starting and ending at 2,420 feet elevation, but which, unfortunately, had about 300 feet of gain and loss involved!). I had thought that this going down and then up couldn't be THAT bad -- but it was, and I'm guessing most won't realize it until they experience it.
Anyway -- wanted to address this, but still working on the long complete report. Keep tuned!
