Running and Hiking the Grand Canyon: A Visual Journey Going Rim to Rim to Rim

Please join us Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (Los Alamos) for an exciting presentation by life-long trail explorer and outdoors adventurer Benedict Dugger who resides in Phoenix, Arizona. Social and reports of recent and upcoming trips at 7:00pm. Program at 7:30pm.

Benedict was born and raised in the Netherlands (Holland), 5,200 miles away from the Grand Canyon, surrounded by green rain-soaked pastures in a country where the highest hill is 300 feet and the closest mountains are over 600 miles away.

At an early age he developed a love for exploring nature and heading out on adventures. After traveling to many countries around the world in his 20s and 30s, he moved to the American Southwest 5 years ago, where he fell in love with trail and adventure running.

Benedict has a 20+ year background in athletics and wellness coaching, and sports, fitness and running technique training. The main sport he played and coached was soccer until his early 40s, when he picked up running, and especially trail and endurance running, for the first time.

Benedict's first Grand Canyon run in the spring of 2012 was a life changing event. It showed him that long distances could be covered in a single day in the most beautiful places on earth. Since then he has done over 40 ultra marathon runs and races up to 100 miles distance, with several top 10 overall finishes. Benedict has ran-hiked more than 700 miles in the Grand Canyon over the past 3 years including 10 single day Rim to Rim to Rim runs, ranging in length from 42 to 62 miles, mostly solo. Last year he completed the rare and unique Double Double Crossing of doing Rim to Rim to Rim back to back over a 100 mile distance.

In October 2013 he founded what has become the largest online Grand Canyon running and hiking group and resource community in the world with over 5,500 members, and growing. He is considered by many one of the most knowledgeable people on this topic around and he helps clients from all over the world prepare for their upcoming Grand Canyon trail adventures.

The Grand Canyon has become a special place for him and he would like to share with you what it's like to travel below the Rim and traverse the Canyon all the way to the other side and back. His purpose is to pay forward the joy and lessons he has received from his experiences and inspire you to set a firm date and go explore the Grand Canyon trails in a safe, enjoyable and responsible manner.

Benedict loves to take his camera out on his runs and hikes to record and share the beauty and wonders of nature. He has done the same on many of his Grand Canyon runs and hikes and wants to share his story about running and hiking in the Grand Canyon by way of a visual journey across the Grand Canyon and back.

Image: Coming Down South Kaibab Trail 1 Mile Below the Rim