Kelly Peterson, North Sevier High School science teacher, took on the Grand Canyon Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim challenge. Starting at 4:30 on the morning of the 4th of October, Kelly and his son, Hunter Holt, started from the North Rim of the canyon heading south. A little over twenty-two hours later they had crossed the Colorado River, stood on the South Rim, recrossed the canyon and were back on the North Rim. At a time when most fifty-five-year-old men talk about the things they did, Kelly Peterson took on a challenge that most would not consider. In preparation for the run, Kelly had participated in several obstacle course challenge races and runs. He had also started cycling in distance bike challenges. He prepared by running the hills behind his home between Glenwood and Venice. Just before the crossing, he even joined his family for the last twenty-three miles of a distance race.
When asked about the Grand Canyon challenge, Kelly commented he had several personal reasons for doing it. He wanted to show his students and others that anything is possible if you prepare and believe in yourself. He also stated that he wanted to accomplish a challenge that he could always look back on as a milestone to prove to himself that he was capable of more than he ever thought possible.
When asked about the run, he said he went through the full set of emotions. Upon reaching the South Rim and looking back over the canyon, he said, “My knees about buckled when I realized that I still had to go back.” He also commented that as difficult and painful as it was, “After reaching the end, I felt like I could do anything.”
The greatest lesson that Kelly felt he had learned from the experience was, “You can’t do things like this alone.” He noted that when he hit the physical wall with his knee swelling, exhausted, and was ready to quit, he remembered two things, “There are all of these people that have cheered me on, that believe in me, students that gave me a great sendoff, I can’t let them down.” He also stated that there was a practical side to not quitting. “There was nobody to rescue me. Hunter was there to encourage me, so all I could do was get up and finish.”
When asked about the accomplishment and Kelly’s resolve to finish, Hunter said,”Watching Kelly tackle the last 13 miles of our run through the Grand Canyon was incredible. Despite the exhaustion and the challenges, he showed an incredible level of grit and resilience. It was a powerful reminder of how strong the human spirit can be when faced with adversity.”
Picture shows Hunter Holt on the left and Kelly Peterson on the right at the Bright Angel Trailhead on the South Side of the Grand Canyon after hiking 24 miles.
