S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop PR and FKT rambling

My PR
My run a few days ago may, or may not, have been a PR for me on the S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop so I figured I should post it so that I can remember for next time (I seem to forget to post my times for this loop every time I run it...). I ran the 17ish mile loop in 3 hrs 31 minutes.

I may have run it faster in the past but I seem to not have any record of it or recollection. So... even though I wasn't try to push it to much on this run, I did put in a decent time for what I can remember. Might as well have something to chase for next time if I feel like really going for it.  It would seem that I could, with a strong effort, go close to or under 3 hours based on how my easy effort along with my recent lack of training played out here.

S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop FKT
This all makes me wonder if there is a FKT that anyone knows of for this loop... not that I would be able to come anywhere close to a FKT on this loop personally but it is fun to know what the fast folks have done. Based on the fastest times that I have heard of on the S. Kaibab Trail (about 2 hours Rim to River to Rim), I would guess that someone has probably run the S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop in 2 1/2 hours or less. Anyone have an idea of a FKT for the loop?

Now, just to be clear, the loop I'm talking about starts at the S. Kaibab Trailhead and then down to the river, crosses the east bridge on the Colorado River, travels past the water and bathroom at Bright Angel Creek and then back over the Colorado River again on the west bridge to head back up the Bright Angel Trail to the rim again. I am not including the paved trail that connects the Bright Angel and the S. Kaibab Trailheads along the rim (this would be a 25 mile loop). I park at the Bright Angel Trailhead and take the bus out to the S. Kaibab Trailhead to start like a true lazy ass runner. I really don't think the pavement is that fun, even if it is along the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon FKT's
Funny, that on the FKT website there is a fastest known time for R2R2R but no FKT's for some of the other amazing loops in the canyon and for the Tonto Trail. This seems like a bit of a no brainer as many of the trails and loops in the Grand Canyon are as good as R2R2R but maybe not as cool or as runnable or not as well known or something.

These are the trails/loops besides R2R2R that I could see being on the FKT list: 
(all these runs assume no rim running, just running trailhead to trailhead)
-S.Kaibab (Rim to River to Rim-but not sure what the 'legit' turn around spot would be for the FKT as someone could not get water at the bottom and just turn around at the bridge on Colorado River? or go to the first water source over bridge or go all the way to Phantom Ranch water source before heading back up...)
-S. Kaibab/Bright Angel Loop
-Hermit/Tonto/Bright Angel Loop (a.k.a. The Grand Canyon Marathon)
-Tonto Trail


Then there are the many more rad loops that can be done using the Tonto and the Escalante Trails that could be added if you want to make the FKT list get even bigger. It seems that the above four additions would fit well though as they are very popular. Although...of course, all of this is very debatable and maybe that is why the R2R2R is the only route listed on the FKT website. It is the obvious one for sure.

Of course, I doubt that I am even close to holding a FKT on one of these routes so I won't be posting them up anytime soon. Maybe someone will though...it just seems fun to see how fast these routes have been done.

I probably sound like I'm trying to turn the Grand Canyon into a track but I'm not. It will always be wild and burly to run in there. I don't see it ever being a big track meet with the trails full of runners jockeying for position. It's just fun to chase some numbers once in a while even when running in a crazy place like the canyon. So...post up speedsters! I want to see just how slow I am!