It’s supposed to be 118 degrees at Furnace Creek in Death Valley this coming Monday. That’s hot. And I recently received the E-Mail Of Alarming Mindfulness from a fellow race crew member, reminding us that Badwater is less than three weeks away. Man, this air conditioning really feels good right now.
At least the runner we’re helping to crew sounds ready. Running in 115 degree heat, Nattu recently completed a training run from Furnace Creek to Panamont Springs — a 56-mile jaunt — in 12 hours 39 minutes. He was looking to finish in 14 hours. Not too many weeks ago, he also finished a 100-mile race in Florida in a little over 21 hours.
So, our runner is definitely ready. I just hope I’m ready for him. I’ve never been in temps above 106 or so, and I’ve never served anyone as a crew member before in any circumstance. But I’m an experienced ultra runner in race distances up to 100 miles, so at least I know the basics of staying properly hydrated, fed, and adjusting to the mental/emotional/physical peaks and valleys over 24 hours or longer. And my fellow crew members are a mix of Badwater and ultra veterans, so I know I’m going to learn a lot more. The most exciting part is there is always more to learn.
And I’m going to be inspired. In addition to Nattu’s amazing example (and his third Badwater appearance), Badwater 2009 will feature some of the world’s most famous long-distance athletes. Dean Karnazes, Jorge Pacheo, Pam Reed, Monica Scholz, Marshall Ulrich, and Jamie Donaldson will be among the big names toeing the Badwater start line this year.
One hundred and thirty-five miles through Death Valley and up Mt. Whitney, in the middle of July. I’m pumped and proud to be playing a bit part behind the scenes … and giving back to the person who inspired me to start ultra running a few years ago.
