Ultra Runners

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Badwater (organized) in danger? (Read 105 times)


Uh oh... now what?

    Wow and surely not... http://inyoregister.com/node/5427  possibly no organized Badwater?

    Birdwell


      I saw that as well.

      here's the park services statement

      Death Valley NPS

       

      Hopefully after they complete their evaluations, they'll lift the moratorium.


      Uh oh... now what?

        I read that part.  I wonder who all has a permit for next year.  Oh well, nice can of worms to end the year on.

         

        Merry Christmas and happy solstice (winter arrives tomorrow, 9:11 a.m. PST) to all.

        bhearn


          This is just insane.

           

          http://www.adventurecorps.com/who/history.html#Anchor-Official-49575

           

          As it stands now, there will be NO sporting events of any kind held within Death Valley National Park in 2014.


          Kalsarikännit

             possibly no organized Badwater?

             

            This is interesting. I'm a little confused about the details, John M being our resident historian could possibly help.

             

            I know that Ulrich did the first crossing (or is it just the first publicized?).  There is someone that would keep track of all crossings done in July and August, whether in the race or not.  From what I understand, the race came about from the people doing the crossing, not the other way around (if that makes sense).  I believe there is a big culture of doing the crossing with self reported results, but not wanting to pay a grand for what is essentially a fat ass.

             

            I love following the race, and I think it would be a big loss to lose it, not just to ultrarunning, but to the community that it makes a positive financial impact on. There is still an opportunity for runners to challenge themselves on the course (and with proper permits, go all the way up Whitney), and if it is cancelled I bet we will see a ton of that, with results kept FKT style.  I have always wanted to do the crossing outside of the race.

             

            Please correct or add to any info concerning solo crossings.

            I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

             


            Kalsarikännit

              Please Note: The new and improved 135-Mile World Championship event will feature an incredible new route based in Lone Pine, CA. Stay tuned for details about this remarkable route which features over 19,000 feet of elevation gain, two dramatic ascents into the Sierra Nevada, and a 15-mile dirt road trek to an authentic ghost town. All who finish the full 135 miles in 2014 will be guaranteed entry in the 2015 edition!

               

              Well, it looks like they are moving on to Plan B. The "World Championship" thing strikes me as weird. They also now have Badwater: Cape Fear, which is a 50 mile ultra. Adventure Corps has always stuck me as weird, from some of the rules at Badwater (a friend got a warning when his pacer was not next to him when he went slightly off the road to pee), and for some other reasons related to publicity and promotion. I guess they have a product to sell though, and people are buying.

              I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

               


              Uh oh... now what?

                The Death Valley 300 : Near-Death And Resurrection On The World's Toughest Endurance Course, Richard Benyo is probably the best single-source history of "Badwater Crossings"--later to become the Badwater 146, now (was until...) the Badwater Ultramarathon (at 135 miles).  I have no idea how the individuals wanting to do a crossing (like in da old days) will be affected.  One of the most wonderful runs I have had in the past several years was with Lisa Stranc Bliss on some trails over in Spokane as she talked about her self-supported (the cart run) crossing.

                 

                It is a magical place to run, probably the same magic as Arrowhead, only different?

                ......................

                I have not done a Badwater Crossing, but we have camped there half a dozen times, maybe more, and we have memories:

                ----------------

                But there were no ravens when we stopped in Death Valley at Emigrant campground. We had come in from Beatty through one of the Nevada entrances, paused at the one-way sign to the ghost town of Leadfield, wished for more time and headed on over Daylight Pass. Our thermometer showed 112 degrees Fahrenheit when we put up the tent that evening. There was no motion anywhere—at first. We put the tent up, changed to running stuff, and headed down the hill to get rid of several hours of sitting-in-the-car stiffness. We ended our run coming back up the valley to the campground in gently moving air.

                 

                Kathy commented on the wind we were starting to feel—the hot breath of the air still heated by the sun was in conflict with the valley’s shaded regions. As the sun slid behind the distant Sierras and the nearby Panamints, newly formed shadows cooled the heated air of the day. These fingers of relatively cool, heavy air pushed down the hillsides to the valley floor, displacing the hot air. An evening wind being born.

                 

                Flying grit and sand drove us inside the tent as the wind increased. Lying inside a small tent listening to the wind when the wind starts rocking the tent does not put me to sleep. I was sure our tent, with us inside would soon be a blue and silver tumbleweed rolling down the jeep road we had run just a few hours ago. I could see the couple in the RV from Illinois recording us on their camcorder as we bounced and tumbled out toward Mesquite Flat. I got out and placed car-sized rocks on the corners of the tent. We slept the same as we would the night before an ultra—fitfully and with one eye toward the coming dawn.

                 

                We crawled out in the predawn quiet only Death Valley knows, the quiet of the last few stars winking out, the quiet of air so still we were sure we would hear the sun coming up over the Amargosa Range. The wind of last evening was gone to wherever winds go, one of those place we sometimes try to run to so we can find out where the winds go. I rolled the rocks back as Kathy packed sleeping bags and tent. The sun cast long shadows that we chased toward Lone Pine in that windless quiet of morning.


                Kalsarikännit

                  Wonderful (as usual), John.

                   

                  I have to assume that solo crossings won't be affected, seeing as those are public roads.

                   

                  I thought this was pretty interesting (and accurate).  I stole it from the ultralist:

                   

                  "there is a certain irony in that badwater's over-the-top hyperbole will probably be used against them."

                  I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

                   


                  Uh oh... now what?

                    Wonderful (as usual), John.

                     

                    I have to assume that solo crossings won't be affected, seeing as those are public roads.

                     

                    I thought this was pretty interesting (and accurate).  I stole it from the ultralist:

                     

                    "there is a certain irony in that badwater's over-the-top hyperbole will probably be used against them."

                     

                    Thank you, WG, that last line is great.

                     

                    1:24 into winter.  Reading stories about the early six-day events (7,9, or 16 laps to the mile on indoor course for six days... ).  Great reading.


                    Kalsarikännit

                       

                      Thank you, WG, that last line is great.

                       

                      1:24 into winter.  Reading stories about the early six-day events (7,9, or 16 laps to the mile on indoor course for six days... ).  Great reading.

                       

                      Where are you reading this?  You mention great books, but then I don't write it down and I lose out. I have seen the mileage totals of the early days of 6 days, when pedestrianism was the rage. They are as good as or better than the totals these days. Imagine the shoes, clothing and general knowledge of fueling, etc.  Amazing.

                       

                      Winter solstice is a wonderful thing. All of our days now begin to get longer.

                      I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

                       


                      Uh oh... now what?

                        See if I can do this...

                        Some books

                        Ta da...the dark blue one:  Ultramarathon : The Next Challenge --- Osler & Dodd.  Half of it is the 1870ish era of the great 6-day events.  It is in this period that the "go as you please" was introduced.  The "go as you please" is running, no more walking only.  They were still called pedestrians.  The winning purses were larger than anything of today's ultramarathons.

                        Sandy-2


                          There's a book missing from your shelf.  Perhaps it goes in the open space in the upper left.  RGOT.

                          2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL


                          Kalsarikännit

                             

                            Ta da...the dark blue one:  Ultramarathon : The Next Challenge --- Osler & Dodd.  Half of it is the 1870ish era of the great 6-day events.  It is in this period that the "go as you please" was introduced.  The "go as you please" is running, no more walking only.  They were still called pedestrians.  The winning purses were larger than anything of today's ultramarathons.

                             

                            $2.22 used, $250.00 new on Amazon.

                             

                            I bought the used.

                             

                            (Thanks for the heads up, John. The question is, will this talk me into or out of Six Days in the Dome?)

                            I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

                             


                            Uh oh... now what?

                              $2.22 used, $250.00 new on Amazon.

                               

                              I bought the used.

                               

                              (Thanks for the heads up, John. The question is, will this talk me into or out of Six Days in the Dome?)

                               

                              I (of course) don't know.  I finished the first part of the book--the history section--last night.  It was just fascinating to read the unfolding stories of the six-day (all indoors) events.  I ran 3 hours on a 12-lap to the mile track (not really a track, just an indoor 3-lane thing with almost square corners).  I ran a few laps on some 8-turns to the mile, once on a banked 8-lapper.  My mind sees the 17 or 20 laps to the mile and just rebels.  The standard 400 m track can be hypnotical.  I wish I had found one when, uh... younger?  I locked in and hit 56ish miles in about ten hours in the year when all we knew was it was almost over.  Somehow the track and my eclectic imagination clicked.  I think the dome, the weather intrusion removed, could be a great venue for you.

                               

                              It is a very good book.

                               

                              Forty to fifty miles a day, seven days a week... training

                               

                              Sub24-hour hundreds while walking.

                               

                              The weird one (I already knew of the "one mile per hour for a thousand consecutive hours" [but no running on Sunday] challenges) for me was the "quarter mile every fifteen minutes for hundreds or up to 2000 quarter miles"...

                               

                              I think it could be a very helpful book.  The several stories about how much can be done in the last two days were very impressive.  It gives you a thinking point to use as a "I know I can still recover and go on" basis rather than seeing a tipping point from which there is no recovery.

                              SillyC


                                Wait, isn't Badwater's safety record good?  Somebody fill me in!

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