The prize for second hottest place on earth* goes to Death Valley, where the temperature has exceeded 130 degrees during the summer months. What, then, convinces someone to spend time out there, much less run in those conditions?
Every July, about 90 hardcore athletes go there to participate in a 135-mile footrace National Geographic has called the toughest in the world, the Badwater Ultramarathon. Since my first showing in 1990, I’ve finished this race 17 times and won it four times, and I hold the record for the old course of 146 miles, which ends at the top of Mt. Whitney. I love this event and the people it attracts — they’re like a second family to me.
Death Valley has been a proving ground, too: years ago, I was the first to run the course four times in a row, and the first to conquer it unaided and unassisted.
Forgive me for reciting my resume. My point isn’t to brag, but to give you some context for this next part:
When my buddy, firefighter Dave Heckman, who also serves as a medic at the Badwater race, revealed his plans to make his way around the perimeter of Death Valley National Park, I thought, That’s f*&@ing nuts. Continue reading
