2001 July Clinic

FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND BADWATER TRAINING CLINIC 06-29-2001 to 07-02-2001 Dear Badwater People, There were 21 people who participated in the Fourth of July weekend Badwater training clinic. Most

of us met at Stovepipe Wells Village (SPW) in the late afternoon on Friday 06-29-2001 at the registration area or at the swimming pool. We had a separate section reserved for us in the dining room which was nice as some of us had never met before. The menu listed a good range of selections and the food was reasonably priced and very good. The salad bar alone was almost all that one needed. After dinner, we met in an auditorium and became better acquainted. The proposed weekend activities and workouts were discussed. I showed the video of "Running on the Sun" for those who had not yet seen it. Denise gave a demonstration of foot and blister care. Those attending were as follows: Ben and Denise Jones Russell (Rusty) Bishop, Des Moines, Iowa, first-timer (invitee) in 2001 and first-timer to clinic Frank MacMillan, Silver Spring, Maryland, finisher in 2000 and returnee to clinic Rick Nawrocki, Torrance, California, pacer and crew member in 1999, finisher in 2000, invitee in 2001, and returnee to clinic Geoff Scott, Darien, Connecticut, first-timer (invitee) in 2001 and first-timer to clinic Mike Trevino, San Diego, California, first-timer (invitee) in 2001 and first-timer to clinic Shannon Farar-Griefer, pacer and crew member in 2000 and first-timer (invitee) in 2001 and returnee to clinic Phil and Kari Marchant, Bishop, California, multiple times crewing and pacing the last five years and supporting Shannon this year Alexis Wasserman, Deff Armour, and Hayden Hubbard, all video crew for Shannon Greg Minter, Los Angeles, California, first-timer (invitee) in 2001 and returnee to clinic Mark Gilmore, Mark and Patty Giebel, pacers and crew members for Greg Larry Mann, Los Angeles, California, first-timer (invitee) and returnee to clinic Felicia Hesler, crew member for Larry Matt Palocsay, Los Angeles, California, pacer in 2000, first-timer (invitee) in 2001 and returnee to clinic Andy Cohen, crew for Matt  

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Ben and Denise Jones provided a major support vehicle with a convenient opentrailer with large ice chests full of ice and other supplies. The runners had their own smaller ice chests filled with their special

fluids and snacks. Each one would refuel at two-mile stops and take off and do the next segment. Denise trotted along and coached everyone at different times during the two days. The entire weekend was a very fulfilling encounter bonding with the course and all of the participants as well as enjoying the magnificent views. We supported Rusty Bishop. He had a warm smile the whole time. He was generous with letting us use his vehicle for sweeping the course from time-to-time making sure there were no stragglers and also to go ahead to see how the people in the front were doing. Frank MacMillan had just done a 24-hour track run in Minnesota the weekend before and experienced jet lag as well is usual training "crash" at around 30 miles. He successfully completed the Race last year with six minutes to spare and wanted to experience the magic of the Valley again by returning. Rick Nawrocki, still recovering from a bone marrow (stem sell) transplant along with extensive chemotherapy and irradiation therapy, inspired us all with his enthusiasm and stamina. Mike Trevino was very organized with his supplies and was full of knowledge about heat training. Shannon Farar-Griefer provided glamour for the event and seemed to relish the stories filtering back to her about how things were going (or not going) up ahead and at the same time trying to avoid blisters and trying to stay "subbarf." She enjoyed having two support vehicles. Greg Minter was here for his second training weekend had a different crew and pacers with him this time. I hope the others return as well for the "Big One" as I really enjoyed them last month. Mark Gilmore did some pacing. Mark Giebel set up some amazing cairns which seemed to defy gravity along the way. This gang goes digital. Expect something very nice in the next few days going up to his website. Larry Mann in his spare time is an animal keeper at the LA Zoo. He brought Sharon Stone's husband's toe from the Komodo dragon incident for our interest. We waited until after dinner for the viewing. His handler again was Felicia Hesler, who is becoming very adept at performing her job on the course and keeping Larry toned down. She has great music and presented me with a beautiful "Enya" tape. On Saturday, 06-30-2001 we left SPW for Badwater. Before we left, Geoff Scott arrived after having been up all night with his flight from Connecticut and travel to Death Valley. The Minter party arrived late the evening before. They were already familiar with the proceedings. In order for things to work out we needed 7 vehicles to handle the 21 people. We left Rusty Bishop's vehicle at Furnace Creek Ranch and continued south to Badwater. Everyone got to witness the stench from the brine pool at Badwater which was more powerful than to odors from the solar toilets. After a picture-taking session, I yelled "Go" and eight of the invitees and one returnee and the pacers took off to the north at 0815. Everyone seemed overly vigorous at first, but later,

the pace settled down to a manageable 15- minutes-per-mile. Mike Trevino was capable of blasting off at a 7 or 8-minute-per-mile pace. He would go a little further than the two-mile leap frog section and then double back to meet us. Rick Nawrocki held back some and occasionally we would shuttle him forward so that the solo, otherwise unsupported runners would all be in the same two-mile bracket. As he puts it, he is expecting to be "the last of the last" in the Race. He has a remarkable attitude. Come out and cheer him! Matt Palocsay did a 0700-start and had a quest for going all the way to Panamint Springs Resort 72 miles away. He reached the "barf level" at 35 miles when it reached 128 degrees. That was near the Devil's Cornfield and Stovepipe Dunes area and short of SPW itself at 41 miles. Larry completed the 41-mile trek to SPW. Mike Trevino did the equivalent of the same distance by staying with us and doing out- and-backs from the trailer. Everyone seemed to be quite pleased with the temperature reaching 128 degrees. A month ago it reached 117 for the high. There was some wind mostly from the south and west and the usual dust devils near the Stovepipe Dunes occurred. A dip in the pool at SPW was a nice reward at the end of the day. We had a more casual dinner in the restaurant that evening. We didn't meet in the auditorium Saturday evening as we were able to conduct visiting and some business in our section of the restaurant. Sunday morning we met in the front of SPW and had another picture-taking session rewarded by some fancy posing by Shannon. She should get some good residuals from Slim-Fast after they review to coverage. Shannon and her gang leaped ahead to Panamint Springs Resort and started a trudge up the west Panamint grade for a reported 15 miles to Darwin Flats before heading for home. The rest of us headed westward 9 miles to Emigrant Station (the Oasis) at 50 miles on the course. We visited with some interesting "immigrants" at Emigrant. These gypsies, as they appeared to be, were broken down and on their way to Nevada. Interestingly enough they said they had recently bee rescued by "Death Valley Scotty" himself in his Model A! This is rather remarkable as "Scotty" has been "gone" for a number of years. I envisioned some impending coroner's cases but had no notice about this on the answering machine when I returned home. We turned around at this point and trekked back to SPW. We took a nice dip in the pool and then did some out-and-backs further eastward to the Stovepipe Dunes area to take advantage of the 125 degree temperature that day. Then more swimming and lounging at the pool. We were down to four for dinner as Denise and I dined with Rusty and Rick.  The others had headed home. We are all looking forward to the Badwater Ultra as we assemble on Tuesday 07-24-2001 and have the Race itself starting at 0600 and 0800 and 1000 on Wednesday 07-25-2001. See you all there. Sincerely, Ben and Denise Jones