Hi Tec Badwater Whitney Race Viii 1995 Starts At Badwater,

HI TEC BADWATER WHITNEY RACE VIII 1995 Starts at Badwater, Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level, to Mt. Whitney Portals, 8,300 feet, 135 miles; climb to top of Mt. Whitney optional (not part of race), 14,496 feet, 146 miles. “HEAT AND HUMIDITY HUMBLES HI TEC HARRIERS WITH HYPERTHERMIA, HYPEREMESIS AND HEMATURIA”      This was the eighth year Hi Tec Sports USA, Inc., has put on the race from Badwater, Death Valley, to Whitney Portals. It is regarded as an extreme event. It seems to be even more popular now along with the Eco Challenge, Extreme Games and the Raid Galouises. So far, no one has been in Badwater and the Raid. This year there were four competitors from the Eco Challenge and the Extreme Games, including Marshall Ulrich, Cory Shane, Lisa Smith and Whit Rambach.      The main extreme is always the heat of 120 130 degrees at the start with 100 degree cooler temperatures 146 miles away at the top of Mt. Whitney. The risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration is great all 135 miles to Whitney Portals. Those who go to the top risk electrocution from lightning strikes during summer storms, as well as hypothermia from worsening weather. En route, there can be sidewinders, scorpions, tarantulas, rabid bats, mountain lions and bears for additional thrills. There have been no problems with these during the race in previous years, but it is good to be fore warned. Sleep deprivation and accompanying hallucinations are other interesting factors. Physical training and adaptation to these elements is about a third of the battle. The next third is physiologic. Three of the surfaces of the body have to make it: skin, gastric lining and urinary tract lining. The skin must be protected from direct and reflected sunlight and feet have to be protected from getting blisters. The gastric lining must be presented with the perfect balance of fluids, calories and electrolytes. Otherwise, dehydration from hyperemesis (vomiting) may occur. The urinary tract lining is influenced, also, by the same balance of fluids and nutrients, and, if not, either hematuria (blood in the urine) or worse, no urine formation at all, can occur. The last third is mental attitude and adjustment. It helps greatly to have trained on the course for what I call "imprinting." Practicing on various segments of the course and watching the environment slowly go by really help in doing the event. Knowing what kind of emergency can exist ahead of time makes for a safer passage. I have an advantage of having treated about every kind of emergency between the low and high spots. A prerequisite to actually doing the race might be to crew it one year. By the way, it almost wore me out more to crew it than do it this year.      Bill Menard returned this year after winning the men's running race last year. He set a priority in 1995 to do the "Grand Slam," which is completing four of five of the following 100's: Western States, Old Dominion (Virginia), Vermont, Leadville and Wasatch. He might even add Angeles Crest for the "Western Slam." He almost buckled at Western States, had it not been for getting held up at a medical aid station. He and another front runner took a wrong turn

at Old Dominion and went 15 miles out of the way and got disqualified for riding in a truck back to the missed turn. That meant he had to do Vermont, which was the weekend prior to Badwater. He finished that one in around 20 hours. I called him two days before the Badwater Race and told him that Joe Schlereth was injured at Western States and would not be coming and that Marshall Ulrich was attempting to do the Badwater Race self contained with a 200# bike cart! He told me that he would check the airlines and, if it did not cost lot, he would come. He called back and said it cost a fortune and he was on his way anyway. His crew member, Dave Burke, also had about two hours to get ready. They arrived in Las Vegas about 18 hours before race time. They still had to face jet lag, get some sleep, rent a car and purchase provisions. Nevertheless, he got to the race in time and started with the idea he would not win. He was never further back than fifth and gradually nibbled away at the runners in front. He does not waste any time taking aid. He does not like gum drops, pretzels or jerky. Instead, he slurps down small jars full or cans full of mushrooms, tomatoes, etc., "anything I would ordinarily eat." He sent Dave ahead to Panamint Springs resort at 72 miles for a breakfast order of six eggs and half pound of hamburger cooked about medium. It was ready for him when he arrived. He gulped it down in five minutes and was off to win another buckle and $500.00. He goes to a lot of races and does altitude training in multi level parking garages. Bill is more than happy to talk about his training methods and run strategy. His approach has to be appreciated and admired.      David Jones' arrival was preceded by phone calls from the media at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He flashed through the course smiling all the way. He did admit to feeling the "blast furnace" effect upon arrival at, appropriately enough, Furnace Creek Ranch. After Bill Menard passed him, the two crews exchanged messages about encouraging each other to do some walking. His crew admitted to being more used to attending tennis matches, so this was a real change.      Judy Overholzer crewed Keith Pippin in 1993 and was injured before the 1994 Race, so she entered the walk division instead and won it. This year she entered the run division and took only two hours to rest for another win. Living in Arizona and running there is ideal for heat training. She is a real champion and was admired by everyone for her performance, politeness and wonderful attitude. She tried to do the mountain, but was turned back by cold, high winds. This kept some others from ascending.        I might mention that the team approach to this race does not usually work out too well. Denise and I tried walk it last year after I had done the race successfully the three previous years as a runner. Last year, I had to drop out at 41 miles, because I was not processing fluids well enough and I was holding her up. I let her go. I skipped ahead later and wound up doing about 75% of the course to the top with her. Jack and Margaret Spear did an A.M. start several years ago and were the first husband and wife team to finish and did it in about 97 hours. (Marshall and Willette Ulrich became the second husband and wife couple to do the course simultaneously this year). Cory Shane and Lisa Smith were crewed by Susan Babson, Julie Tieger, Sharon Moratta, Tim Key and Joe Shane (Cory's uncle). Everything went all right until just two miles beyond Panamint Springs Resort (72 miles), when Cory started to experience peeing cranberry colored urine. He was later able to get back on the course, but the team crewing became impossible without revision. Lisa was fourth overall and the second female finisher. Cory was ninth overall.      Michael Gleman

came here with the full intention of winning and setting a course record. He arrived with his fiancée, Mary Kay Thomas, and a pacer and was joined by my step daughter, Angie Habegger, who agreed to crew at the last minute. He ran a consistently strong race, but had to settle for fifth place.      Harry Deupree returned for the fourth time for his personal best on the course. He was in second place at the half way point. Effortlessly, he cruised along as if he were on his way to one of his banker's meetings. His son, Chisolm, helped again. Jack Christian was also a crew member. It was nice having him around again as he put in some good race times in 1990 and 1991.       Tim Neckar was one of five to try to settle an account here this year after having to quit in 1993 at about 85 miles. After being in the lead for about the first marathon distance, he started to have stomach problems. He continued to Stovepipe Wells Village at 41 miles and crashed. Stomach problems were very prevalent this year. It might have had something to do with the heat plus the humidity (heat index). The humidity in Death Valley is usually zero. Any humidity adds to the temperature making it feel hotter than it really is; sort of the reverse of the chill factor. By not taking on enough fluids and electrolytes at first, the stomach just does not seem to function. Lots of salt is lost through perspiration. An adequate salt level in the tissues is needed in order for osmosis to take place across the gastric lining into the blood stream and then into the tissues. Fluids seem to slosh in the stomach. Peristalsis does not seem to take place to allow the gastric contents to flow into the small intestine. Hyperemesis (vomiting) is likely to occur making the problem even worse. He had several hours of down time for rehabilitation. His crew and family stayed with him the remaining 95 miles to the Portals.      Jim Dill was the quietest person for being an ex marine and just minded his business the entire way. He had 25 sponsors and raised over $3,000 for Marine Corps League's Toys for Tots program and youth scholarship as he marched along the course.      The above runners finished within Hi Tec's 45 hour time limit to get belt buckles. All other runners finishing within 60 hours get recognition for finishing. Walkers get a buckle and recognition for finishing in 60 hours. Richard Benyo keeps a Master List of all those who do an A.M. or P.M. start from Badwater to Whitney; however the time to the Portals is not considered.      Marty Coffey was another who had come back after not being able to get much further than 41 miles last year because of stomach problems. He started to have the same problems this year, but not as bad. He was an attendee of the Jones clinic and from then on he was able to trot and run most of the rest of the way to the Portals. I call him "the Zebra" for his work off season "imprinting" on that white line on black asphalt.      Scott Weber returned this year after having gained the reputation of "Gravel Man" on the course last year. He won the men's walk division in 1994 and returned later to go to the top and then start a triple crossing between Mt. Whitney and Death Valley. Four crossings were made by him during the July August "window." I called him "Gravel Man" because of the three wheel tracks made with the baby jogger on the side of the road carrying supplies from oasis to oasis. Also, because of the numerous times I found him lying in a trash bag

along the highway. He was a runner this year to the Portals and was the first of four finishers to go to the top. No telling what he will come up with this season to cap off the summer. He wants to be known as "Diaper Man" this year for the interesting way fluids seemed to concentrate in that area padded with a tee shirt and for the way waddled along the highway with that wide based gait.      Beacham Toler, age 67, was here last year to crew Don Kesinger and this year became the oldest to finish the race to the Portals. The oldest to complete the course to the top was Richard Kegley, age 68 at the time, when he did a solo effort within five days about eight years ago.      Marshall Ulrich has been in every Badwater Race since 1990 at which time he was second to Tom Possert. In 1991 he set the course record to the top of Whitney. In 1992 he beat his own record to Whitney Portals. The next year he twisted his ankle and, after being first to the Portals, he and Willette got married and later did the top. Last year he dropped out at 17 miles with exertional asthma after having done a 33 hour and 133 mile crossing of Death Valley from the south to the north boundary three weeks before the Badwater Race. This year he attempted to do a self contained, un supported crossing from Badwater to the top of Whitney. He modified a bicycle trailer/cart with eight different ways to pull or push it. It would carry a large ice chest filled with iced supplies and fitted with an insulated drain hose for him to suck in fluids and nutrients. It had flashers and reflective tape on it for the no moon darkness this year. Everything had to be pre planned and be on board at the start to cover the whole 146 miles! Unfortunately, he had a twelve minute delay off the start line. After six miles, he developed a severe headache, which he thinks he got from sucking on the feeding tube, while exerting in the 127 degree heat and 20 % humidity. Although my wife, Denise, and I were crewing Dave Thorpe, race walker, I dropped back to take him to a room at Furnace Creek Ranch for rehabilitation. After I got back out on the course, I found out he had gotten bussed back to the six mile mark. From there, he gave up the cart idea and ran seven minute miles for 35 miles to catch his wife, Willette, who was in the walk division. From the time they met, they walked the rest of the course to finish at the Portals and later at the top of Whitney (second and third ones). Marshall later said that he now appreciates the prolonged times that the slower runners and walkers spend out on the course exposed to the extremes. He developed no blisters while wearing Hi Tec ABC Bridge Sierra Light Boots. Willette wore Hi Tec Whitewater sandals from Badwater 17 miles to Furnace Creek Ranch and again from Lone Pine 13 miles up the Portal Road to Whitney Portals. The other times she had to wear conventional running and hiking shoes to be able to wear orthotics.      Whit Rambach is really in to extremes. In the last year or so he completed climbing the highest peak in each of the 50 States, while serving as a guide for an amputee. They did 33 States before doing Mt. McKinley. Then, they decided they could set a better record by repeating the same 33 peaks before doing the remaining 16 peaks. They did all 50 peaks in 77 days breaking Adrian Crane's 111 day record by 34 days. He and Adrian think they can now do all of them together in 35 days! Whit finished the Eco Challenge and Extreme Games regarding them as "vacations." He met Marshall Ulrich who convinced him and Cory Shane and Lisa Smith to come do Badwater. We will be seeing a lot more of these people in the future who are after extreme wilderness

adventure. Badwater to Whitney is such an event with many extremes in this one event without adding street luge, sky surfing and bungy jumping. Whit had no crew five days before the race. I talked to him on the phone and convinced him to come. My wife's daughter, Angie Habegger, arranged for two local Bishop people, Phil Marchant, a biker, and David Svetich, a physical therapist, to help. The team of Cory Shane and Lisa Smith also promised at least one of their six crew members. He arrived in Lone Pine one day before the Race to climb Mt. Whitney in Hi Tec Badwater sandals. To make it a little tougher, he camped on top over night. In the race, he did well, until he had some stomach and crew shift change problems. Realizing he would not get to the Portals in 45 hours to get a runner's buckle, he dropped out. He was off the course about 18 hours and was at the Portals, when I convinced to go back to the 85 mile mark and do 20 minute miles. He did this, continuing in the sandals, to get back to the Portals in less than 60 hours for recognition for finishing the Race with 1 hour and 18 minutes to spare. He still had blisters from the Extreme Games. Denise kept re dressing them. She and Angie helped crew him from the 85 mile mark to the 118 mile mark. From there to the Portals at 135 miles, the crew from Cory Shane and Lisa Smith took over. They were assisted also by Sean Thorpe and Gus Franco, part of Dave Thorpe's crew. The next day, I convinced him to continue to the top of Mt. Whitney, again in sandals, to get on Richard Benyo's Master List. He did just that and was fourth to the top.      Eight entrants did not finish this year, which is the greatest number so far. Tom Kruger finished with eight minutes to spare last year. He had knee trouble at about 33 miles and tried four different times to get from there to Stovepipe Wells Village at 41 miles before dropping. Emile Laharrague, who finished the Trans America Footrace several years ago, had to quit with muscle cramps at the same place as Tom; this was his second attempt for this race. Dean Karnazes, Steve Benjamin and Don Kesinger all made it to Panamint Springs Resort at 72 miles and quit with stomach and/or urinary problems. Don got this far last year as a walker. Vicky Hoover, walker, complained of a female disorder at about 30 miles, where she quit and later continued with her husband, Gary, also a walker, to Panamint where he quit.  Dave Thorpe, walker, helped Denise and me the last four years and in turn, we agreed to help him this year. His stomach would not allow him to proceed beyond Panamint. All of the non finishers made a valiant effort and should be recognized for their heroic efforts.      John Rosmus ran the Hi Tec Race in 1993 and dropped out with stomach problems at 50 miles. He completed the race with Hi Tec to the Portals in 1994 and later went to the top of Whitney. This year, he was entered in the Hi Tec race, but decided to do a 6:00 A.M. start on 07 26 1995, twelve hours before the Hi Tec Race. We worked out on all portions of the course during the last year and he was really prepared for this more difficult start. He was going after Tom Crawford's 55:08 one way A.M. solo crossing time. David Warady lined up a photojournalist, Gail Fisher, to cover the story. He was two hours slower to the Portals this year, but the morning start made it more difficult. RESULTS OF HI TEC BADWATER/WHITNEY RACE Started at Badwater, Death Valley, on 07 26 1995 at 1800              &nbs p;             &n bsp;             

            Time to Portals  Time to top/Whitney             ;             01 Bill Menard            43         FL         34:15:19          &n bsp; 02 David Jones            43       TN         37:51:06 03 Judy Overholzer     54      &nbs p; AZ         40:44:01 04 Lisa Smith              ; 34       NJ          41:24:31 05 Michael Gleman     47       FL          42:06:54 06 Harry Deupree       56       OK         42:42:22 07 Tim Neckar            33&n bsp;      TX         42:55:03 08 Jim Dill                   53    &n bsp;  IN          44:02:58 09 Cory Shane            26&nb sp;      VA         44:59:00 10 Marty Coffey          44       CA         48:58:10 11 Scott Weber           42 &nb sp;     CO         49:00:50            &n bsp;   1st   68:02:00 12 Beacham Toler        67    &nb sp;  TX         50:40:29 13 Keith Pippin            55&n bsp;      AZ         51:26:15 14 Marshall Ulrich        44    &n

bsp;  CO         52:40:07            &n bsp;   2nd   72:20:00      Willette Ulrich          45  &n bsp;    CO         52:40:07            &n bsp;   3rd    72:20:00 16 Whit Rambach         28       CA          58:42:07            &n bsp;   4th    89:41:00 17 Steve Benjamin        40        VA          DNF 18 Gary Hoover            58       FL           DNF 19 Vicky Hoover           54 &n bsp;     FL           DNF 20 Dean Karnazes         32        CA          DNF 21 Don Kesinger           57        TX          DNF 22 Tom Kruger            &nbs p;37       CA          DNF 23 Emile Laharrague      45       FRA        DNF 24 Dave Thorpe            51&n bsp;      CA          DNF *   John Rosmus            47&n bsp;      CA          48:36:00                         99:3 2:00      * originally to be in Hi Tec race, started 12 hours earlier Ben Jones