Badwater 2011

Me and my BFF :)

Wow, where to start, problem with Badwater is that it is truly impossible to translate to paper, even to film, kind of like those colors you see when scuba diving that do not exist. Well here goes. As all of you know I have great love and respect for my Ultrafamily, at the pinnacle of that is the magical place and race called “The Badwater Ultramarathon”. There really is nothing I wanted to experience more than that race, I had been there to crew my brother Tony Portera but never to run it obviously. The word “raw” comes to mind, the place is raw and even something out of make believe (Star Wars was filmed there you know). The participants are stripped raw to their core, trust me they are. What makes it so beautiful is the love and genuine camaraderie exhibited throughout the entire event. I kid you not when I say my time could easily have been around an hour faster but in that case I would have missed some of the most precious moments of my life. This included time spent with Shannon Griefer, Dan Marinsik, Dan Jensen, Terry Sentinella, Ferg Hawke (of course he didn’t run but he was there on the way to Stovepipe, I know this because it was way to early for a hallucination), Cheryl Zwarkowski, Tony Portera , etc, etc. There is not a person on that list that I am not a better person because of and I say that with incredible sincerity. For me this was an event not a race, a good result simply a bonus but we had already won just by being there. True = I have never experienced so much raw emotion, pain and suffering at one time, also True = I have never smiled more in 32hours in my life. Now that my friends is awesome.

Badwater Check-in

Terry Sentinella and I reunited :)





Badwater Ben

Basin to Furnace creek (mile 1-17): The start was amazing; saw so many great people and even friends that travelled to see the start. I was crazy nervous, flanked by a 140lb Brazilian former winner on one side and my pacer from Western States on the other with Zach hanging in the corner with his long bright shorts and frightening humility. Zach strode through the parking lot in flip flops pre race chugging a 2 liter bottle of diet coke, go figure. Actually felt sluggish most of the way, passed Pam Reed about mile 7 (gulp) and made it to the first stop in good time in complete fear of the next leg to Stovepipe.

Off to Furnace Creek

Furnace Creek to Stovepipe (mile 17-42): Here my NASCAR pit crew (see party video), got me on the road again. We stuck with stops every 3 miles, about 30oz every 31-32 minutes with very few walk stops. Finally started feeling ok at around mile 30, yep finally got warmed up. Luckily for me the heat seemed to be the least of my issues. I guess living and training in a place where you cut the air with a knife helps. Here is where I saw Ferg, just standing on the side of the road. He looked at me, called me by name and smiled. I stopped to chat and he said what ya doing, eh,you look great so  keep running and I did. I also spoke with him a few days before the race during a chat with Ray Zahab. It was kind of surreal to actually meet him where I did but one of the greatest moments and sources of inspiration I have ever had. A bit of cramping, nasty winds in the Devil’s Cornfield and into Stovepipe in really good time. Feeling some hot spots so needed to check out the feet. No blisters, decided to give the feet a good grease and make my first and last sock and shoe change. Learned there were many people resting in the hotel. Most because of GI issues. Sooooo many people had GI issues, I was so lucky not to. My biggest fear in this race was getting to Stovepipe in a reasonable time and far more importantly in a reasonable state of well being. As Kevin Costner says at the end of “The Untouchables”, “Here endeth the lesson”, for many that is often the case but we had beaten the hottest part of Death Valley and were still standing strong. And so we climb…..

Entering Stovepipe Wells

Stovepipe to Towne’s Pass (mile 42-60): This is a relentless 18mile uphill climb. Good news we got a friendly 25mile headwind (seriously). We managed to power hike this straight through without stopping. This is also about the time we started to witness all the carnage that is the Badwater Ultramarathon and forced many rookies and veterans to be slowed to a stop or simply withdraw. It was personally difficult for me to see Shannon struggling because she is my favorite and craziest of all my crazy friends. We are all our own unique personality, but there is only one Shannon. I could go into detail all the great things she has done for my family but she has probably done the same for many of you. One bright note was that seeing Shannon always means getting to see Amy Dodson (you can find Amy in the dictionary under courage). Finally made it to the top under a beautiful starry sky and even got to run a little with Erin, boy had that been awhile, kind of special really.

Towne’s Pass to Panamint (mile 60-72): Weeeeeeee a downhill and away we went running the majority of this leg with Dan Rose and Dan Hartley straight into Panamint Springs. Saw Cheryl Z and Dan Marinsik on the way going through their own battles but both smiling as usual. Cheryl said we would cross paths on this stretch and she was right but only by about a mile or so. Dan was a little scared of the new cutoff so set PR’s in the first 2 legs. He earned a 30min nap and ended up with a 45min race PR, congrats Dan!

Panamint to Father Crowley to Darwin (mile 72-90): Another long slowww climb up to Father Crowley. Here is where I somewhat reluctantly caught up to Tony. In grand Tony fashion he greeted me with a moon and I think a middle finger but it is hard to say. He is a lawyer so he will deny all of that anyway. We had some good laughs but were both pretty much in sleep deprivation mode so hopefully I did not say anything he can hold against me in a court of law. The moon (actual moon) had dropped so the stars were out in full force; I also think I counted 8 shooting stars, unbelievable. So a moment of beauty and the good thing about the dark is you cannot see the cliffs that you see during the day, hairy road for sure. As we closed in on Darwin I realized something really cool, I was going to hit a sub 24hr 100miler. This led to a DMB shuffle, lotttts of running and the 100mile mark in 22h30m. Stopped for about 2sec at Darwin check in at mile 90 and then ran right through.

Darwin to Lone Pine (mile 90-122): This is the point where you write down the miles and go really, I mean really. Spoke with Ray on the phone somewhere in here and he said 1. How proud he was 2. Get to Lone Pine with your tank on empty, because a walk up the mountain is a walk up the mountain. I’ll get to that in a bit. I met up with Dan Jensen here and got one of the greatest smiles I have ever seen as he told me how much the new race leg he got last year changed his life and this race for him, awesome. This was gut check time. There is a lot of rolling downhill on this stretch but it is lonnnng and straight and the balls of my feet were now killing me with every step. It hurt worse to walk than run but was so hard to muster the energy to run. The miles ticked by very slowly, but thanks to some good sign post counting, bad humor and the back and forth company of my buddy Terry Sentinella we got by. Terry paced me selflessly at Western States last year, we have since become good friends and I am happier for him than anyone for the awesome result he had, love the hair buddy. Dan Rose guilted me into another ½ mile run at the end by telling me a story of this amazing guy who ran a ½ mile as he was beaten and bloodied…..how could I rob him of that memory. Lone Pine check in, mile 122, honey badger was about done…..and now we climb again.

Always sure of e

Lone Pine to Whitney Portal (mile 122-134.2): Yes the race is actually only 134.2 miles, got a problem with that, didn’t think so. Let’s just put it this way 12.2miles, 4h27m in a delirious stupor. There is nothing harder I have ever done. Amazing fact, I stopped twice for a total of about 30sec. Terry passed me at the bottom and never looked back, this guy ran Hardrock last year,  think I was going to try and keep up. Stripped raw, there’s that word again. Ask E, my level of suffering was so intense she actually could not walk with me. I finally got a little testy over the last few miles because of a disagreement between the mileage left, yes .2 miles is worth getting upset about at this point. Either way I apologized to my crew before the race for everything and anything I might do or say during the race so am absolved. We agreed to walk across the finish, I really do not think I could have run 2 steps anyway and managed to do so at 32h27m19s and 16th place, “leaning” as usual. Getting the buckle from Chris was amazing, taking pics with him and then my incredible team, priceless. That was my proudest moment in many ways, the Champagne bath that followed would have been ok if the Champagne was not iced and caused me to go hypothermic, lol. Watching all the people inching up that hill as we descended put everything about this race in complete clarity. Why climb 12.2 miles after running 122, because this IS the hardest footrace on the planet for a reason. As Charlie would say we all deserve some suffering here and there, well I got mine for sure. We limped back to the room (my left groin had cramped so I thought I was about to give birth) for some beer and pizza then zzzzzzz….of course after we learned Tony P made it home in 39:59:14 for a sweet Sub40h finish. Oh yeah I forgot there is someone who runs that mountain, he does.

We came, we lived, we suffered, we grew :)

Wednesday was reflection time and pizza party. Got to hang out with Tony P and his crew chief extraordinaire Eric Gelber (a man who I hope fulfills his own Badwater story next year). This year there was no van cleaning for me. Good news, crew was so meticulous I think that job was not to bad. One of the Comfort Inn employees is going to mark that day on his calendar next year for sure, post Badwater Walmart giveaway day. It was great to see lots of folks at the party and realize all the up and downs of everyone’s various journeys. It is a family I am very proud to be a part of, actually they are a lot cooler than my own family (minus my brother) so it works to my benefit. Off to Vegas and fun, fun, fun. This part needs to be excluded and stay in Vegas.

Thanks go out to all my amazing crew members first and foremost and my amazing coach Ray Zahab. We had an awesome race plan and flawless execution. None of this was possible without all of you. Ray, I love you, and am so thankful for what we have embarked on as friends and brothers. I especially thank the love of my life E, together I do believe we are “being the change”. Additional thanks to Drymax, Phix and of course Chris Kostman and the amazing Adventure CORPS staff for the chance to live this incredible journey.

Best comedy: everything that is the Honey Badger, ok I am officially now the Honey Badger, watch the You Tube video narrated by Randall, it is hilarious. All I know is he is “badass” so I take it as a compliment.
Honey Badger

Best purchase: $5dollar Green Lantern ring, you could see it from over ¾ mile away

Best feeling: giving back to CAF and i2P and raising money for something E and I love so much
i2P
Challenged Athletes Foundation

Best lesson: I get “it”

Best thing I knew before but know even better now: I have amazing friends and family and am surrounded my many people that I inspire (see E I accepted a pat). Truth is I am equally or more inspired by all of you, that is what keeps the train moving and opens the doors in the brick walls.

Always let life begin at the end of your comfort zone, extend to others as you would hope they would extend to you, it works, I promise!!!!!!

I love this place, I love this race :)