Preparing For The Badwater Ultramarathon

Several people have asked what is involved in preparing to run the Badwater Ultramarathon, and what must be done to reach the starting line of this grueling 135-mile non-stop journey from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney in a condition that puts the runner in a condition that is most conducive to finishing the race under the 48-hour time limit.  It is not just the 135-mile distance that is daunting.  Temperatures in July in Death Valley can reach up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  The starting line at Badwater Basin is at approximately 280 feet below sea level, the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere and the race finishes at the Mount Whitney Portals at nearly 8,300 feet above sea level, with runners covering three mountain ranges along the way for a total of 13,000 eet of cumulative vertical ascent.

If you are one of those curious types, or especially if you are one of those lucky few first-timers that received an email last Tuesday that read, 

Congratulations!  You have been accepted to compete in the 2012 Badwater Ultramarathon presented by AdventureCORPS, Inc.  You are part of a select group who will participate in what is recognized across the globe as "the world's toughest footrace,"

we will be posting a series titled, "Preparing for the Badwater Ultramarathon" that will cover various aspects what it takes to get to the starting line with the best opportunity to complete this grueling journey (from both a runner and crew perspective).

In particular, the series will focus on the following core areas (likely, in this order, and hopefully posted every week to two weeks):

1. Post-Entry Logistics - You have been accepted to compete in the "world's toughest footrace," now what ?  This post will focus on hotel room and vehicle rental, transportation logistics, crew formation (how many and what types of people do you want to be on the crew), and much more.

2. Physical Preparation - Now that you are "in"....it is time to train.  Hill training, power walking, speed training, etc..., all will be covered in this post.

3. Heat Training

4. Nutritional Training - You have run 50 and 100-milers, but 135 miles in temperatures in the 120s can reek havoc on your body's ability to process food and fluids.  In this post we will cover suggested fueling strategies and the concept of testing products in training.

5. Mental Preparation

6. Emotional Preparation

7. Pre-Race Preparation - You have arrived....now what?  Here we will discuss gathering supplies, vehicle set-up, crew preparation, rule review, and more.

8. Race Day

9. Post-Race

Hopefully this series of posts will be a useful tool for those heading out to Badwater for the first time, either as a runner or crew member (and, perhaps even for some veterans).  The series will feature input, thoughts, guidance, tips, tricks, etc... from Badwater veterans, runners and crew, including Chris Roman, Meredith Murphy, Dan Rose and Meredith Terranova.