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Should I
Go For It Or Not?
I had run a
pretty fast time at Badwater
but...
 Earlier this year,
I was fortunate enough to run a
pretty fast time at Badwater.
In fact, it was a little faster than
Kaname Sakurai, a Japanese runner
that did the race in 2000. Kaname
also did the Furnace Creek 508 that
same year, establishing an almost
untouchable cumulative time for the
two events. This makes him the
current Death Valley Cup record
holder. After my run at Badwater
this year, I decided to take a shot
at the record.
508 Miles
Of Cycling Should Be No Problem
Right?
I have run
thousands of miles in very harsh
conditions over the past few
years. So 508 miles of cycling
should be no problem, right? I
wish it were that simple. At mile
322, I distinctly remember
thinking to myself, “I hate this,
why am I doing this?”. Sound
familiar? Most people that have
done any endurance event have
uttered those same words. Those
words can probably be traced to
the ancient Greeks. Feeling sorry
for oneself is not a new
thing.
Anyway, the moment
passed and I kept riding towards
the finish. I was riding just fast
enough to stay in contention to
beat Kaname’s record time but I
was really hurting. My legs were
shot, my feet were numb and my
ass……well, never mind. Let’s just
say I didn’t sit on any chair for
weeks that didn’t have at least 3
inches of cushioning.
I needed
to finish the 508 in a little
fewer than 33
hours.
At about the 31
hour mark, it became clear that I
was not going to beat Kaname’s
time. Up until that point, I was
being pushed along and motivated
by the desire to set a record.
Once this possibility ended, the
ride truly became difficult. It is
always amazing to me how critical
one’s state of mind is when trying
to reach a specific goal.
I finished the 508 in a little over 34
hours, placing me solidly in second
place on the all time list of Death
Valley Cup finishers. Proud but not
satisfied.
Tough Love
From My Support Crew Second To
None.
 I
made my crew, Danny Moy and Louise
Cooper, promise not to let me
forget how much I hated this race.
“Please don’t ever let me do this
again”, I begged. I am pretty sure
that Danny and Louise just looked
at each other and rolled their
eyes. They are both accomplished
racers themselves and they knew I
would be back.
Danny and Louise were patient and
attentive and I could not have done the
race without them but I feel that it is
important for my readers to understand
more about the people I surround myself
with. At about mile 450, I was forced
to stop for a minute to rid myself of
some apparently unnecessary food and
drink in my stomach. My body had
decided that it was no longer willing
to process these calories. As I leaned
on the support vehicle and barfed, what
did Danny do? Did he get a cold wash
cloth for me? Did he come up to steady
me as I stood on wobbly legs? NO! He
got the camera and stood there laughing
at me. Louise was laughing inside but
to her credit, she did pour some cold
water on my head. That’s what I call
tough love. I wouldn’t have it any
other way.
Running
The Sahara
Update
Ever since I
finished running across the Sahara
Desert last February, I get two
questions from almost everyone I
meet. What the hell is wrong with
you? And when does the movie come
out? Let’s take question number
one first. I have absolutely no
clue.
As for question number two, I do have
an update. LivePlanet and IPA (the
producers of the film) are nearing a
deal with a distributor that should be
announced soon. My hope is that the
deal will put Running the Sahara in
theaters around the country next
spring. I will keep posting updates on
my website www.charlieengle.com
Keep checking back.
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