Adventure-Crew.com

One of the most brutally difficult endurance events on the planet kicks off today, with the top ultrarunners arriving in Death Valley for the start of the 2009 Badwater Ultramarathon. 88 competitors will hit the starting line this morning and set off into very harsh conditions as they cover 135 miles in what is described as "the world's toughest foot race".

The annual event begins in the town of Badwater, which is located 280 feet below sea level at the heart of Death Valley National Park. The course then winds up and down three mountain ranges, punishing the athletes with more than 13,000 feet of vertical gain, before they reach the finish line at the Mt. Whitney Portals, located at 8360 feet on that mountain. Oh! And along the way, they'll be forced to deal with temperatures reaching 130ºF.

The top racers will cover the entire 135 miles in roughly 24 hours time. (The course record is 22 hours, 51 minutes, 29 seconds), while the main pack will take roughly 45 hours to finish. The cutoff time is at the 60 hour mark, and everyone who completes the race in under 48 hours receives the coveted Badwater belt buckle, but much like the Tour Divide, there is no prize money for running the race.

The field for this year's Badwater is quite deep with last year's winner Jorge Pacheco returning, along with three other former champs in Dean Karnazes, Marshall Ulrich, and David Jones. The men will be pushed by the likes of Pam Reed, who was the overall winner in the past as well.

I have to say, I have a tremendous amount of respect, and a healthy dose of awe for these runners. As a runner myself, I can't imagine putting in this kind of distance in the kind of conditions that they'll be facing in Death Valley. I run respectable distances in the Texas heat and after 7 or 8 miles, I'm ready to hit the shower. In this event, I'd still have another 127 miles to go.

A couple of days back I posted that this year's Tour Divide mountain bike race had been won by Matthew Lee, who managed to complete the 2745 mile course from Banff to the Mexican border in a little less than 18 days. Today, Outside Online has an interview with Lee, in which he talks about what it was like out on the course.

In the interview, Matthew discusses such topics as what a typical day is for him out on the trail when racing, his thoughts on going ultralight in the Tour Divide (remember, racers are self sufficient in this Tour), and after completing six consecutive TD's, where doubt enters his mind while riding. He also mentions that while riding he didn't notice any aches and pains in his body, but once he stopped, all of the effort caught up with him and he was now feeling the effects of nearly three weeks out on the trail.

Matt does touch upon the cold, wet weather that plagued the early portions of the race, and shares what food he missed the most while riding. (Asian!) He also offers a new way to lube your chain (canola oil?) and thoughts on his most memorable day of the race.

Excellent interview with fun and interesting insights on what it's like on the Tour Divide. Good read for anyone following the event.