BADWATER TRAINING CLINICS AGENDA

Dear Badwater Friends,

We are only a few weeks off for the first (Memorial weekend) training clinic for Badwater 2002.  The “Newsflash” segment of our website:

http://www.badwaterbenjones.com

has pertinent information about the clinics so please refer to this frequently as I will post important information as it arises.

We have checked the reservations and count 22 of the 88 starters as attending one or both clinics. There will, of course, be some family members as well as crew members and pacers. We are pleased with this overwhelming response! We hope we can coordinate the activities so that each of you can accomplish what it is that you want. The biggest problem might turn out to be transportation to the start as well as supporting an unprecedented number of runners. Everything has worked out satisfactorily in the past, but sometimes it has been by the seat-of-the-pants. Denise and I will be driving a Dodge Raider and will be pulling an open-topped trailer. Some runners who attend the clinic bring their own crew, but obviously this can be a huge expense. We, ourselves, can support 8-10 runners who have not brought crew with them.  The emphasis will be on helping the invitees themselves. Phil and Kari Marchant will also have a similar rig and should be able to support the same number. We will rely on some of you to help transport runners to the start at Badwater on the first day. We can support those doing (approximately) 12-15-minute-miles and will leap frog ahead two miles at a time. Those planning to go faster will have to rely on their own support or double back to us (which has worked well in the past clinics).  Those going slower will need to be willing to be shuttled ahead to the next two-mile bracket if they hold everyone up too long. So far, everyone has been very cooperative about these issues and we have an absolutely great time. If we can encourage runners to stay somewhat together in a line; it then gives us a chance to get to know each other and assist you if problems arise. We encourage all of you who attend the clinics to enjoy the experience and not treat it like the race.  Ten hours on the first day should be adequate for the journey from Badwater to Stovepipe Wells Village. Anyone can quit at any time. If vehicles have to be left at Badwater, we will work together to come up with a game plan to retrieve them after our workout. A sign up sheet will be on our rigs in order to assure that we do not leave anyone behind. Runners can check off their names at each two-mile segment. It can get confusing at times. Previously, we left a runner behind, thinking he was still ahead of us. Obviously, we want to avoid that confusion~

Everyone attending needs to bring an ice chest and some bottled water to place in the trailers. Please bring your own supplies such as your preferred electrolytes, and food/snacks. It is cheaper to buy supplies elsewhere, but there is a store at SPW (Stovepipe Wells) and at Furnace Creek Ranch in case you forget something.

We will have a good chance to visit not only during the training run/trek but also at SPW by the pool and in the dining room and in the reserved auditorium. We have also produced a video of Denise’s Blister Buster Booklet, which we will show. At that time Denise will give some advice and instruction on foot care if anyone needs to learn more about the blistering which occurs due to the desert heat.  We will try to arrange for a guest speaker with some interesting subject to be presented. We have made some nifty t-shirts of the “Jones Experience” which is specific to the clinic!  They are really beautiful t-shirts. Maybe some of you remember the infamous Badwater Ben t-shirts, which now seem to be collector’s items.  As you probably already know, we don’t charge anything for the clinics. It is our gift to the runners to help in any way possible to make their experience a positive one.

We look forward to meeting you and sharing some valuable and memorable time together!!!

Sincerely,

Badwater Mayor ~ Ben Jones

First Lady ~ Denise Jones

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