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ROOKIE
TO VETERAN… ULTRALADIES’ STYLE
“More Ultra… Less Lady”
by Nancy Shura
2003 Badwater… 52:35
There is nothing “lady-like” about ultra-running,
my personal motto being “I don’t do it for the glory… I do it for
the gory”! Ultra-running has often been compared to childbirth in
the sense that with both, you surrender to the forces of nature,
and in the process toss aside your modesty. With this thought, I
wanted my Badwater (BW) crew to be made up of UltraLadies Sandy
Gitmed, Saundra Whitehead, Michele Vela, and Wendy Young (I believe
in midwives over obstetricians), plus my darling Larry Dervin (who
was never in the delivery room with me), and my daughter Heather
Shura (who was in the delivery room with me, but doesn’t remember).
A late arrival to our crew was Mike Stephens, an accomplished 100-mile
runner and emergency room nurse, who should be able to handle the
“gory”!
On the morning of the “big day”, Heather
said something to calm my nerves, “Mommy, it’s scary!” Being Mommy,
I consoled her, “Don’t think of it as 135-miles… just break it into
little goals… we’re just going to Furnace Creek and then to Scotty’s
Castle turnoff… then Stovepipe Wells.” I suddenly felt in control
and ready to go!
So here is my BW story, goal-by-goal:
Training: The first goal was to balance training
for a high-profile race such as BW, while maintaining work commitments,
family relationships, UltraLadies’ training, and my responsibilities
as race director for the Valley Crest Half Marathon held in June.
Fortunately, no one area suffered too much: The Valley Crest race
was a huge success; the UltraLadies are training on schedule; I
am still employed at USC and most important, my family and friends
still speak to me! Because of time constraints, the theme for my
BW training was “moderation”. I always kept my total weekly mileage
below 75, with no run exceeding 35- miles.
Heat Training: I did a significant amount
of heat training. About 8-weeks before BW I began driving home from
work each afternoon with the windows rolled up and the heater blasting
through the AC vents. I also spent 45-minute sessions in a 180-degree
sauna, several days each week. The dilute salt concentration of
my sweat was quite noticeable after just a couple of weeks. I believe
in simulating race conditions so I went to both official training
weekends in Death Valley (DV), plus my crew and I went to DV two
additional weekends during June. I would typically start my desert
runs at 10:00 or 11:00 AM, to benefit from the maximum high temperatures.
Once, when the temperature only reached 108, I jogged through DV
wearing my black, long-sleeve, fleece over-shirt. What I sight I
was! The hours I spent training in DV were invaluable in helping
me to work through problems I would expect during the race. On some
of the runs I experienced prostration, headache, vomiting, and one
particular time I developed debilitating heat cramps of the skeletal
muscles of my limbs and torso. Needless-to-say, I left the course
that day and went straight to bed! My heat training mantra became
“the more I suffer now, the less I’ll suffer later”. Fortunately,
all of my heat-related problems were left back at the training runs.
My crew and I had learned the fine balance between pace, cooling,
hydration, electrolytes and calories… another goal accomplished.
Pre-Race Jitters: I needed to keep my psyche
relaxed so as not to use up unnecessary energy. By the time I made
my last drive to DV, I knew that I had done everything possible
to be ready. Humor really helps me relax, so my crew and I marched
into the pre-race meeting wearing “UltraLadies… More Ultra… Less
Lady” yellow t-shirts and of course I wore my big nose glasses,
which have been with me through all my 100-milers! Even though one
finds her self at the premier ultra event in the world… it pays
not to take oneself too seriously!
Middle of the Pack: I was starting in the
8:00 AM group… middle of the pack… hopefully I would finish near
there! I liked the fact that I could sleep until a normal time,
eat breakfast, etc. I will admit to feeling a few butterflies on
the drive out to BW but before long I was standing on the runner’s
side of the start banner, some photos, a few deep breaths, and I
was off, with nothing to think about except getting to Furnace Creek
in good condition.
BW to Furnace Creek (miles 0-17): The first
stage of the race was my settling in period, getting my body working
in the 100-plus degree heat, adjusting to my liquid diet of multi-flavored
Gatorades, Chocolate Slim-Fast and Club Soda. Over the next 52-hours,
I would consume nearly 1-bottle per hour of each of these three
beverages. My crew (Larry, Heather and Mike) settled into spraying
me, replacing iced bandanas, and monitoring my pee, while doing
the same for them to keep in good condition for me. By 10:00 AM
the temperature had risen to 119 degrees. We reached Furnace Creek
at 12:45 PM, a few minutes after being passed by the eventual winner
of the race, Pam Reed. A short rest in the shade and we were off
to pursue our next goal… Scotty’s Castle turnoff.
Furnace Creek to Scotty’s Castle Turn Off
(miles 17-35): Here the heat really fired up. Several reports had
the temperatures peaking at over 130. Some leg cramping at mile
28 cautioned us to increase my sodium and potassium, which corrected
the problem. At 5:00 PM, mile 29, we changed crews and on came Wendy,
Saundra, and Michele. Admittedly, this stressed me a little as it
altered the routine during a time when I was feeling tired, sore,
and vulnerable, but I stayed deep into my techno music and before
long the new crew had it all together. Although I managed to avoid
blisters on the training runs, it was here that I began to feel
them forming on both heels and pinky toes, so I changed into my
Asics DS Trainers and did some major insole trimming to get me to
Stovepipe Wells. I wanted any “down time” fixing my feet to coincidentally
occur in an air-conditioned room! The liquid diet was holding me
along with saltine crackers and continuously nursing my re-hydration
salt solution. The turn at Scotty’s Castle was eventful in that
I knew that I only had about 7-miles remaining to get to Stovepipe
Wells… 7 long miles!
Scotty’s Castle Turn-Off to Stovepipe Wells
(miles 35-42): During this section my crew suspected that I needed
more calories and began to feed me little squares of PB&J sandwich.
I had minimal pacing before mile 35, as I was content to stay in
my techno zone and wanted to keep my crews as fresh as possible
during the heat. My friend Greg Minter stopped by to pace a little
on the way to Stovepipe. A light show was visible in the northwest
sky and the hot wind blew so hard at times that Greg had to hold
onto my shirt to keep me on the road. Coming into Stovepipe was
a great feeling. I just wanted a cool shower and to get my feet
fixed.
Stovepipe Wells to Towne Pass Summit (miles
42-59): At Stovepipe, we spent 90-minutes to shower, repair blisters,
and drink chicken broth. Mike, in his first ever attempt at blister
treatment/taping, did a mean job! It was well worth the time spent,
as we did not need to tend to blisters again during the remaining
93-miles! Marching up the lower half of Towne Pass was a grind.
The air was hot and the sets of red eyes ahead of me seemed to be
ascending straight up, as though on an escalator. Around 1:20 AM,
I felt groggy and was allowed a 15-minute nap in the front seat
of the van. At 2:00 AM another crew change occurred and I was back
with Larry, Heather and Mike. As Larry paced me up the mountain,
it began to sprinkle, and we enjoyed the cool 88-degrees and a magnificent
blanket of stars. At 6:30 AM (55 miles) I took a 30-minute nap on
the ground. This would be the last time I would sleep for the remainder
of the race. I reached the summit at 7:57 AM, 24-hours into the
race. Another goal accomplished!
Towne Pass Summit to Panamint Springs (mile
59-72): I was warned that this would be a long stretch so I took
it slow, covering the 13-miles in just under six hours. I wanted
to run some of the downhills but my blisters prevented it. During
this time I was visited by a couple of dropped runners. Norm Haines
met me just as I began the descent into Panamint. Ben Jones drove
slowly past, leaning out of his window to talk. The appearance of
these disappointed athletes increased my caution, causing me to
slow down, probably more than I should have. I mentally envisioned
all of us as little ducks in the shooting gallery, moving along
the white line… oops, down goes another one! The break at Panamint
was longer than expected partly because it was timed with a crew
change and partly because of the air-conditioned trailer but by
1:45 PM we were moving up the second mountain!
Panamint to Father Crowley’s Point (mile
71-80): The first few miles leaving Panamint were uncomfortably
hot, but I began to rally as the temperature cooled. Michele, Saundra
and Wendy got me up the mountain, each one pacing me in two-mile
stretches. At Father Crowley’s Point I took a short break in the
van, did some creative shoe cutting, and had my dead feet rubbed
back to life, something that would be repeated often in the hours
to follow. It was probably here that I transitioned into my “robot
mode” and began my “Lamaze breathing” and stopped asking stupid
questions like “Where am I?” or “Didn’t I just take a salt tablet?”
At 4:26 PM, I passed into new territory, where every minute spent
on my feet was a new personal record.
Father Crowley’s Point to Darwin turnoff
(mile 80-90): The 10-mile stretch to Darwin turn-off was exciting
for me. Darwin was a major hurdle, because it was the beginning
of some long down hills and was also the beginning of the second
night. The dark clouds ahead brought lightening, headwinds and rain
blowing in my face. My pacer Wendy and I wondered out loud if the
trekking poles I was using would attract the lightening, but an
even greater concern were the cars speeding by on the wet pavement.
A bright spot here were visits from Rick Nawrocki and Denise Jones,
who both smiled from ear-to-ear for me! Darkness fell early and
we put on our reflectors and lights. We left the Darwin checkpoint
at 8:05 PM, after checking on my friend Louise’s progress earlier
in the day… a little before 11:00 AM… WOW, I was so excited for
her!!! I think this great feeling led to renewed energy for me in
the miles ahead.
Darwin turnoff to Second Sunrise (mile 90-117):
This was a great part of the race for me. The girls added Hammer
Gel and Coke to my diet, a couple of caffeine pills, and I was good
to go! I felt cooler and quite refreshed on the downhill sections.
My legs felt good enough to run but my feet felt like hell. I had
intense foot throbbing that was temporarily relieved by really vigorous
foot scratching/rubbing, which I think got the blood to circulating.
I bargained with my crew that I would run on the down hills in exchange
for 5-minute foot rubs, to be performed every three miles. My feet
would feel quite good for a mile and a half after each massage.
We covered miles 90-110 in about 6-hours, passing several runners/crews
along the way. 2:00 AM was another crew change and seeing Larry
and Heather again was a big boost to me. As Larry and I walked quietly
together in the pre-dawn darkness, I finally began to allow myself
to think about the finish line just 20-miles away.
Sunrise to Lone Pine Checkpoint (mile 117-122):
The long march into Lone Pine was rewarded with a short rest in
the lounge chair and a nibble on McDonald’s scrambled eggs, and
of course… another foot scratching!!! Mike had to leave for work
so we hugged good-bye. Some of Louise’s crew came over to say hello
and knowing that Louise finished the race about 12-hours earlier
I commented, “Aren’t you glad you didn’t crew for me?” Only the
final goal remained… the climb up Whitney Portal Road to the finish!
Lone Pine Checkpoint to Mt. Whitney Portal
(mile 122-134.9): I had 12-hours in the bank to complete the 13-mile
climb… no sweat! But for the first time in the race, I nearly lost
it in those early uphill miles. I felt incredibly hot, sweaty, dizzy
and sleepy. My heart pounded with every step. Larry asked me to
pick up the pace after I had just completed a 40-minute mile. I
was trying to calculate the exact mileage versus time in my head,
but all I could compute was that I had fewer miles remaining than
fingers on my hands, and I was not going to throw it all in the
toilet! With Larry, Saundra, Heather and Michele pacing 1-mile intervals,
we picked up the pace. With about 4 miles remaining, I saw a familiar
face, Craig Chambers, by the side of the road and asked him to jump
in. Craig took me the rest of the way up the mountain, giving my
crew a much-needed rest. Craig was telling me that I was moving
strong, and that the last mile would be wonderful. Craig’s smile
in the photos more than makes up for the lack of mine. The portal
road climb was the toughest part of the race for me. I moaned and
groaned with each step. After more than 50-hours of creeping along
this “comfortable road”, changing clothes, peeing, and pooping in
public view, every ounce of modesty was gone. I had morphed into
some kind of wild animal grunting up the mountain, which is how
I must have sounded. I had such a feeling of urgency knowing I would
make it, but at the same time, fearing I wouldn’t. My wonderful
crew kept appearing around each turn, smiling at me and just like
women about to give birth, I wondered out loud “What the hell is
everybody smiling about?”
The Finish Line (mile 135): Just as more
rain began to fall, my team of yellow shirts came out to greet me.
Larry, Heather, Sandy, Michele, Wendy, Saundra, Mike (actually dummy-Mike
filling in for the real Mike), Craig and I all crossed the finish
line together. To run 100-miles, meeting your crew here and there,
is one thing, but to complete this incredible journey, where your
accomplishment and perhaps your very life, is in the hands of your
entire crew, is quite another thing. And just as each mile was shared,
so the finish should be!
Post Badwater: Three weeks later I am feeling
wonderful and back to running. I attribute my physical condition
to the special care given to me by my exceptional crew. Words cannot
express the gratitude and love I feel for them: My beloved Larry
Dervin, who believes in me more than I believe in myself; My daughter
Heather Shura, who totally gave herself over to helping me (even
though she herself has yet to become a runner); My selfless friend
Sandy Gitmed, who was the backbone of our crew, performing all the
ice runs, hotel arrangements and shuttling and feeding the crew;
My special UltraLadies’ friends Wendy Young, Saundra Whitehead,
Michele Vela and Mike Stephens (UltraLadies’Man), who spent time
away from work and family to be a part of this amazing venture.
I thank you all, and I hope to return the favor some day!
Starry-Eyed Surprise
Lyrics by Paul Oakenfold
(BW memory walking up Towne Pass under a
blanket of stars with a lightening show)
Oooh La La
I see stars
I’m seeing stars…
Like the record spins on the trails we blaze
The walls are closing in but that’s okay.
‘Cause I’ve been waiting all week to feel
this way
And it feels so good, so good.
I’m on top of the world, the coolest kid
in the neighborhood.
So let me be your star for one night, that’s
right.
Sweatbox, laser beams, flashing lights.
You’ve got to feel the rush, feel the spice
of life.
Love life, shifty rolls the dice, snake eyes
surprise.
Icing… Mesmerizing. The minds are sick ones.
‘Cause what we are, are victims of fun.
Come on, come on, the fun is just begun;
Come on the fun is just begun.
Oh my, starry-eyed surprise
Sundown to sunrise, I dance all night.
We’re gonna dance all night,
Dance all night to this DJ.
_________________
Happy Trails, Nancy
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