7/22/07
Racer Orientation Meeting - 3:30 p.m. PT

Death Valley Visitors Center
Furnace Creek, Calif.

Tonight all 84 competitors and at least six crew members each – more than 500 people – gathered in the Visitor Center auditorium to learn how to run the race as organizers say, “safely, fairly and legally.”

It was a moment for me to reflect on why we’re involved. What brought me to the desert today to experience 118 degree F. heat (like standing in a sauna with a hair drier blowing in your face)? Personal challenge? Sure. But there’s more to it than that.

I’m dedicating my race to a special group of people to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude.

The personal challenges of the race pale in comparison to the challenges our military veterans face when returning from active duty. I’m keenly aware of their plight. That’s why I’ve chosen to dedicate my race to the men and women who have served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. The funds I’m raising will be given to the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit that does extraordinary work to help soldiers with disabilities re-enter mainstream society, rejoin their families, and participate in recreational activities.

There’s even a wounded veteran from the WWP, Steve Robison, serving as a member of my support team. Steve served in the Army for three years and was on patrol in Mosul, Iraq, when he was injured.

In addition to funds, I’m seeking to raise awareness of the need for more support of great guys like Steve, and the resources available for our returning veterans. At Jarden, our Operation Careers for Veterans program is designed to identify and hire qualified veterans throughout our organization.

On a lighter note, we thought what better way to demonstrate Coleman’s extraordinary coolers than to serve “dessert in the desert.” At the end of the orientation, we popped open two coolers full of Klondike bars purchased 24 hours before in Las Vegas. The ice cream came out of the coolers rock hard thanks to the insulating power of our Coleman Ultimate Xtreme Wheeled Coolers. More than 250 ice cream bars disappeared into the desert in the hands of both competitors and crew members alike. Smiles all around.

7/25/07 - 2:05 a.m. PT
My Rock

Finish Line
From the heat of the desert, through the blazing sun, a sand storm, across sizzling pavement, there were periods of true agony and plenty of opportunities to quit. Through it all, Julie was my rock. A constant presence, she helped me survive both physically and mentally in a race that drives grown men to tears. We did this race together.

7/25/07 - 1:50 a.m.
Team Coleman

Finish line
My team, family and close friends were amazing. There's no way I could have finished without them. Through all the ups and downs, both mentally and physically, they kept me focused on the final goal. It was a series of small steps that got me to the finish line. My heartfelt thanks go out to (left to right): David Uri, Terri Wein, Rocky Kroeger, Alain Azizi, my wife Julie, Wounded Warrior Steve Robison, my brother Richard, and Michael Gross.

7/25/07 - 1:45 a.m. PT
Medaled and Buckled

Finish line
Shortly after finishing, race director Chris Kostman, the driving force behind the Badwater Ultramarathon, presented me with my hard-earned hardware. I told him it was a great honor to have been accepted into the Badwater family. I've slept a total of maybe 45 minutes in the last 41 hours, but I had a strong finish, thinking about the almost $500,000 we raised for the Wounded Warrior Project. Look at my face: you'd never know that my feet are just killing me.

7/25/07 - sometime after 1 a.m. PT
Breaking the Tape

Finish Line
Exactly 41 hours, 29 minutes and 24 seconds since the sizzling start in Badwater Basin, I crossed the finish line at Whitney Portal, where it was a refreshing 59.9 degrees. What a relief it was over. I finished in 38th place overall, qualifying for the prestigious Badwater buckle (which was my goal).

It may be only a belt buckle to you, but to me it was the symbol of completing the hardest physical challenge of my life. Much harder than the Ironman competitions I entered in Hawaii in 2003 and 2005. The look on my face speaks volumes. I think I was just stunned that I had actually completed the world’s toughest footrace.

7/24/07 - 10:15 p.m. ET
Another World

On the road to Whitney Portal
It's about 13 miles to go and thank God BOB isn't hounding me. That's what my Wounded Warrior Steve Robison calls the sun on this course: Big Orange Ball. BOB was nowhere in sight during this final nighttime push to the Whitney Portal. Running at night was another world. The stars were surreal. What looks like a cloud is really the Milky Way in this clear desert atmosphere. After daytime temperatures that hit 124 degrees out on the desert pavement, running at 65-71 degrees at night with my wife, Julie, at my side was just what I needed to get to the finish line. Julie was always there with water, a cold beverage and constant encouragement.

7/24/07 - 8:05 p.m. PT
Blake Knows

Badwater Race Headquarters
Lone Pine, Calif.
Iraq Marine veteran Blake Benke from New York City (far right) told me how to navigate the final 3.3 miles of steep switchbacks on the road to Whitney Portal. He advised me to reset my wrist odometer to the final mileage and not worry about the 132 miles that had gone before, or the last remaining agonizing miles almost straight up ahead.

Blake should know: the recent subject of a Badwater race feature in the New York Times, he completed this year's Badwater in 8th place. Blake told me just finishing Badwater was a life-changing experience, worth all the pain. That's my team member Michael Gross taking a break in the background.

7/24/07 - 7:50 p.m. PT
Agony of

Badwater Team Headquarters
Lone Pine, Calif.
As every runner knows, as the feet go, so goes the race. As I rested in the medical center at the Dow Villa, 13 miles from the finish line, John Vonhof (right), author of "Fixing Your Feet" (Wilderness Press), went to work on my tired, sore feet. He was more than a miracle worker, he saved my race with a combination of tincture of benzoic and some breathable Kinesio Tex tape to control my blisters. John reminded me that, "A finish is a win."

7/24/07 - 10:30 a.m. PT
Human NASCAR Car

19 miles from Lone Pine
Every time a member of my team runs up and gives me whatever I need, I think of a NASCAR car in the pits. Only instead of gas, oil and new tires, my team offers water, soda or whatever else I need to make it another mile forward. Sometimes I take a few moments to lie down to cool off with ice, change shoes and socks, answer the call of nature, or have a bite to eat. And speaking of pits, I'm starting to feel a little ripe after running for more than 24 hours now. It's a unique combination of smells - human sweat, dirt, sunscreen and Vasoline. Look up the definition of "funky" in the dictionary and there I am.

7/24/07 - 10:10 a.m. PT
Running Buddy

About 20 miles from Lone Pine
Alain Azizi (left) is an important part of my crew and often runs with me. Of course, it's not that I can hear what he's saying. I usually stay motivated listening to Bob Marley or pioneer reggae musician Peter Tosh. It helps me remain focused one mile at a time.

7/24/07 - 9:30 a.m. PT
Lighting the Way

Finish line at Whitney Portal
Shortly after winning the Badwater Ultramarathon with a record-breaking time, Brazilian Valmir Nunes received the Coleman Gold Lantern Award "For Lighting the Way."

The company is also providing for the first time commemorative red lanterns for the final finishers - man and woman - "For Never Giving Up." Traditionally, the final Badwater finishers have been called Red Lantern Award winners, but until now there was no official award to go along with the title.

Check out his running shirt: 2005 record breaker Scott Jurek of Seattle provided Valmir with some words of encouragement.

7/24/07 - 9 a.m. PT
Badwater Ben

Whitney Portal
Ben Jones, 74, a resident of Lone Pine, Calif., started running Badwater back when it was 146 miles long and continued from Badwater Basin to the summit of Mt. Whitney - the highest mountain in the lower 48. His personal best was a 49-hour, 52-minute run set at the age of 58 from Badwater to the current finish line at Whitney Portal. He takes a break eating some ice cream purchased three days before and kept frozen in Coleman's Ultimate Xtreme Wheeled Cooler.

7/24/07 - 8:50 a.m. PT
A New Course Record

Finish line at Whitney Portal
While I was still 20 miles outside Lone Pine, I learned that Brazilian Valmir Nunes, 43, from Santos, Sao Paulo, broke the course record with a time of 22 hrs. 51 min. 29 sec. Valmir beat the record by almost two hours set in 2005 by Scott Jurek of Seattle. I am in awe of Valmir's stamina. Believe me, I know how hard it is to run 135 miles in the desert heat.

7/23/07 - 3:05 p.m. PT
Cold Treat on a (Really) Hot Day

Badwater attracted 84 competitors this year, each dependent on a dedicated support crew of six hard-working team members. Because they work almost as hard as the athletes, Coleman reached out to many with an unexpected treat: Klondike bars in the desert. At 111 degrees F., they came out of the Ultimate Xtreme cooler at a cool 20 degrees F. If our coolers work in Death Valley, it's a pretty good bet that your food, cold drinks and ice will last a long time on your next camping trip.

7/23/07 - 2:15 p.m. PT
Dessert in the Desert

A runner and his entire team enjoyed an unexpected treat - ice cream from Coleman in the middle of the world's most challenging footrace.

It was all part of our "Dessert in the Desert" demonstration, proving the incredible insulating ability of Coleman's Ultimate Xtreme coolers. The ice cream was still rock hard after being kept in the cooler for more than 48 hours.

7/23/07 - 1 p.m. PT
With a Little Help from my Friends

To participate in a race like this requires a crew of dedicated people to follow along with all the essentials for survival in the desert. I couldn't do this without the help of Alain Azizi (right), and his team that includes Michael Gross, Rocky Kroeger, Steve Robison of the Wounded Warrior Project, David Uri and Terry Wein. They anticipate my every need and are there to cheer me on with food, water and great encouragement.

7/23/07
Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner

It’s only minutes into the race, but I’m already beginning to realize that this promises to be a lonely two days – just me, my music, and 135 miles ahead. Of course, it’s nice to know my crew is somewhere close by to back me up.

7/23/07 - 8 a.m. PT
I'm Ready

Starting Line
I feel as ready as I’ll ever be. Sunglasses: check. iTune Shuffle full of reggae songs: got it. Legionnaire’s hat: must watch that sun. Neck gator full of ice: yeah, like that’s going to help? Now: who’s the genius who decided I should run 135 miles non-stop? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO!

7/23/07 - before the race
Gumby & Friends

Minutes before the start was the traditional photo op in front of the sign that identifies the lowest point in North America. That’s my friend Vito Bialla to my immediate right (in the Zoot shirt and shades) who convinced me to run when he said hundreds of thousands had competed in the Ironman triathlon, but only a few hundred have run Badwater. How could I resist? By the way, that little green rubbery figure above the sign is Gumby, the race mascot. Go figure.

7/23/07 - before the race
Race Director

Chris Kostman, race director, is the driving force behind the Badwater Ultramarathon. He convinced The Coleman Company that a desert race was the ultimate test for its Ultimate Xtreme cooler. We decided to give all 84 runners and their crews each a cooler for their food and water.

7/22/07 - 7 p.m. PT
Temperature in Death Valley

Furnace Creek, Calif.
This is no test lab. It is outside in the shade.

7/22/07 - 3:30 p.m. PT
Racer Orientation Meeting

Death Valley Visitors Center
Furnace Creek, Calif.

Tonight all 84 competitors and at least six crew members each – more than 500 people – gathered in the Visitor Center auditorium to learn how to run the race as organizers say, “safely, fairly and legally.”

It was a moment for me to reflect on why we’re involved. What brought me to the desert today to experience 118 degree F. heat (like standing in a sauna with a hair drier blowing in your face)? Personal challenge? Sure. But there’s more to it than that.

I’m dedicating my race to a special group of people to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude. The personal challenges of the race pale in comparison to the challenges our military veterans face when returning from active duty. I’m keenly aware of their plight. That’s why I’ve chosen to dedicate my race to the men and women who have served our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. The funds I’m raising will be given to the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit that does extraordinary work to help soldiers with disabilities re-enter mainstream society, rejoin their families, and participate in recreational activities.

There’s even a wounded veteran from the WWP, Steve Robison, serving as a member of my support team. Steve served in the Army for three years and was on patrol in Mosul, Iraq, when he was injured.

In addition to funds, I’m seeking to raise awareness of the need for more support of great guys like Steve, and the resources available for our returning veterans. At Jarden, our Operation Careers for Veterans program is designed to identify and hire qualified veterans throughout our organization.

On a lighter note, we thought what better way to demonstrate Coleman’s extraordinary coolers than to serve “dessert in the desert.” At the end of the orientation, we popped open two coolers full of Klondike bars purchased 24 hours before in Las Vegas. The ice cream came out of the coolers rock hard thanks to the insulating power of our Coleman Ultimate Xtreme Wheeled Coolers. More than 250 ice cream bars disappeared into the desert in the hands of both competitors and crew members alike. Smiles all around.