Mission Possible -- Badwater

Incredible Emotional Journey (Part 3)

At around mile 112-113, like a mirage, a Warrior appeared on the desert horizon. This Warrior came in the impressive form of Navy Seal David Goggins. You need to realize that David had just finished 3rd place overall and to put it in his words was obviously "broke down". Well folks, from where I stood, I could certainly sympathize with him. But here he was, in his Crocs, out there only to help me reach my goal. We were the "broke down brothers". Everyone stayed out there, cheering with the same enthusiasm, while David joined me for every painful step, while the Dream Crew continued patching me up. It amazed me to see David's energy, as he was upbeat, positive and made me laugh through some pretty tough times. Shortly, he donned a pair of running shoes and we pushed, mile-after-mile. As we got to the edge of Lone Pine, cars started slowing to see what was going on with the pitiful-looking crooked man with the silly walk. Some crews and runners were out of their motels and on the side of the highway clapping, while tourists and locals slowed their cars to witness this scary sight. Some clapped and shouted encouragement. Others showed tears in their eyes. All the while, John Rennison and the wonderful Canadians were right there every step of the way. All of David's crew, including his beautiful wife and wonderful mother were there every mile to my new goal. The Dream Crew never backed off for a second. I asked David to pick up a large rock on the side of the road, which I used for a short time as a counter-balance, but I soon discarded it. With just 5 minutes left on the race clock we saw race director Chris Kostman and were finally there. I grabbed a light pole for support and stood there enjoying what my mentor Vernon Char had taught me to do: "Live in the Moment." For the past 2 1/2 days, I had been doing nothing but that.

All that was left was to ride down to the post-race pizza party to join the entrants and their crews. As we walked ito the auditorium filled primarily with official finishers, they began to clap. I turned and gave David a well-earned big hug and the crowd stood and gave a standing ovation. In my eyes, this ovation was for everyone in the room. Everyone there deserved a standing ovation for their courage and determination. I was proud to be among them.

What, for me, is the single most incredible emotional experience of the entire journey?  As my wonderful wife Heather and I were walking to her car after the party, she stopped and gave me a hug that I will never forget, and said, "I'm so very proud of you !" Whew ! That did it for me ! The tears really started to flow ! She had been out there every day and night filming and reporting for KHNL television. It wouldn't have been near the same without her being there with her love and support.

As you can imagine, there still remains a lot to be said and many thank you's to be given. more to come...

Incredible Emotional Journey (Part 2)

The NASCAR-style Dream Crew continued at a feverish pace, making sure that I had no time to take a breath. Of course, had you been there to see the pitiful old man with the silly walk, you would have known not to eat-up even a second of the valuable time. There wasn't going to be a second to waste. Our new goal to reach Lone Pine at mile 122.3 miles had taken-on the same importance as the original goal to reach the finish line. Somewhere around mile 106, we were invaded by the wild Canadians, Monica Scholz and the John Rennison crew, complete with John, who had just completed his first Badwater, in less than 38 hours. Needless to say, John was toast, but somehow managed to get out of bed and come give the ol' man some rousing support. Well guys, Monica pulled out her invisible whip and began working on getting me down the road as quickly as possible. There's no one alive that can motivate better than The Ultimate Super Chick. Monica's beau, Phil, was the next to take over her whip and was doing a great job and as we approached the vehicles,  where Monica and those crazy Canadians were dancing on the shoulder of the highway to music from their crew van. It was too much ! In spite of all the hoopla, the Dream Crew continued doing their job...boom, boom, boom and out of there ! If that wasn't enough, at the end of the next mile there was Cheryl leading a Conga line, with the crazy Canadians in tow ! All the while, a stove-up John Rennison somehow managed to do everything under the "moon" to keep me laughing. How could you think about your pain with all that going on ! The painful miles were melting away much quicker.

Around mile 111, one of the David Goggins crew vans arrived and David's crew emptied out and joined the crazy Canadians and our crew, clapping and cheering as Phil and I approached. The many crew vehicles lined up along the highway was an obvious indication of the rousing support by so many wonderful people. One part of me felt like yelling for joy, while the other part wanted to cry from gratitude. The tears were much tougher to control. As each mile passed, my poor ol' tired, weak back got tighter and tighter, with the muscles spasming into larger and larger knots. Each mile, I would stop more and more frequently, trying to quickly stretch it out to where I could last until Mike could give me some brief relief. Each mile, my lean woud get more pronounced and the pain more severe. Still, Mike worked his magic, giving me relief for a few seconds before the cycle began repeating itself more severely. The Dream Crew never relented, never gave up, and never let me see anything in their eyes that would tell me that we couldn't do it. In their eyes, Lone Pine was only no more than a few miles away. Still the supporters stayed when I knew their tired bodies would rather be somewhere else. On several occasions as I lay on the mat with Mike hovering over me, John Rennison would gingerly crouch on the hot gravel and say something zany to help take my mind off the pain. At every mile they were all out there on the side of the long, hot highway, cheering and giving me the strength to continue....more to come

Incredible Emotional Journey (Part 1)

Aloha Friends !

Wow, what a ride ! With all that has transpired over the past few days, it's going to require several posts to do the experience justice. There's just so much that needs to be said and so many great people that need to be thanked. Mike Muench's poetic post, "The Crooked Man" more than ably gives you the essence of our particular experience. Please read it. It's classic !

Incredible Emotional Journey (Part 1)

As for the race, the first 50+ miles went like a dream...feeling great and 2 hours ahead of schedule. The Dream Crew was nothing short of a dream, working like a finely tuned machine. It was a beautiful day, cooler than normal due to being cloudy. I started noticing lower back pain at 55 miles while going up the 17 mile climb up to Townes Pass, and by 72 miles it had become much worse. From that point the pace was painfully slow, having to stop and stretch too often to get myself upright, only to repeat the process every few minutes, especially up the steep mountain to Father Crowleys. However, I was still optimistic that we could finish. At 96 miles we were visited by the course chiropractor, who almost pleaded with me to hang it up, saying I could do permanent damage. At this point, we knew in our hearts that there was no way that I could finish in the allotted time, as I had slowed to almost a crawl, due to my back, so we planted the wooden stake the race gave us at my stopping point and headed to Lone Pine to shower, eat and for some rest, with a plan to return in the morning to the spot and log a few more miles before popping the champagne to celebrate. After all, 101 miles would be a PR (personal record).

The morning was magical and everyone was relaxed and in great spirits. Everyone took turns pacing, Mike, Cheryl, PJ, Vernon, John, and Leon. We easily reached 101 miles and since the back was doing okay and everyone was having fun, we decided to log a few more. Besides, the PR was getting sweeter and sweeter. Somewhere around 106 miles, Heather mentioned to me that it would be great if we could make Lone Pine at 122 miles, before the race clock expired at 6 pm.  I looked at my watch and did the math, thinking "no way !", but said "sure, we can try". From this point on the mood changed. We were back in full race mode. The crew got frantic. For those of you that have watched the pit crews at the Indy 500 or Nascar, and have seen the cars coming into the pits and boom, boom, boom, they are jacked up...the tires changed...gassed-up...windows cleaned and out of there, you can picture what our crew was like ! After each mile I'd cross the highway...they'd drop me down on a mat on the ground ...Mike would start massaging my back and working on my glutes and hips...Cheryl would be sticking food in my mouth...PJ would be fixing my water bottle...Leon would be putting a new ice bandana...John would be computing my pace and the miles...then they'd pull me up and slap my butt and send me back out there with Vernon or whoever the pacer was at the time. Just like Nascar! It was exciting !

Part 2 to follow

There was a Crooked Man

(Don asked me to move this over to this site from the HURT Hawaii Site)

The crooked man crab walked down the desert highway turning the light comedy of Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks into a separate circle of Hell, the pain on his face adding that final twist of reality that brought people to cheer or turn their faces in horror. But the bent man didn’t hear most of it, didn’t have time to raise a hand even if he could have managed it, he just jigged painfully on toward the top of the long desert mountain, down another hard hot highway, and on toward an Emerald City that lay shrouded in the dusty air, little more than myth at the end of a fractured yellow brick road.

He went as far as his friends could help him, as far as his body could carry him, as far as his determination could will. Then, somewhere down 98 miles of desert highway, since it was really only a race, and when it looked like he could permanently damage himself, he drove the stake into the earth and laid down to rest. But he didn’t quit, he didn’t despair, or lament his weaknesses. He rose in the morning, pulled up the stake and once again began the crooked but unbroken walk toward the green meadows of many a runner’s heaven, Lone Pine, the last of the desert check points on his long hard journey.

Comfort Zone and Great Account of Don's Adventure from a Crew Member

I've been thinking a lot about what Don accomplished over the last several hours. It reminds me of what I used to tell people when I would ask them to step outside their comfort zone. Our comfort zone expands and contracts. It's dynamic. Don stretched his today and so did a lot of people around him. Comfort zones are neither good or bad. They keep us safe and protect us and the only way we learn as humans is to step outside or stretch the limits of our comfort zone. In my past, we used to routinely ask people to go as far as they could go and take one more step, whatever that meant for them. You see, comfort zones are personal. We each have a different one. Don clearly went as far as he could go and then he took several more steps. I am theorizing that Don spent much of the day outside his comfort zone and in doing so, will come away from this event a changed man. He will have learned more about himself today in a few short hours, than many people do in a lifetime. Great job Don! I look forward to hearing more about your learning and how this has changed you. I am grateful to know you.

Click here to read Mike's view on Don's race.

From Don, Post Race

Don received a standing ovation as he walked into the gym for the post race festivities.

I've just gotten off the phone with Don. He's at the Best Western in Lone Pine. I could tell he was totally blown away by all of the support he has received. It was an emotional call.

His wife Heather told me there was not a dry eye in the house or for that matter, along the road as Don made the final steps across the finish line. People were clapping, cheering, and dancing in support of Don.

David Goggins and his mother, wife and crew were with Don the entire last 10 miles. David went every last step with Don. So were the crew of John Rennison, the Canadian runner Monica was crewing for today.

I did not get Don's specific flight info, however he is returning to Hawaii Thursday evening around 9:30 p.m. he thought.

There will be a lot of stories from Don, his crew, and others. Please check back here as we will continue to update this site with this amazing story.

He's Finished and We Are Very Proud of Him!!

Don made it into Lone Pine with 5 minutes to spare! He stuck with it when he could have and many people would have quit. I am expecting to hear from him directly at some point and hope to have some photo's. Click to enlarge this image.

David Goggins Runs with Don!

In the latest update from Cheryl, I learn that David Goggins is now running with Don. For those of you who don't know David. First, he is an extremely humble and nice guy. Second, he's an active duty, U.S. Navy Seal, third--he finished Badwater in 3rd place overall this year!!. David is also a two-time H.U.R.T. 100 finisher. Last year in his first attempt at Badwater, he finished 5th overall. He also finished his first triathlon this last year, the Ultraman which is essentially a double Ironman held each November on the Big Isle. Yes, it was his first triathlon. In other words, he's a pretty strong and tough guy! Look around on the Badwater site, there are plenty of photo's of David.

Cheryl told me David did the first two miles in Croc's before his crew was able to get him his running shoes. He has had Don running again.

Go Don Go!
Aloha, Bob

Support While In Minnesota

On Monday, the day the race started, I was in Minneapolis visiting a client, Midwest Mountaineering, before we returned to Hawaii. Don had given me one of his Badwater crew shirts in appreciation for the early support I gave him with core training and creating this blog. I told him I would wear it Monday in support of him at the race. What was fun is that I told my client about Don and we used his computer to check on Don's practice. There were already some early photos of Don along the course. Click the photo to enlarge it.

I just Talked with Don and Cheryl

Aloha Supporters of Don,

I've just spoken with Don and he sounds great. He's had a few issues with his back, OK, maybe challenge is a stronger term, that has slowed him considerably. They are doing what they can with it, massage, brace, chiropractor, etc. His spirits are great. He wants to thank everyone for all of the support, positive energy, and well wishes he has received.

What was really cool, his friend and ultra runner, Monica Scholz, herself a past Badwater participant had just shown up and was going out with him on the course. They are at mile 105 and will go as far as they can.

Go Don Go!!

Aloha, Bob