Redneckistan Romp

Sunday June 21 was Father's Day and Summer Solstice. I decided a while back that I needed to somehow get a decent length of time on my feet in the heat if I was going to feel ready to pace Bob at Badwater this summer, given my lack of "training" all year. It took forever for the temperatures to warm up this spring, but finally we got a few 90+ degree days last week.

Daylight was supposed to last 15 hours and 5 minutes, so I chose to stay out on the roads for that amount of time. Sunrise was 5:30 am, sunset at 8:35 pm.

I decided against a donut or brewery-themed run, since I needed the time on my feet, and I already reached a lifetime high weight this spring. I didn't need any more reasons to stuff my face. So I chose to stick to running and moving forward instead of breaking it up with extended stops that served no purpose for preparation. There are no Dunkin Donuts or breweries in Death Valley. Though it wouldn't be a bad idea...

Regardless, I'm already well-trained on the eating and drinking parts, it's the moving forward on my feet that needs attention.

I chose a road route with some difficult hills, followed by a long flat stretch, similar to Badwater conditions, only about 30 degrees cooler. I decided to go out the Spring Creek Trail bike path, get on the road going up by the stadium and over Maniac Hill first and down to Harmony Road, then back up over Maniac and northward over the big hills on Centennial down to Bellvue, then turning onto the Bingham Hill Road for another short set of rollers.

Then the route went back up over Bingham Hill and south along Centennial to repeat the big hills, down past the stadium and back home via the Spring Creek Trail, with a quick resupply stop at home, followed by more long loops or out & backs as needed to fill out the last several hours.

The temperature was supposed to hit the mid-90s, and it's a good 36 mile route from the start until the first stop back at the house, so I knew I'd need to carry a lot of fluid. I arranged with Dennis to meet along Bingham Hill road somewhere in the last morning for resupply of food, fluids, and ice.

After that I figured I could make it back to the house and do the rest of it on my own. The other advantage was that I'd have to carry a lot of weight in my big Ultimate running pack, which will prepare me for what it will be like at the Grand Canyon this fall when I have to have enough to get through the long stretches north of Phantom Ranch, in case the water is already turned off at the north Rim.

I left the house at exactly 5:30 am, running west along Spring Creek. My friend Jen planned to meet me a couple of miles in, and she was running toward me when I got to College Avenue. We ran west and she stayed with me until the beginning of the climb up to the reservoir. We had a great discussion about the science of nutrition and the recommended guidelines for nutrition which are about to be rolled out this year. Jen attended a Galloway running workshop the day before in Estes Park and was excited about that, too.

She turned around to go home for a 14 mile run and I continued up the hill. On the way down Maniac I saw HUGE snake wafer and I couldn't help chuckling about our conversation earlier. Was it gluten-free? Paleo? Raw?

It was early on a Sunday morning but by 3 hours into my run I could already see the throngs of people headed up to the reservoir for the day. Crazy people, lots of motorcycles whizzing by, rubbernecking at everything on the side of the road, guys in big trucks revving their engines loudly, sporting tattoos, reeking of cigarettes and cologne, puffing their chests behind the wheel as they stepped on the gas passing bikini-clad recreators, women yakking away on their cell phones as they drove the tight curves on the road. It looked like someone unlocked the doors to the sensory deprivation chamber and let them all out. Did these people have any concept of peace and quiet?

I realized that I usually am not up here on the weekends, and this was a reminder of why.

I stopped to use one of the pit toilets at Rotary Park and then sat on the concrete outside to pull some drinks out of my pack. That was when I discovered that PBJ tortillas wrapped in plastic bags don't hold up very well with sweating, icy waterbottles. They were soggy and indistinguishable from a pile of fresh roadkill. I had to toss them, there was no way. I had enough gel and peanut butter packets to make it until Dennis met me.

I continued north over the hills and down into the valley, turning just before Bellvue to go over Bingham Hill road. I got a text from Dennis that he was on his way, he caught me almost at the turnaround, before the last little rise. He brought me a breakfast sandwich from Starbucks, more drinks, ice, and PBJ tortillas. I stuffed a big blob of ice in my bandana and tied it around my neck, stuffed the pack as full as I could, carrying more than a gallon of fluids.

Once I turned around at the bottom at the intersection of Overland Hill road and started heading back, I began to see even more traffic. Lots of bicycles, riding mostly in groups. They'd stop at the top of the hill and wait for each other. Some impatient motorists would get behind them, following slowly, as if it were such an imposition to have to slow down. Does it really hurt to put the brakes on? All they had to do was wait for another 50 meters for the bikes to have enough room to move over, but the drivers acted like it was the end of the world.

There is no shoulder on most of the stretch of road between Bingham Hill and Lory State Park turnoff. There were lots of big trucks with attitudes. I couldn't see their truck nuts, but I'm sure they were there. That's when I remembered "Redneckistan". I always called it my Rambo Run when we used to live in this part of town when I was in graduate school. People drive big loud trucks fast, and they either try to run you off the road or assert their ownership of it. That where snake wafers come from.

Once on the hill up to the north dam again, there was a wide shoulder and a bit more safety. Still, the traffic kept coming. It felt like rush hour, nonstop flow of traffic all the way along the reservoir. When I finally made it back to Spring Creek Trail it was quiet again, no more cars. I was finished with the tough hilly section and headed home for quick stop.

On my way down the bike path it was quiet enough so I decided to call my dad to wish him a happy Father's Day. The oncologist finally decided that the chemo he was on isn't working, so he's getting a quick break and then will go on a different chemo. They are headed to California soon to escape the Arizona heat. I hope he will feel well enough to enjoy it.

Soon after I got off the phone with dad, I needed to get more cold fluids out of the main compartment of my pack. I started looking for a place to stop in the shade where I could stop. I saw a bench ahead of me under a huge cottonwood, nice and shady. I made a beeline for it, and just as I arrived, a family on bicycles, quite overweight, was headed up the trail, coming up a small rise. As I unbuckled the straps, whipped off my pack and set it down on the bench, the woman and girl got off their bikes, looking at me with a strange, slightly disgusted look on their faces.

I thought, maybe they wanted the bench, so I said, "You can sit down here, I'll only be here for a minute". The woman got an even more disgusted look on her face, and said, "No, thank you." Total contempt. And they moved their bikes over to a picnic table a few yards away, under some trees. She looked at me like I was an alien. I guess my hat, or the way I looked at that point, 35 miles into my run, or the fact that I took their shady spot and apparently outran them to it, pissed her off. I gave her my best Miranda Sings smile impression, minus the lipstick, rearranged the bottles in my pack, and took off.

I ran into another runner I haven't seen in a while, we stopped and talked for a few minutes, then Jen came by on her bike to see how I was doing. Soon I was home and drinking iced tea, refilling my pack with another heavy load of frozen bottles and an icy bandana, stuffing my face with food out of the fridge. I had slowed down and it didn't look like I would get a huge mileage accumulation, but it didn't matter. The time on my feet was more important.

I spent a total of 15 minutes in the house. Lucky we don't have central AC or it would have been hard to get back out there. It was only 91 degrees according to my phone but the road felt much hotter. I went out toward Warren Lake and did a big loop out by the Power Trail before coming back home, about a 10 mile loop. My phone battery was dying so I came back to the house, plugged in the phone and ran out for another mile or so while it had time to charge, then I came back and grabbed it again.

It stayed warm up until an hour before sunset. At one point I passed a portapotty that had been sitting out in the blazing sun all day and realized it didn't smell too bad, probably better than I did. I was comfortable all day, I'd been taking an S cap every hour and drinking plenty to lighten my pack. The only places on my body with a hint of discomfort were my feet, with hot spots I didn't bother to mess with, since I'd be home soon enough, and my neck and shoulders from carrying a 10 pound pack all day.

I headed out for the last time to Warren Lake, catch the sunset for a final out and back to coincide perfectly with my planned finish time. There weren't a lot of clouds so the sunset wasn't nearly as spectacular as it usually is. Still, the view of Longs Peak and Indian Peaks on the horizon was worth stopping for the photographs.

I got back to the house at precisely 8:35 pm. I could not wait to take off my shoes and socks. Dennis fed me mango slices, and I drank cold drinks, stuck a beer in the freezer, ate some food, took a shower, drank the beer, figured out my distance and vertical, and went to bed.

Turned out I got 50.6 miles and 3116 feet of climb, and the same of descent. Slow pace, but that was up and down those gnarly hills with a 10 pound pack in the heat, and mostly walking all day. Not bad. I feel better about being ready to support Bob now.

My feet were swollen and still have heat rash, along with my thighs, and other than that my neck and shoulders were sore all day. I feel good otherwise. I'm wondering if I might need to bump up my shoe size to 8 1/2 soon, because my toes feel bashed. I was running some pretty steep downhills with a heavy pack, but I wonder if my feet continue to expand. When I started running in 1984, I wore a size 6. Now I'm at an 8.

I'm just glad I survived Redneckistan. The days are getting shorter now. I did my long training run. All is well.

A Walk With the Goblins

What a gorgeous day along the Front Range!

I started my day too early, woke up at 5:15. I thought of going out for a run and getting an early start, but I couldn't clear the fog enough to go downstairs and make coffee. So I went back to bed. I slept until 7:30, and decided to bag the run, and get my butt in gear so I could go to Denver and spend as much time as possible with Steph.

Traffic wasn't bad in the morning and I got to ehr house by 10. We hung out and caught up until it was time to go over to Karen & Pat's for the No Goblin Gas 50K run and BBQ. We drove over to Karen's house and were going to drop off some stuff before we went to the trailhead, but Steph couldn't remember the code to get in the garage, so we went to the trailhead instead. We were giggling about our memory issues.

We got to the trailhead and met Ed and Sylvia there. Ed took off with the boys and the three of us women took off down the trail for a walk. Sylvia was great. I can tell that this group of ultrarunners have completely accepted her even though she doesn't run. She's great for Ed, smart, strong, and funny. I am so happy they found each other. Sylvia and I also discovered that we are both originally from Philadelphia.

It was a nice day, a little on the warm side, but not hot.

After about an hour we headed back to Karen & Pat's house to start setting up, Steph remembered how to get into the house. We got things going and soon everyone started to show up. There were lots of people, ultrarunners I didn't know, or recognized from the remote past. I saw a few people I hadn't seen in years. And there were dogs, and babies, so we had it all covered.

There were quite a few younger ultrarunners there, asking me all kinds of questions about Badwater, and other races I've done. They're so intense when they ask me the questions. It's like they expect this hard-core superbuff extreme intense psycho athlete, and they find themselves talking to a middle-aged, graying, wrinkling, not skinny or buffed-out, short little person wearing normal clothes, not decorated with a bunch of sponsors or athletic company logos, who just answers their questions. They probably think I'm the wife of one of the other runners there.

I think they are always shocked. "Oh, YOU'RE Alene? I've heard about your adventures." It's funny because I always tell people, I really don't take racing all that seriously.

Then they give me that funny look, "But don't you train for it?"

Yes I do train hard for Badwater, but just to finish alive, you have to. What I don't take seriously is the competitiveness. I just get out there and do my thing. If I want to run fast, I train to run fast and I put my mind to it when I'm in the race. If I'm just out there to socialize and finish, then I socialize and finish. I really don't worry about it when I'm training and I certainly don't worry about what people think of my performance or how I measure up to other runners.

They ask me what I eat, and how much I drink. I tell them, I eat any food that sounds good, and I have no idea how much I drink. I don't keep track. And then they look even more surprised. When they asked me the question about how much I drink, I looked across the table at Ed. He tried to answer for me, but he didn't know either. He runs the same way I do, he doesn't worry about it. He just goes out and finishes.

There's a lot to be said for not being OCD about every element of training. You can't be or you'll drive yourself crazy.

I wish I could teach that to up and coming runners. I won't pound myself into the ground, or keep track of every little thing I do. There are too many other things in life worth enjoying that you can't enjoy if you live, eat, sleep and breathe ultrarunning.

I see so many young ultrarunners get out there, when they first discover they can run 100 miles, and they get fixated on pushing their bodies to the limit. I can understand the curiosity factor- just how much can I do? How far can I go? They try to find out how many miles a week they can run, or how many 100 milers in a year, how much vertical or how many miles they can run in a year, and the physical fatigue and mental burnout are waiting there for them, like a pile of fresh dog poop. Eventually they will step in it...

How's that for an analogy? But it's all part of learning, and discovering your limits, and that's what this sport is all about. I always hope I can help people avoid the pitfalls that I and other people have experienced along the way.

It was Ed's birthday last month and we had a cake for him. He's feeling spunky at 63. He challenged a guy 10 years older than him to a race, it was the father of one of the 30 something ultrarunners there. Ed was a little surprised when the other guy took him up on it! Maybe you should keep your mouth shut, Ed! We all got a good laugh out of that scene...

On my way home, traffic was backed up on all the northbound routes, I-25 and everything parallel to it. I found a way to get off the exit ramp on 76, and get on 270, which I took to highway 85, and north to Greeley. So it took me two hours to get home. But it beats sitting in bumper to bumper traffic in Denver.

Steph and I are excited about planning a girls' trip to Death Valley next spring. We're going to check out all the places we never have time to visit when we're there for Badwater.

Over the past week I came up with more ideas on how to de-stress. I'll be putting those into action when I get back from OKC.

Tomorrow, easy 12 miles on the agenda, and I have to start packing for my trip and race! I can't believe it's the end of October already.

TGIA

As far as I'm concerned, summer can end each year when I get back from Death Valley. By late July, I'm done with the heat, I'm ready for the screaming kids in the neighborhood to go back to school, and I'm ready for the best running days ahead. From August through November, the weather keeps getting better and better for running, until we start getting the storms that bring ice to the roads.

I did a grand total of 115 miles of running during the month of July. I did more miles on the bike than I did running. But finally, I don't feel like my legs are flat and stiff and sluggish anymore when I go out to run.

What a week this end of July has been. I've experienced every possible emotion, and all somehow connected with running...hope, happiness, joy, envy, anticipation, sadness...I'm not even sure where to start!

I guess I'll start with the bad news and work my way to the good news.

At Western State College in Gunnison and at Adams State College in Alamosa, there is a long standing running rivalry that exists to this day. Their cross country and track teams, considered among the best in the nation, are just two hours’ drive away from each other, each with their own distinct cultures, but close enough that many friendships develop between the running alumni of the two schools.

On Friday July 20th, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference awarded Hall of Fame awards to several individuals and teams. Among the recipients were the 1986 Western State College men’s cross country team, and Pat Porter, a two-time Olympian, and an Adams State alumnus. My husband Dennis was an assistant coach of the 1986 Western State team, having graduated from and competed for Western State College. Dennis was a national champion in the 3000 meter steeplechase, ran against Pat in cross country, and was a teammate of Pat's on the U.S. team at the World Cross Country Championships in 1990. This picture is of Pat in the middle, flanked by our friend Steve Cathcart (left) and Dennis (right), at the Hall of Fame awards less than two weeks ago.

This past Thursday, July 26th, we heard the shocking news that Pat, along with his 15 year old son and son’s friend, were killed in a plane crash.

Pat was admired by so many runners. They were in awe of him, and he inspired them. He was funny. He used to call Dennis “The Truck”, a reference to his relentless, solid, focused running style. I have laughed many times over the years over that reference to the truck.

Pat was 53 when he died. His wife Trish and their daughter have lost a husband and father, son and brother. Words don't do justice to such a tragedy.



This morning I was out for my normal human being run of 5 miles on the bike path, and I ran into a neighbor whom I know from the cancer support group I often attend. I saw him out walking his dog just before I left for Death Valley. He and his wife were just processing the news of a recurrence of his cancer, without many treatment options, but they were going forward wth more chemo. He had just had his first cycle of chemo when I saw him then.

When I saw him this morning walking his dog on the bike path, he was bald. His hair was falling out already, and he buzzed what was left off. We talked for a few minutes. He's in good spirits despite the dire news and the steroids that have caused him to gain weight and mess with his moods and sleep, and his second chemo cycle starts tomorrow. We laughed about getting charged up for Chemo Monday.

Tomorrow is Chemo Monday for both of us. I'll most likely be giving chemo to some other patient where I work. Somewhere, someone is out there running an adventure run, and we're at Chemo Monday.

Speaking of adventure runs, yesterday Cheryl Zwarkowski finished her Badwater triple crossing of 405 miles. That means she must not have done Whitney, so like me, she stuck to road crossings. It took her 12 days. A big congratulations to Cheryl for her accomplishment. I wish I could have been out there too, and more.

Oh yes, I'm envious. Not to mention the reference to her post-Badwater vacation in Hawaii.

Money is the biggest limiting factor that I have when it comes to doing these adventure runs. I suppose I will need to get after it and find some sponsors or support, because I'd like to be able to go beyond what I've done before, but it takes me too long to save that kind of money on my own. Another project...

What I really enjoyed most this past week was going for a bike ride with my friend Troy. We were planning to do about a 30 mile ride, and he asked me to pick the route, so I took him toward Windsor to do a loop over there. When we stopped for a water break, I pointed out the path that goes to all the way to Greeley, that I've ridden dozens of times, but not yet this year.

He mentioned that we ought to do that some time. Then I suggested we go that way, and he went along with it. We ended up riding over 50 miles, which was his longest ride ever. We went slow and easy, and he was really strong at the end, so I'm sure he had a lot more miles in him. I usually ride alone, so it was great to have him along and get a chance to talk for hours instead of in 2 minute sound bites passing between work shifts.

I've been told I have that effect on people if they run or ride with me, I can sneak in an extra 20 miles before they even realize what's happened.

And the other happy news is, I'm not running an ultra in August, I'm going to the beach instead, with Dennis! We're going out to visit my parents in Manhattan Beach in August for a few days. I can't wait.

So...I go back to work Chemo Monday tomorrow and then Tuesday. By Wednesday it will be work hangover time and another week will be halfway done...and it will be August.

August means fall is here, finally. Fall starts in early August up high in the mountains, when the raspberries are ripe for picking and the highest aspen trees are just starting to turn slightly gold. The temperature actually dropped into the 50s the other morning, it was 58 degrees when I woke up. The days are noticeably shorter.

TGIA!

How I Trained for my 2011 Badwater Double

This is a re-post of a page I kept on my blog in 2011. I took it down a few months ago but decided to re-post it. I think it would be helpful to anyone looking to finish the Badwater race.

As you read it, keep in mind I was training for a double crossing, not just the race. As a result I did a lot more long consecutive (back-to-back-to-back) days than would be necessary for just the race itself. And my strategy in the race was to take care of my feet and hydration, and get enough rest so that I had something left over to do another 135 miles afterward, so I didn't push myself anywhere near my limit in the race.

If you're training for the race only, you'd want to add a bit more intensity and perhaps not so many long days. My goal was to finish in under the 48 hour time cutoff. So this would be a good guideline for someone who is a first-timer, and solely interested in finishing. If you're a speedster, there are lots of other places to look for guidelines on training.

Feel free to comment, or write me at sherunnoftatgmaildotcom if you have questions. I can't put a lot of time into answering specific training questions and I DO NOT coach, so please do not ask me to give you specific advice on your training routine. I will try to answer your general questions about Badwater as time permits.

2011 Badwater Training Notes

People ask me how I train for the races I do. They think I do mega-miles, which is not true at all. When I'm approaching a big race, I do a lot of miles on some weeks, but I don't sustain a high mileage routine week after week, all year. I probably do a lot less than many ultrarunners who are running shorter races.

I consider myself an athlete, not an addict, which means I respect my body and treat it well, as I ask a lot of it, so I do not overdo it. I'll be 48 years old this year, I have been running for 28 years, and I hope to be running into the future for at least another 28 years.

Keep in mind that at Badwater I am not going for any records or places. I am not running this race in competition with others, I am only trying to do the best I can so essentially I am competing with myself.

I won't put my entire training log in here but I will put the basics in, as the weeks go by.

When training for Badwater, you have to be ready to do the race distance before you even put your application in.

By the time you get notification that you're accepted into the race, you have less than 5 months until race day. So if you're not already seriously fit, you're going to be in trouble.

Fortunately the Badwater application process takes that into account. If you haven't done the equivalent of at least a couple or three serious (100 mile+) ultras in the year leading up to your application for the race, you won't get in.

A Little History

Let's backtrack for a bit: I ran Badwater for the first time in 2008. After that I took it pretty easy for over a year. I needed a break from training so hard, plus I had other things going on in my life, like a miserably stressful job, that made it hard for me to train well and consistently. So I basically took 2009 off from doing ultras. I ran a few 50K-ish runs and kept a base of 30-40 miles a week all year just for fitness, but that's all.

In 2010 I began to train again, with running Badwater in 2011 in mind. I changed jobs, which helped more than anything. I knew I was going to have to do a few long runs. I planned for 3 races: the Keys 100, the Lean Horse Hundred, and Across the Years 48 hour. I ran a few other short races (Old Pueblo 50 and Leadville Marathon) but that was it.

Racing can often set you back, if you work really hard, you will need a break from training. I try not to race too many long ultras each year, which keeps my training more consistent. My goal for the year was to set a PR at Across the Years, I wanted to go over 150 miles.

I unexpectedly set a PR at the Keys. I had no idea I was going to feel so good in the heat and humidity. I ran Lean Horse as a training run for Across the Years, in a relaxed 28 hours. And then I did get a PR at ATY, with 151.3 miles, even though I feel like if the weather had been warmer, I would have done better.

January 2011
After ATY, I took a couple of weeks off completely. I did not exercise except for a few very short walks with the dogs, ike a mile or two, and not even every day. Two weeks after ATY I began riding the bike on the trainer indoors. I rode two hours a day for about a week, then I was sidelined with a cold for a week, so I cut back to an hour a day.

February
In February I began running easy, short runs. I also resumed my three times a week weightlifting and core strength exercises on the exercise ball, and five days a week situps. The longest run I did in the month of February was 11 miles. My total mileage for each week went from 30 to 50 miles the week before Florida. I went to Florida the last week of February and ran the LOST 118. I DNFed at 114 only because a bout of diarrhea had caused electrolyte problems, causing me to cramp and slow down. So I ended up with a 114 mile training run, in a 125 mile week.

I took an easy week after LOST and ran a total of 7 miles, including a 4 mile run at Horsetooth on the big hill 6 days after the race, where I felt great!

March
I was tired for a few weeks after LOST. I kept my mileage low, wanting to make a full recovery. I started my Rock Repeat workouts, which are multiple repeats running a trail up and down Horsetooth Rock, minus the rock part. Each week I added another repeat and each week my legs got sore. I tried running fast for an hour on Wednesday nights with a group of faster runners, which is always difficult for me, but I managed to keep up. I call it my speedwork.

Three weeks later I did a 90 mile week. After that I was toast. I could feel that I wasn't quite ready to bump the mileage up consistently, so I took a 30 mile week afterward.

April
My strategy in March must have paid off because the next week I did 107 miles and felt good, like I could have done more.

I followed that with an 85 mile week, then a 101 mile week. For three weeks in a row I increased the mileage I did on consecutive days. 70 in 3 days, then 80 in three days, then 96 in 3 days. Still feeling good, I decided to force a rest week.

The 96 miles in 3 days consisted of an easy 20 mile run with a lot of walking, a 50 mile run in 10:12 in stiff wind and a lot of running, then a 26 mile day with 6600 feet of vertical gain and the same of descent, which was six Horsetooth Rock Repeats.

The rest week felt great. I did 17 miles throughout the week and that was all! I got caught up on life, organized a presentation I'm giving twice on May 5th, and did a lot of Badwater planning, a necessity. I also took several long naps each afternoon when I wasn't at work. Two of those naps lasted 3 hours each! I guess I needed it! I kept up the weight training and sauna time during my rest week, too. As of the end of May I'd be hitting the sauna three days a week.

May
I followed my rest week with a solid 120 mile week. Two runs of 30 and 34 miles where I felt strong, a 22 miler on Horsetooth Centennial Drive, a few shorter days, then a short three-Rock Repeat run to wrap up the week. I can feel how much stronger I am with sustaining a running pace and being able to pick up the pace when I want to, even at the end of the run.

After that I had a busy week between work and other things so I cut back drastically on my miles, did only one long run up at Carter Lake and Pinewood Reservoir climbing the hill that is like the Portal Road. The following week I went to Arizona hoping for heat training. The temperature only reached 91 but I did get some solid miles in. Got a 122 mile week with 3 back to back days. Followed that by a total rest week, because I was so tired from the drive on top of everything else, and had an extra work day, taking me up to Memorial Day weekend, when I worked Saturday and Sunday.

June
The week starting with Memorial Day I ran the Houska Houska 5K at a steady pace, and did 3 long runs of 32, 34, and 40 miles, for a total of 126 miles for the week and nearly 10,000 feet of vertical gain and descent. I also increased my sauna time to a full hour each day, and the sauna is 175 degrees these days. I have to get out and take a couple of 2 minute breaks, but I go back in until I have spent a total of one hour in there.

The following week was a rest week, except I did one 40 mile run of nearly 10 Rock Repeats, until I ran out of daylight, giving me 10,350 feet of vertical gain and descent. I continued in the sauna, an hour every day I wasn't working.

I followed that with a week in Arizona where I ran only a little over 50 miles for the week but did a 16 miler and a 34 miler in 103 degree temperatures, which felt relatively cool.

The week after Arizona, I worked three days, and took it as a rest week, only got about 20 miles in. I was back in the sauna, hard core.

I aggravated the tendinitis in my right leg with the 10 Rock Repeats training run, but the road miles in Arizona didn't bother it. After Arizona I backed off a little earlier than I planned, but I still ran 40-50 miles a week each week until the full week before Badwater. A week of careful stretching and icing seemed to do the trick.

July/Taper
The last full week of June and the week at the end of June/beginning of July, I did a couple of hill workouts on Centennial Drive, just 10 and 20 miles each and a Rock Repeat session of just three repeats. The tendon was fine. The full week before Badwater I ran only 3 miles a day for four days with the Buffaloes.

I did my last run on July 7th, 4 days before the race. Four miles easy.

Badwater 2011 finishing time: 45:30

For a recap of the return trip of my Badwater double, see the July 2011 posts in the archives.

photo credit: Nathan Nitzky

So, Ya Think Ya Want to Run Badwater...

MWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!

Take heed, aspiring Badwater runners, and those who have Badwater festering in the back of their brains for a bucket list race like blisters rubbing in their shoes...

It's almost February and the application process for 2012 is about to start. Whether it's this year you're applying, are thinking about it for next year, or some time in the future, there are things you need to know. If you aren't planning on applying this year but have already looked at the website trying to figure out what you'll need to do in order to be eligible in the future, that's a good start. You're already planning ahead, which is a more important skill for this race than any amount of running talent.

Get to know that Badwater website like your best friend. Read every article posted, every link, and more. There's a ton of good information on there. This blog has a lot of anecdotal information and advice, and there's a lot more out there.

Two must reads:
(1) Death Valley Ultras: The Complete Crewing Guide by Theresa Daus-Weber & Denise Jones .
(2) Fixing Your Feet 5th edition by John Vonhof.

Then,

1. Get your head screwed on straight.
This is not a race for you if you have a long history of DNFs. Get your act together mentally before you do this one. BW is not a race you "try". This is one race you don't want to DNF in, unless your life depends on it. Not to mention the incredible dedication of your crew who came out to support you and gave up their vacation time, family time, or whatever personal commitments they shelved in order to help you have the experience of a lifetime. They got you there, you don't want to disappoint them.

You need to be realistic about the time and energy commitment you are about to embark upon. If you haven't done this before, and even if you have, this is no little weekend 100 miler where you throw a few things in some drop bags. You need to plan meticulously, and realize that as you get closer to the race, planning will take up as much time as training. It's like having at least an extra part-time job. So apologize in advance to everyone in your life and explain what you are doing, and hopefully why, so they can support you and will be less likely to resent the time you must spend devoted to preparing for this event.

So if you haven't met the qualifications, you can start now. Figure out how long it will take you to get those required races under your belt and get going. Along the way, keep asking questions, talk to people, learn as much as you can, and find a way to get out there and crew so you can see for yourself what's involved. Many runners I know, who are successful at other ultras like Hardrock and Leadville with multiple finishes at both, have told me they went out to crew at Badwater and realized it is not for them. Or they just know, without ever going to Badwater, and they plan never to do it. This is something you want to know before you sign up. If it's not for you, nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their preferences. But if you're considering it, you'll want to know before you invest any effort in it.

2. Be ready to run the distance before you apply for the race.
What? You've never heard of that before? Well first of all, the race director makes sure you are fit because you wouldn't be able to apply without running at least two 100 milers in the year before the race, and you'd better have more than that under your belt.

I think that by the time you apply, since you have to be fit enough to manage the distance, the last 6 months before the race should be icing on the cake. You'll need to be focused on the finer points- maintaining fitness, sharpening, preparing for the heat, preparing for the conditions. Planning what you'll wear, eat, drink, do. Your training time will consist of lots of time on your feet, on the asphalt. Lots of hills, with conditions as hot as possible. Learn how to walk efficiently uphill and on the flats, because you'll need to.

3. Know what you're getting into.
Find someone who's done it before and talk to them. You should know someone, since you need to get crewing experience. Don't know anyone yet? The BW message board is available if you subscribe to the AdventureCorps newsletter at the BW website-it will show you how to connect with someone who needs a crew.

Read and learn as much as you can. The must-reads above, and then read as much from other runners' personal experiences as you can. Check the links section of this blog for my 2008 four-part race report, from my rookie year. Then check the following links for my 2011 race.
Lessons Learned
Pre-Race
2011 Badwater race
Foot Care in the Heat

Other things to consider- the time, the cost. Roughly $5000 or more is a good estimate of what it will cost you, once you figure in everything for crew travel, lodging, food expenses, rental vehicles, gas, equipment, supplies, other training costs, shoes, etc. Oh, and don't forget the $1000 entry fee. Steep as races go, but worth it.

Personally, I get tired of hearing people whine about the entry fee. This is a unique event, with unique requirements for maintaining it as a quality event. The race director does make some money by producing this event, that's the business he's in. When you see what goes on, you'll realize he can't be making too much off of it. If you're going make the effort to do Badwater, the entry fee is really a drop in the bucket.

Figure in time to rest before the race and recover after.

And during the 6 months or so leading up to the race, definitely arrange your schedule so that you can take the time to both train and recover.

Crew will need to be prepared for this too. They need to be prepared for the heat, so heat training and/or sauna training is important for them, too. During the race it's nearly a weeklong commitment for all of you with preparation, recovery, travel, etc.

The 48 hour time limit has worked well. Over the past few years, the temperatures have been milder. But if we get some warm years, as this coming year could be, 48 hours might be a real challenge for some people. It's plenty of time to get to the finish, but you have to keep moving. Taking care of issues like feet are important and can take you off the course for several hours. Keep that in mind when you're thinking about the big picture. Stomach problems are another time-eating issue. Try not to have those in the first place. Read my posts above on how I handled this- I did a much better job in 2011 than I did during my rookie year of 2008.

4. Take the application process seriously.
It's like an essay contest, but you have to have the credentials to back it up. Try to write as much detail as possible, and sound intelligent. There's a reason why BW is hard to get into- the race director and staff absolutely do not want anyone to die, get sick or injured out on the course. This is an opportunity to run a unique race under dangerous conditions and in today's legal climate the fact that we can run this on these state highways through public lands- including a National Park- is somewhat of an act of kindness and good will on the part of all the entities involved. Don't risk the future of the race. Read the rules, like the application says. If it sounds like it's strict and rigid on the rules, it is, and for good reason, and you will get in trouble for varying from the established rules. Having each and every crew member and runner know the rules is crucial.

Oh yeah, one more thing. The media are there, there is a lot of attention paid to the runners and the event. You don't want to be caught on camera doing anything you wouldn't want your boss or your grandmother to see.

5. Have a plan in mind for how you will prepare for the conditions.
At Badwater, you need to be both physically and mentally prepared for heat, sleep deprivation, temperature extremes, foot care, hydration, caloric intake, and dealing with difficult and unexpected situations.

Art Webb's article on the BW website helped me more than anything else to make a plan for getting used to the sauna. I won't include the link here, I'll make you dig for it. That way you'll have to see all the other good information on there, too.

John Vonhof not only has a great book, he has an excellent website/blog on foot care too. The must-reads, above, will help you prepare for other conditions you will encounter, such as it being cold up at Whitney Portal, and sometimes at the higher elevations of the course. Seventy degrees or cooler can feel cold when you've been running in 115, and are depleted of energy. Sometimes it rains, or gets windy too.

6. Plan for crew, expenses, major equipment and supplies.

Now is the time, if you have not already started, to build your crew. Preferably you have already obtained commitments from a solid group of people. No head cases, no people who are in it for anything other than doing their best to get you to the finish line. They might get a few perks like building their BW resume for a future shot at running the race, but the main point of being there is to help you succeed. Seriously, you'll want to interview and get references on your prospective crew members, especially if you don't know them beforehand.

Make your reservations the minute you find out your entry is accepted. Don't hesitate.

Plan to acquire in advance any important equipment you'll need, that you can't buy out there before the race.

If at all possible, plan to go to Death Valley for a training run with at least one of your crew members in the last couple of months before the race, once it gets hot. Having been there recently and in the heat is a great confidence builder, and will help you to work out some kinks before race day.

7. Have a contingency plan for everything you can think of!
What if a crew member backs out at the last minute? What if the things you trained with (food, drinks, clothing) don't work during the race? What if one of your two vehicles breaks down? What if you can't get ice along the course? What if, What if. The more prepared you are, the less likely it will happen.

8. Plan to have fun.
It's fun. It's a blast. You will meet the most inspiring people, have the most fun you've ever had at a race, take home stories and memories to last a lifetime, build strong friendships, and so on. It's priceless.

Are you seeing a pattern here? Plan, prepare, prepare, plan. It's all in the planning. I have a supply list I'm willing to share if you write me.

Feel free to send a comment, you can also write me at sherunnoftatgmaildotcom if you have specific questions you don't want to put in the comments. But the beauty of blogging is that it is public, and everyone can see and benefit from the comments, questions, and answers. I can guide you to the best sources of information.

If you read the BW website and the links above carefully, and follow my advice, it's all there for you to learn. The old saying, To fail to plan is to plan to fail, applies here more than anything. Now that you've read this, you are a step ahead of everyone else who hasn't.

Do it!

11 days and counting...

This morning I slept in. Last night I got home from the sauna absolutely exhausted. I realized that I have not slowed down yet, and it's time to do that...

Fortunately my pile of equipment that I still have to organize and pack comes down to this, which is really not that much. One more duffel bag and I should be done. I hope to do that today. I'm thankful for Southwest Airlines and their generous bag limits.

Yesterday I worked for four hours in the morning, then I gave a presentation to the awesome people at Patient Business Services, who raised $2,011 in their department for the Save Change initiative. They are an enthusiastic group and I enjoyed it. Shannon and Teresa have been incredible supporters and I appreciate them so much, I can't thank you two enough for all your hard work.

Afterwards I went over to the sauna, because it wasn't hot enough outside at 97 degrees. When I got home, I ate something, spent some time with the Buffaloes, and was in bed by 8 pm.

All I have left for training are short little runs. I am going up to do a small number of Rock Repeats, no more than 3, sometime in the next few days as a "memory run" for my quads, but that's it. An hour a day the rest of the week in the sauna, two and a half more 12 hour shifts at work, and making up my shopping list with quantities of items we'll need to buy in Las Vegas, and then I can take time to smell the flowers.

Only 11 days!

Too Hot for Snakes and Army Guys

It was too hot for army guys this past weekend in Arizona. My red, white, and blue gummy army guys that I found at Sunflower Market, they melted into a blob! I guess I'll add gummy worms to the things that need to be kept in the cooler during Badwater.

It was also too hot for snakes this weekend. I watched one big red racer crawl out onto the asphalt from underneath the shade of a mesquite tree, and it slithered out into the tree's shadow, but when it reached the sunny asphalt, I saw it jump up off the asphalt a couple of times then it quickly disappeared back under the tree. I've never seen a snake jump before.

But it wasn't too hot for me. It was a cool 102 or 103, depending on who you talk to, accu-weather or weather.com. It was perfect for an easy weekend of running. I went back to McDowell Mountain Park to do 16 miles Friday afternoon, then 34 miles on Saturday, when I was joined by Chris Harrison for several hours. Chris showed up around 12:30, when it was starting to warm up, and he went with me until my last out & back.



The ice didn't melt too fast, which was nice, I was able to do some 5 to 6 mile out & backs, avoiding having to go back to the car too many times to refill my bottles. Woofie stopped by to chat for a few minutes while I was out there, I saw his car in the parking lot and left a note on his windshield while he was out riding his bike.

I drove down again, planning to do a couple of good runs and spend Father's Day with my dad. Driving this time it was the trip from hell on the way down. Raton Pass was closed due to a fire on the New Mexico side, with flames all the way up to the interstate. So I took the detour on 285, which is the route we always used to take from Arizona to our cabin, but this time 285 was under construction, there was no shoulder and there were multiple traffic stops along the way where you had to wait for a long line of cars to go by in the other direction.

It took 8 1/2 hours to get to Albuquerque. When I finally got to a gas station in Espanola and tried to use the bathroom to pee, someone had puked all over the bathroom, plus I got a big star and crack in my windshield from the gravel on the road, and it was generally not a fun day. I did see the trains in Antonito as I drove by. It's been a while since I've been that way, and it's always a pretty drive.



In Arizona as I drove down the Beeline Highway from Payson there were a lot of century plants blooming. They are always so bright gold, I had to stop at Mt.Ord and take a picture.



I spent Father's Day with my dad and stepmom, we spent the morning looking at old family pictures. One of my dad's cousins found an envelope full of old, original photographs from the 1940s, of my great-grandparents, my grandparents and my dad's uncles, and my dad. They were in unbelievably good condition.

My great-grandparents emigrated from Russia and came through Ellis Island, around 1915. I never knew my great-grandfather, he died before I was born, but I knew my great-grandmother, Celia Nitzky, she lived to be about 96. She had a thick Russian accent and called me "Haaalene". I only have one memory of my grandfather, he died of leukemia when I was 2, but I remember him lying on the couch and my grandmother telling me not to disturb him. I remember my dad's uncles well, they are both gone now, but I remember knowing them as a kid in Pennsylvania.

There were also boxes of pictures from my childhood and old photo albums from family events all the way back into the 1950s and my dad remembered everyone, he was telling me all the stories. He is going to get those photographs framed with archival materials so they will stay in good condition and eventually I will have those photographs, that I hope I can pass on to my nieces and nephews.

I can hardly believe it's taper time. I'll have to watch out for the taper worms, and I still have so much packing and organizing to do. Every day will be full, between going to the sauna, getting my stuff together, and all the preparations for the trip. The sauna has been 175 degrees, and I'm spending an hour a day in it, and I know it's working.

I was talking with Steph, my crew chief, about everything tonight, we had one of our weekly Badwater planning phone calls, and I told her it feels strange, I have my mind wrapped around the race, and the fact that I'll be turning around and going back, but I feel like I should be a little freaked out about this, since I've never done this distance before. But I'm not.

I feel very calm and accepting of it, and I'm looking forward to the long days on the road, without the hype of the race, taking it slowly, enjoying the miles, scenery, my thoughts, and the company of Steph, Ed, and Felix who will be with me on the return trip.

I'm ready. Less than 3 weeks!

Two Vertical Miles, One Half Burqa

Today I woke up at 3:25 am. I don't know why.

The girls insisted on getting up with me, and they have to do their routine in the morning, which meant they got their treats, went out to get the paper, and ate their breakfast way too early. They were pissed when I started packing up the car and putting my running shoes on. They were not going. I had to leave a note for Dennis to feed them halfway through the day because I might not be home until almost dark, and he was going to Denver.



JP started with me at 6 am at the Horsetooth Mountain parking lot. The sun was already up but it was cool outside. I was wearing my half burqa outfit. The Saudi porn star, with my half burqa, bare legs, pink leopard print gaiters, and compression leg sleeves.



I felt sorry for JP. Not because he had to run with me in my crazy outfit, but because he was suffering from what he thought was food poisoning and was barfing on the side of the trail after our second repeat. I gave him some ORS (oral rehydration salts- bitchen swill!) and he drank it, then he did one more repeat and called it a day, a good idea.





I continued on at a slow pace, not sure how I'd feel, but as the day went on I felt good and decided to go as long as there was daylight. I didn't feel like being bear, mountain lion, or snake bait. I called it a day when I reached 40 miles, which was exactly 9 1/4 rock repeats. My quads and calves were starting to complain and my shin was screaming. Forty miles and 10,350 feet of vertical gain, and the same of descent. That's climbing two vertical miles in a 40 mile run. Not bad, almost all of what I'll be climbing and descending at Badwater in 135 miles. It took me 11 hours and 20 minutes, not including breaks. I was in super slow mode today.

On my 8th ascent I ran into Dennis Vanderheiden, running club president, who was planting flags on the trail for the next day's Horsetooth Mountain trail race. He looked surprised and amused to see me. By then I'd changed into my hazmat hat and took off the white jacket, so I looked a little less like a porn star and more like a fashionable EPA employee at a Superfund site.



It was a cool day, never got much above 75 degrees. Nice views of Longs, the snow is melting, but lots of haze from the Arizona fires. I heard from Chris in Arizona who wants to join me for part of my training run when I'm in Phoenix next week. I'm off to Arizona for my last week of hard training, to get some heat. It should be at least 100 degrees this time.

Got a big blister on the side of my big toe. That's a bad callus area, so I need to work on that.

It was our 21st anniversary this week. The wildflower garden is blooming. We had a huge hailstorm the other night that trashed a lot of the flowers, but there are still a ton left in there.



Other than that this week I bought a pile of running shoes, because I'm out and I need some for Badwater. I got some bigger ones too, because I always need that when my feet swell. Maybe if my feet keep growing I'll catch up to Dennis and wear his size 14s. Then we can share.


Felix thinks Dennis has a women's shoe fetish. What do you think?

The 39.9 Mile Snake

Today was another perfect day to run. Again, it's not very hot, it might have hit 80 degrees, but it was such a nice day! I went up to Horsetooth Reservoir and ran 40 hilly miles, evenly paced and comfortable. I felt great.

Around 36 miles I ran into my friend Cat who was running with three other runners, they had just done a Horsetooth circumnavigation. I also ran into Mike who is also training for Badwater. I haven't seen him at all this summer and we stopped and talked on the dam, and he asked me some Badwater questions. He was in his hazmat suit, that's the only way I recognized him.

I keep looking for snakes on the side of the road as the asphalt heats up. Toward the end of my run I was headed up the last big hill before the parking area at the top, and I finally saw it. Literally, a minute from my car, there was this beautiful creature out in the road, and people were driving around it to avoid it! Awesome!

This time I pulled out my cell phone and got a picture. This is either a king snake or a bull snake. I am no herpetologist...but I do know that it's not a rattlesnake.

Just thought I'd share my snake picture...

Nineties

A 90 degree day, finally!

I ran at the lakes today in Loveland. It started out a bit warmer but cloudy and the forecast was for windy and 86 degrees. It was humid and buggy. I had to spray myself with insect repellent and wear my hazmat suit just to keep the bugs off. By noon there wasn't much wind at all and it was still cool, but sometime shortly after noon the wind picked up and blew away the bugs and I got the day I've been wishing for!

The snow is melting off Longs Peak and the Mummy Range but there's a lot of snow up there. They are predicting flooding since the Poudre River watershed has about 170 percent of normal snowpack.

I did 34 miles. I planned on 45 but opted to cut it short and do more heat training. I wasn't moving very fast today for some reason. I worked yesterday and it was busy, maybe I was tired. I didn't feel tired running. It was one of those days with my head not being in the right place to focus on what I was doing.

After the run I sat in the car with the heater full blast for 20 minutes on my way to and from the sauna. I did 30 minutes in the sauna.

While I was running I was thinking about how good it feels to be out there moving forward, with nothing else to do. It's so relaxing. That's what's so nice at Badwater, I can focus on moving forward and the incredible scenery, and nothing else, for a whole week, because I have such a great crew. How awesome that will be!

Three Days, 120 Miles

Just got back from three days of running in Arizona, but the weather gods didn't want to make heat this past weekend. One day did get up to 91 degrees but the other days were in the 80s. The weather was perfect by normal running standards.

I got three good long comfortable days in, and tested a few new items on my feet and in my stomach for Badwater. Looks like I will have to do a repeat in June to get the heat training I wanted.

The saguaro cacti were blooming and there is no better park anywhere than McDowell Mountain Park. Several running events, including the Pemberton Trail 50K and the Javelina Jundred have donated thousands of dollars over the years to support this park. I hope these events continue to give to this unique and beautiful place.








For three days I stuck to the asphalt roads because of the necessity of asphalt training for Badwater, so I didn't get back on the trails. Still, I was not disappointed by the scenery.

I could have been arrested for RWT: running while texting. I entertained myself on some of the long climbs on the out & backs on the park road by sending messages to my crew and a few friends. Here are my comments during the three days of the run:

Day 1I'm finishing up my last 7.5 mi out and back, I'll have a hair over 48 miles after this. It was in the 80s, which feels cool. I never put ice on me, but I still managed to go through 64 pounds of ice for drinks and the coolers.

Only glitch today was having to give up an hour of my precious running time to make an ice run. Silly me I forgot it was hot here, and ice melts!
Good thing I'm the runner, not the crew at BW!

Bonus was ice for only $2 at the liquor store in our old neighborhood so didn't have to drive all the way into Fountain Hills.

Got about 3700 ft of vertical too, and some decent uphill running (ah, low altitude)

This park is awesome. I miss having it in my backyard. But I'd rather not pay the price of having to live here.










Tried a new drink to use as an alternative to gatorade, Crystal Light pure fitness. It worked well, no stomach issues.

Better focus on the road, so I don't step on any critters slithering out to soak up the heat.

Tomorrow is another adventure...

Day 2
Started same time this morning. It was 10 degrees warmer. Stopped for 20 lbs of ice. Nice park ranger who saw me yesterday offered me ice from the compound this morning.



Should heat up nicely today. I feel fresh this am, legs are good. Only 6 1/2 hrs sleep, but I'm awake.

After 15 miles I made a sandwich and put ice around my neck. It's considerably hotter today. 7.5 mile out and backs might have to be shortened to 5 for carrying fluids and keeping them cold.

A few gambel quail, a scraggly coyote and a 2 foot racer on the road are the only company I have this morning. Cyclists and runners are all on the trails.











Ran into an AZ running buddy, Debbie Leftwich, in the Pemberton trailhead parking lot. She was running the trail with a guy who is training for Kettle Moraine.

Update: 86 degrees at noon, will get hotter. Now have white jacket on. Jello, V8 and yogurt tasted great at 22 miles.











End of day 2
Stats: 91 degree high temp, 43 miles. only went through 40 lbs of ice today. Used shadescreen and parked car opposite sun.
No rattlers yet just one racer. Still have 5 miles to go today.

Found out hot gummy worms don't taste too bad.

At the end of today I'll have 91 miles in 2 days. All that's left to reach my goal is a 29 miler tomorrow, when I will be have the company of my AZ Badwater friends Woofie and Don Meyer.

So far no blisters, thanks to my improved taping job. Just a little heat rash on my legs.

More tomorrow...

Day 3
Now at 16.5 miles. Today I woke up at 3 am AZ time and tried to get an early start. I needed ice and food, but none of the stores are open, not even in Scottsdale. By the time I arrived in Fountain Hills, I only had to wait 5 minutes for the Safeway to open at 5.

It was 70 degrees at 6 am when I started.











Today should be nearly as warm as yesterday. More clouds though.

I felt good starting this morning. I have been happy with my ability to recover overnight, even with little sleep- less than 5 1/2 hrs last night.














My feet feel good. That tincture of benzoin spray is a miracle, Nathan, thanks! We will want plenty of that at BW.

On my second out and back this am, I briefly stepped off the road to pee and when I got back on the asphalt, there was Woofie riiding toward me on his bike.

He rode alongside me up the steep hill and I was not even paying attention to the fact that I was RUNNING, until suddenly we were almost to the parking lot in record time.

Woofie took off for home and I took a food break, and here I am on the road again, Don will be out here later.

I would like to stay another day and run, yes I do feel like another 30 or 40 mile day is not only possible but comfortable. I am bummed that I have to leave! It's very tempting to come out here on my way home!

I need to wrap up early today as my dad has invited dinner guests, a business acquaintance of his who is interested in ultras and wants to meet me!

I hope I'll have enough of a brain to make conversation!

End of Day 3
Just got back to my dad's house in Scottsdale. Mission accomplished. Today 29.1 miles, high 80s, felt strong mentally and physically. Only 25 pounds of ice today. Total time running over 3 days was 28 1/2 hours. With breaks add another 4.

With sleep and travel time, plus errands, shopping for food and ice, 56 hours. Not bad! Who says you can't shop, blog, and run at the same time?

Only one tiny blister on the side of my big toe from day 2.

Don joined me at noon, which made the last 6 miles fly by with his stories of Badwater.

When we were done, Don took a picture of me at the STOP sign.




Time to rest even if I feel like I could go on forever.

Tonight I will miss the coyotes serenade that I heard the past 2 nights.

On the way out of the park I stopped by the visitor center to check on Houdini, the Gila Monster. He was curled up taking a nap in his cage.


My feet looked pretty good after the three days. Add another 40 degrees and that might change, but in general my tape job worked great, and all I had was some heat rash.



Now it's back to Colorado to finish out the next 4 weeks before I taper! Maybe a repeat trip in June to get some real heat, it could be 110 by then.