Run It Fast®

AdventureCORPS Chief Adventure Officer (CAO) and Badwater 135 race director Chris Kostman sent a very detailed email to Run It Fast® this morning.

In it, he responds to the ban by Death Valley National Park on Badwater 135 and all endurance related races within the park that require a permit. He believes, “..the DVNP staff are grossly exaggerating the safety issue, and, in so doing, they are smearing the reputation of the Badwater 135 and other events, perhaps to build a case for severely restricting, if not banning, some or all events from being held in the Park.”

You might remember back in December, the park ceased issuing permits for endurance races with little to no explanation as to why. It led us to speculate as to those reasons due to the extreme lack of transparency from DVNP (Read HERE).

Death Valley National Park superintendent Kathy Billings responded to our post with a long winded letter that stated that her decision to suspend events within the park was so that a ‘safety assessment’ could be conducted (Read HERE). Billings in her letter claimed that, “multiple near misses between event participants and park visitors were observed.”

As you can read below, Kostman adamantly doesn’t buy the parks stated reason/excuse claiming that DVNP’s decision was due to safety concerns. Kostman clearly details that Badwater 135, in 26 years, has never had a participant hit or injured by a car and that no accidents have taken place within the park during any of his races. Safety to Kostman and AdventureCORPS has always been a priority.  He then goes on to state that the random deaths that have happened within the park, happened outside of any race, and involved tourists and a park ranger but never an athlete in an event.

Kostman details how AdventureCORPS has always put safety first in hosting their events and that they hold themselves to a much higher standard than DVNP or anyone else ever could. Safety has always been a priority to them and that AdventureCORPS flawless record to date affirms that.

Read Kostman’s email to Run It Fast regarding Death Valley National Park’s ‘Safety Claims’ below in it’s entirety:

The Death Valley National Park staff can “play the safety card” all they want, but they are not the only people concerned with the safety of the event, in fact, far from it. As the organizers of the Badwater 135 and four other events normally held annually within DVNP, we are particularly and necessarily concerned with the safety of both event participants and the public at large. Additionally, a meeting with DVNP staff in December included representatives of both Inyo County and the California Highway Patrol who spoke on behalf of the safety record of the events and lobbied for the events to be held in 2014 and beyond. In our opinion, the DVNP staff are grossly exaggerating the safety issue, and, in so doing, they are smearing the reputation of the Badwater 135 and other events, perhaps to build a case for severely restricting, if not banning, some or all events from being held in the Park.

The DVNP staff can claim “near misses” on the highway between cars and pedestrians all they want, but where is the proof? The facts of the matter are simple and irrefutable: In the 26 history of the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, not one event participant, supporter, or bystander has ever been struck by a car, nor have there been any car crashes other than one family member – not an active crew member – who simply drove off the road in 2012, perhaps because of a medical condition. Not one event participant, supporter, or bystander has been evacuated by ambulance. Not one event participant, supporter, or bystander has been issued a citation by DVNP Rangers, California Highway Patrol, or Inyo County Sheriff’s deputies in association with the event. DVNP statements to the press about “mass casualties” and “dead bodies” would seem to incite fear and overstate dangers. After all, in 2014, who can question anything about “safety”?

Meanwhile, three to four people die within Death Valley National Park every year, most recently an NPS employee who was working alone on the little-used and unpaved Westside Road during a heat wave with, according to those in the know, no functional radio and only minimal supplies. He died a tragic death of heat stroke after walking 4.6 miles, in vain, in search of help.

There have been no deaths associated with any sports event held within the Park, ever. (Contrarily, there have been deaths during sporting events in other Parks, but said events were not stopped.)

Special Event Permits have been issued to our organization 89 times over the past 24 years by Death Valley National Park without incident and without refusal, until now. Similarly, nearly all of the events also require permits from the California Department of Transportation, Inyo County, and/or United States Forest Service. Presumably all those government agencies are similarly concerned about any safety impacts that the events may present, yet none of those agencies has refused to issue permits or placed a “moratorium” on issuing permits. None of those agencies is casting aspersions on the reputations of the events, nor denying the opportunity for athletes to come from all over the world to enjoy this Park and pump money into the Park and the local economy.

In our December meeting with DVNP staff, we presented an eight-page proposal to further enhance the safety of the Badwater 135, a plan that clearly answers every issue brought up DVNP in their assessment of the July, 2013 event. While pointing out the impeccable safety record of the event, we explained that we are our own biggest critics and we hold our events up to the highest standards. We proposed effective, reasonable mitigation measures which will further enhance the event’s safety record and we requested the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of these efforts during the July, 2014 edition of the event. We were refused, with no rationale given whatsoever. In fact, in all our correspondence and communication with the DVNP staff, and in everything we have read online and in the press, we have seen absolutely no rational explanation offered for the unprecedented decision to ban the events in 2014 while this “safety review” unfolds. It begs the question: How does one review the safety of something which isn’t even happening?

One further wonders what purpose it serves, and how public safety is enhanced, to effectively ban the event when the event will still be held in the very same county, on some of the very same roads, except outside DVNP jurisdiction? There will be no net change in overall event safety, nor public safety, by simply moving the event outside Park borders.

During the December meeting with DVNP, it was pointed out that the Park’s disallowing of the Badwater 135 in the summer of 2014 will simply cause dozens, perhaps scores, perhaps hundreds, of runners and their support crews to simply run the traditional route from Badwater in Death Valley to Mt. Whitney on their own, outside of an actual event. “It’s a free country,” after all, and the roads are open to the public, yet those types of “solo” runners will not be vetted for their worthiness to attempt such a feat, they will not be monitored by race officials and controlled by race rules and the possibility of time penalties or disqualification, they will not have a 15-person medical team with an ambulance on standby in case of emergency, they will not have any rules or guidelines limiting the number of support crew members and the number, size, and type of support vehicles.

In response to explaining how the “law of unintended consequences” would have the effect of unleashing these unregulated runners onto the roads within the Park, the Chief Ranger for DVNP stated “We are not their parent.” All of the DVNP staff in attendance showed no concern whatsoever for the potential for their staffing and resources being stretched thin while runners challenge the Badwater 135 race course all summer long with no oversight. They showed no concern for the potential for all these unsanctioned runners to impact public safety, even though they claimed that public safety was their primary concern in undertaking their “safety review” and banning the events in the interim.

In regards to cycling events, during the December meeting, DVNP staff, the Park Superintendent in particular, complained about the difficulty of passing bicyclists on the roadway, without changing lanes, during those occasional stretches of DVNP roadways that have double yellow stripes down the center of the road. This is the exact same type of complaint leveled at bicycle users by anti-bike and anti-pedestrian motorists all over America, with the implication being, quite falsely, that roads are intended for motor vehicles, that motorists have superior rights to use of the roads, that motorists have a right to never be inconvenienced nor forced to slow down. While this type of anti-bike bias is still all too common in America, the tide has turned in city after city, county after county, state after state, as government agencies realize that bicycling plays an important, crucial role in the wars on obesity, traffic jams, and pollution. Increasing the roadshare by bicyclists has become a priority for government agencies across America, including the National Park Service, which promotes bicycling as a way to enjoy and travel through Parks.

As for DVNP denying that events are not being “banned” in 2014, and that our statement to that effect is “erroneous” they are playing semantics. The fact of the matter is, one marathon will be held on February 1, but only because the organizers already had their permit in place before the ban went into effect. Other than that, the ban means that the following events will not take place during the “safety review” period, nor for many months afterward:

Feb 24-27
CORPScamp Death Valley
A five-day cycling camp based in Furnace Creek with about 50 participants who typically come from 12-15 states and several foreign countries. It has been held since 2008 without incident and was not “reviewed,” per se, during any recent edition, thus its potential impact, if any, has not be assessed.

March 1
Death Valley Century, Ultra Century, and Double Century – Spring edition
A one-day 100-mile, 150-mile, and 200-mile bicycle ride with about 300 participants who typically come from 15-20 states and several foreign countries. It has been held twice a year since 1990 without incident. Its sister event, a Fall edition held on the last weekend of October, was reviewed by two DVNP staff members: Safety Officer Peter Treuherz and Law Enforcement Ranger Jordan Mammil. Treuherz’s report has not been seen, but he was overwhelmingly favorable about the event in conversation that day, with only a few small constructive suggestions to make. Mammil’s report is entirely favorable towards the events. She stated, among other things, the following:

“In my opinion, the Century Bicycle Ride is a highly organized event drawing a diverse set of visitors.  These visitors are able to enjoy the park in a very unique manner.  The event essentially has no impact on the park, the visitors, or any of its resources.  It is a nice way to bring revenue to adjacent businesses, and attract cyclist and their supporters to the area.”

“It appears that the event does not need monitoring.  There is very little chance of disturbance to other visitors, and this event leaves very little, if any impact.  The participants are other outdoor enthusiasts, sharing the joy of seeing a large section of the park with essentially no carbon footprint.  In my mind, the park should do whatever it can to encourage and support such events.”

In late December, we received a letter from Park Superintendent Billings detailing a few minor criticisms or observations of this cycling event, and the tone and content of her letter was entirely negative. Granted, any event can be made safer, and a few “bad apples” will occasionally disregard event rules, but the event has an unblemished record and was enthusiastically endorsed by a law enforcement professional with many years of experience working on the open roads of multiple National Parks. Yet no mention of Ranger Mammil’s positive report regarding the event was made. No opportunity to host the March 1 edition was offered.

July 21-13
Badwater 135 Ultramarathon
Drawing up to 100 runners and their support crews from 20 or more countries and 20 or more American states, along with race support staff and the media and eyes of the world, this iconic event will take place on a Lone Pine, CA-based route just outside of DVNP boundaries. Still named “Badwater 135,” it will not begin at its namesake, Badwater, because of the DVNP ban on events in 2014. http://www.badwater.com/route/

October and Beyond:
DVNP finally posted their statement about the 2014 ban on their website on Christmas eve, 2013. In it, they stated, in part:

The safety assessment process is expected to be completed by Summer, 2014. The safety assessment report will include safety mitigations, specific park approval criteria and condition recommendations for sporting events within Death Valley National Park.

Based on the projected date for completion of the safety assessment, applications may be submitted for events that are scheduled from October 1, 2014 and beyond. The park will begin processing those applications when the safety review is completed. Findings from the risk assessment may require new conditions that will be required of all event coordinators to meet permit requirements and/or that some events may not be allowed in certain areas or permitted in the future if safety risks cannot be mitigated to an acceptable level.

Also:
Due to the complexity of the process, it can take several months to process a special use application and applicants are encourage to get their requests in early.

A quick read of the DVNP statement would suggest that it will be possible for special events to take place in October, 2014, but that is effectively impossible. This is because they have not set a firm deadline for completing their “safety review” and finalizing their new guidelines. They only state “by Summer, 2014,” however Summer does not end until September 23. They also stated, during the December meeting, to not expect resolution until the end of their fiscal year, which ends on September 30.

Their online statement also states that, though permit applications may be submitted at any time, they will not review them until their internal process is complete. As such, there is little logic in applying to host special events until all the details, new regulations, and new restrictions are known. Additionally, a full field of athletes, a full event staff and cadre of volunteers, and all the operational details that are needed to host and produce an event do not just fall out of the clear blue sky; they take time, usually 6 to 12 months on average, to pull together. Therefore, the inference by DVNP that sporting events could take place in October of this year is erroneous and misleading at best. This ban therefore impacts multiple events which might have been held in October, but which are also effectively banned by DVNP this year:

The Whitney Classic charity ride from Badwater to Mt. Whitney, held annually since the 1980s, will not be able to take place on its traditional last weekend of September. (Not an AdventureCORPS event.) http://www.summitadventure.com/whitney-classic/

Furnace Creek 508, a 508-mile cycling event held annually on the first weekend of October which has passed through DVNP since 1989, will have to be moved in its entirety to another state, rather than held this year on its traditional route. It averages 250 cyclists, riding solo or on two- or four-person relay teams, who come from all over the world to compete in what is known as “the toughest 48 hours in sport.” http://www.the508.com

The Ride to Cure Diabetes, held by and on behalf of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, raising over one million dollars annually for this cause, will not likely be held on its traditional date on the third weekend of October. (Not an AdventureCORPS event.) http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/Ride/JDRFNationalRides?pg=entry&fr_id=2246

The Fall edition of the Death Valley Century, Ultra Century, and Double Century will not be held on its traditional date on the last weekend of October.

I’m not clear how, or if, the 49ers Encampment, traditionally held in early November, will be impacted by the DVNP ban, but it must have implications for their event as well. Their event is not a sports event, but its size and scope, which far exceeds that of any of the sporting events, certainly have some impact on traffic and Park safety.

I will conclude by pointing out that DVNP spokesperson, Cheryl Chipman, has stated (perhaps “complained” is more accurate) that “the park doesn’t directly make money on such events, with permits costing $210 each. She said organizers cover the cost of a park employee required to monitor events,” according to the LA Times:http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-death-valley-badwater-race-permits-20131226,0,156333.story#ixzz2pkNbxFwR

This statement deliberately ignores many facts and positive economic impacts which the Badwater 135, and other events, bring to Death Valley National Park, including:

– The entire Stovepipe Wells Resort, including the motel, restaurant, bar, two stores, and gas station, are owned by the National Park Service and these events bring a tremendous amount of money to the location, which is at mile 42 of the Badwater 135 route. The general manager, David MacIlwraith, has stated “race day is one of our largest revenue days for the year for the General Store.”

– Event participants, staff, support crews, family, and friends all spend money in the gift shops operated by Death Valley Natural History Association, an organization which is based in and directly support the Park, its mission, and its operations.

– Many event participants support the Death Valley Natural History Association. In fact, AdventureCORPS has raised or donated over $19,000 to DVNHA in recent years and there are five plaques in the Death Valley National Park Visitors Center which acknowledge AdventureCORPS / Badwater 135 / Furnace Creek 508 support.

– One hundred percent of Park Entry Fees are paid by or on behalf of every participant in evert event. Meanwhile, traditional Park visitors are expected to voluntarily pay the Park entrance fee at a self-serve kiosk or by stopping in the Visitors Center. There are no toll booths on the highways or at Park borders as at Yosemite, Glacier, and other National Parks, because DVNP does not actually control Highway 190, the thoroughfare which passes through the Park. Thus, sport event participants all pay their way, while many other Park visitors ignore the entrance fee requirement.

– Participants in Death Valley sporting events become tireless Park Advocates because of their intimate experience of, and appreciation for, this dramatic landscape and American treasure. They tell their friends about the Park, post widely on the Internet about their experience, support the Death Valley Natural History Association, and become regular visitors. In a time of dwindling government funding for the National Park Service, our athletes are exactly the kind of people that the NPS desperately needs spending money within the Parks and extolling their critical importance to their neighbors and their House Representatives, Senators, and other government officials. Why slam the door on the best people the Parks have in their court?

All told, the impact of this 2014 Death Valley National Park ban on sporting events is absolutely massive, with reverberations across the globe, but especially within the Park itself and the gateway communities which depend on tourism dollars. The ban is also unprecedented and unnecessary, hurting the Park far more than it is helping it.

Yours in sport,
Chris Kostman,
Chief Adventure Officer and Race Director
AdventureCORPS, Inc.

So there you have it! Kostman does a strong job of clearly stating that AdventureCORPS has always put a priority on safety. He goes into detail about races within the park and what they bring to the community in terms of revenue and tourism.

RELATED – Death Valley National Park – Badwater Stories on Run It Fast:

• The REAL Reason Death Valley National Park has Suspended All Endurance Races??
• Death Valley National Park’s Explanation for Ceasing All Race Permits

We are hoping that DVNP will quickly reverse it’s decision and once again start granting permits to Badwater 135 and all the rest of the great running and cycling events that happen every year in the park.

Badwater 135 is an international event that brings the best athletes in the world to Death Valley National Park and the best out of the human spirit in those that come to run, crew, cheer, and witness what the human body can accomplish within the beautiful landscape of DVNP.  The park and race officials had enjoyed a great working relationship for three decades before Billings came into power this past year.

We hope common sense will win out with Billings, that all of the races in DVNP will once again resume, and that DVNP and race directors alike can work TOGETHER to ensure safety for all involved in these great events that bring lots of attention and revenue to the area.

Aravaipa Running wasted no time in interviewing Joe Fejes just minutes after he knocked off the once immortal Yiannis Kouros at the Across The Years 6-Day endurance race in Glendale, Arizona on January 3, 2014.

In the interview, Joe discusses his strategy before and during the race, sleep, diet, and details about his 6-day indoor Alaskan race coming up in August.

The best line from Joe’s interview about what he ate during the race: “I had two buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken, original, crispy!”

Across The Years 2013/14 Results

American Joe Fejes bested the legendary Yiannia Kouros in an epic battle at the Across The Years 6 Day Race earlier this morning.

Fejes, a native of Georgia, finished the race with 555.35 miles (893.75 kilometers) to beat Kouros, of Greece, who finished with 550.1 miles (885.3 kilometers).

Yiannis, the Michael Jordan of ultra running, is revered deeply within the sport and holds every endurance running record from 100 miles to 1000 miles and 12 hours to 6 days.

However, the great Fejes wasn’t intimidated and set the pace throughout the race. Kouros never had a big lead and Joe held the lead for the majority of the race by less than a handful of miles. They battled hard in the desert and it was a race that will not soon be forgotten.

It was the best of all-time versus the best American endurance runner of the past two years.

Fejes set an American 6-day record with his performance. He also won the prestigious Last Annual Vol State 500K back in July with a record breaking performance as well.

Third place went to California’s Ed ‘The Jester’ Ettinghausen who set a record for his age group in the 6-day. He finished with 476.61 miles to come from behind on the last day to beat and hold off William Sichel for third place who finished with 472.41 miles.

Across The Years 6 Day Men Results

1. Joe Fejes – 555.35 miles
2. Yiannis Kouros – 550.1 miles
3. Ed Ettinghausen – 476.61 miles
4. William Sichel – 472.41 miles
5. John Geesler – 404.18 miles
6. Bill Heldenbrand – 392.62 miles
7. Andy Noise – 322.29 miles
8. Michel Gouin – 317.04 miles
9. Victor Vella – 314.94 miles
10. Anthony Culpepper – 310.74 miles

First place female went to Liz Bauer with 415.72 miles. She holds the record for most 100 milers run in a calendar year. She led from the start and never looked back.

Second place female went to Vikena Yutz with 361.13 miles and third place went to Martina Hausmann with 321.24 miles.

Across The Years 6 Day Women Results

1. Liz Bauer – 415.72 miles
2. Vikena Yutz – 361.13 miles
3. Martina Hausmann – 321.24 miles
4. Karen Vollan – 204.71 miles
5. Maria Walton – 201.56 miles
6. Terrie Wurzbacher – 200.51 miles
7. Shelley Devere – 200.51 miles
8. Betty Smith – 186.87 miles
9. Midnight Tenenbaum – 162.72 miles
10. Teagan Redden – 100.78 miles (8 years old)

Congrats to Joe, Liz and all of these amazing runners that pushed their bodies to their max over 6 grueling days.

Here is a look at the winners and top 10 from the other distances at Across The Years that took place on December 28, 2013 to January 3, 2014.

1. Marylou Corino – 265.6 miles (1st female)
2. Michael Miller – 243.56 miles (1st male)
3. Annabel Hepworth – 233.06 miles (2nd female)
4. Rasmivan Collinson – 232.01 miles (2nd male)
5. Juli Aistars – 212.06 miles (3rd female)
6. Jason Romero – 204.71 miles (3rd male)
7. Leigh Saint – 200.51 miles
8. Thomas Skinner – 200.51 miles
9. Charlotte Vasarhelyi – 194.21 miles
10. Steve Kissell – 186.87 miles

*results are from the Ultracast and aren’t official yet.

[Image: Aravaipa Running]

Travis Redden returned to Jackson, Tennessee on December 21, 2013 with a heart full of desire to win the Trail of Fears. Last year, he had finished second to the ‘Last Man Standing’ Jonathan Harrison.

On Saturday, Redden did just that as he was the ‘Last Man Standing’ after Jackson native Karl Studtmann turned in half-way through the 12th loop and called it a day.

Shortly thereafter tornado sirens sounded and the heavens opened up to one of the nastiest rain and wind storms this side of Noah’s ark.  Runners had waited and anticipated the nasty weather all day but instead were greeted with high temperatures laced with humidity.  The bad weather could not hold off any longer on that 12th loop around 7 pm.

A mad scramble ensued to get all of the race gear off of the hill before it and we were all blown away. We also waited for Redden to finish that 12th loop (which was unnecessary since he had won the 11th loop). Sirens continued to blare, trees buckled and swayed, and everything in sight was soaked as Redden and his good friend Jim Donahue, who had backtracked a bit to find Redden, came off the hill.

Redden was soaked but thrilled to claim the ‘Last Man Standing’ buckle.

2013 Trail of Fears Results

1. Travis Redden – 51.6 miles (12 loops)
2. Karl Studtmann – 47.2 miles (11 loops)
3. Joshua Holmes – 38.7 miles (9 loops)
4. Rob Philip – 34.4 miles (8 loops)
5. Nathan Judd – 34.4 miles (8 loops)
6. Nathan Bass – 30.1 miles (7 loops)
7. Billy Cannon – 25.8 miles (6 loops)
8. Marc Gilbert – 25.8 miles (6 loops)
9. Courtney Munson – 25.8 miles (6 loops) – Last Female
10. James Donahue – 25.8 miles (6 loops)
11. Mark Ogletree – 21.5 miles (5 loops)
12. Brett Beckham – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
13. Todd Shadburn – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
14. Beth Hosick – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
15. Arthur Priddy – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
16. Bob Beasley – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
17. Julie Montgomery – 17.2 miles (4 loops)
18. Clark Bilbrey – 8.6 miles (2 loops)

Congrats to all of these runners, many of which set a new personal long.

Trail of Fears Tidbits:

• 34:00 – Fastest lap put down by Arthur Priddy
• 0:06 – Smallest amount of time left on successful lap by Jim Donahue
• 2 – Laps won by Priddy
• 7 – Laps won by Karl Studtmann
• 2 – Laps won by Travis Redden
• 1 – Laps won by Joshua Holmes
• Top 3 Laps: Studtmann (11), Holmes (8), Redden (8), Priddy (2), Rob Philip (1), Brett Beckham (1)

Thanks to Shannon Miller and Anthony Ohrey for their help in race directing and taking care of all of the runners.

[The following is what I’ve deciphered as the reason DVNP has suspended all permits for endurance activities within the park including the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon. DVNP has neither confirmed or denied my theory.]

Death Valley National Park Website: “Effective immediately Death Valley National Park will temporarily discontinue issuance of running and bicycling event permits. Future event permits will not be considered until a thorough safety evaluation of this type of activity has been completed.”

AdventureCORPS Website in Response to DVNP’s Decision: AdventureCORPS and Chris Kostman have hosted 89 events since 1990 under DVNP special event permits without ever being refused a permit by DVNP, the Department of Transportation, or Inyo County. There have been no deaths, no car crashes, no citations issued, and only a few evacuations by ambulance after literally millions of miles covered on foot or by bike by event participants.

Death Valley National Park is host to most famously the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, along with The 508 (cycling), CORPScamp, Death Valley Trail Marathon, and several other endurance sports.

So why all of a sudden, out of the blue, would Death Valley National Park immediately suspend all running and cycling activities within the park without any warning or discussion?

The one word possibility – RADIOACTIVITY.

EnviroReporter, Michael Collins, tested the radiation at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park on November 23, 2013 (video below).

He measured the radiation at Furnace Creek at an astonishing 31.5x background via a water sample.

Collins states after the testing, “These are levels that far exceed what is considered safe. California Highway Patrol considers anything over 3x background to cause a hazardous material situation.”

Collins did tests over two days at varying spots across Death Valley. They read anywhere from 26.7x to 31.5x background.

It’s one thing for DVNP to let events proceed as normal with runners signing waivers from killing themselves in extreme heat, but it’s quite another to allow endurance athletes to inhale extremely high levels of radioactive air and dust for hours and days on end, with the dangerous possibility of said runners developing leukemia, thyroid cancer, or any cancer or damning health issue. It would truly be horrible and devastating.

Also, lawsuits would rapidly pile high in judge’s chambers from San Diego to Susanville and everywhere in between against DVNP and the government for (1) knowing of the radioactivity, (2) not disclosing it, (3) not taking extra precautions to protect the health and safety of citizens within the park.

Naturally, endurance athletes (in these great Death Valley races) would consume massive amounts of oxygen and dust filled with radioactive particles. Excessive exposure to extreme radiation for several days is a good bit different than Johnny B. Citizen’s one day journey to the park to take photos of the beautiful landscape of Death Valley.

Exposure in both cases though is dangerous. It’s a lot easier to deny a permit to race directors than to shut down the entire park to every tourist in the world.

So when you re-read the wording from DVNP about no race permits, “…until a thorough safety evaluation of this type of activity,” one may be able to piece together that something far more serious is happening than just the DVNP being cruel to ultra-runners.

Perhaps DVNP is actually doing tests and homework to see what type of harm can be caused by athletes being exposed to high levels of radiation in endurance events over many hours and days. They might also be running scenarios through it’s team of lawyers to determine what they can and should do to prevent potential lawsuits and liability.

Kostman eloquently stated in his response to the devastating news that there has been no deaths or serious health issues from any of the races that AdventureCORPS has held at Death Valley since 1990.

“It is unprecedented to place a one-year ban on existing sporting events within a National Park without any specific incident, accident, or complaint triggering such a drastic move. It is our contention that the events should be allowed to continue while the “safety review” unfolds.”

If there is extremely dangerous radiation levels currently in the park poisoning the air, dust, and water that likely could persist for some time.

Kostman has likely been left out in the cold and hasn’t been informed by DVNP officials of the exact reason. He comes across as sincerely befuddled by it all as would most of us after being blindsided out of the blue after many successful years hosting races in the park.

The radiation exposure and spike in California is of grave concern. For months those that were sounding off the dangerous siren regarding Fukushima were considered crazy or fearmongers.

Fukushima is an epic disaster that is eventually going to poison all of us in one way or another, directly or through the water we drink and food we consume no matter what coast we reside on.

Politicians and communities along the West Coast are finally waking up to the dangers from the Fukashima reactors.

The city of Fairfax, California recently drafted Resolution 13-57 in Support of Urgent International Rescue of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Facility:

“WHEREAS, this disaster presents one of the gravest threats and greatest technological challenges facing the international community, and as such demands an international response utilizing the world’s most accomplished experts as well as international funding on a level commensurate with humankind’s most ambitious efforts, in the interest of every nation; and,”

The resolution was signed by Fairfax’s mayor, John Reed, on November 6, 2013. Fairfax is northwest of Death Valley.

The radiation news coming out of Japan is not getting any better. It’s progressively growing into an even bigger and unsolvable problem that is killing ocean life and dropping radiation bombs all over the United States, mostly on the West Coast and California, but all over the country in different spots dependent upon various weather patterns.

Just today in Japan, TEPCO detected record radiation at reactor #2 of 1.9 million becquerels (bc/liter) up from the previous high of 1.8 million recorded just days ago on December 13th.

There is even a fictional book titled Badwater that is based on the theory of radioactive material being in Death Valley.

From the book cover: Forensic geologists Cassie Oldfield and Walter Shaws embark on a perilous hunt–tracking a terrorist who has stolen radioactive material that is hotter than the desert in August. He threatens to release it in America’s most fragile national park, Death Valley.

Coincidental…I think!

Running and endurance sports are an addiction and a lot of fun to many of us. Most of us have been inspired by other runners and in turn have inspired many others to take up running and endurance races.

I’ve applied to run Badwater the past two years and likely will try once again in February to get in to this prestigious race.

However, running and many other things become silly when extreme risks, like running in a radioactive hotbed of potential health issues become an added risk factor.

Is Badwater…….truly radioactive bad water, dust, and air?

I hope not! I hope the correlation I’ve tied above is totally not the reason and coincidental. I want Badwater to resume in July like it has for dozens of years. However, even if high radiation readings are not the reason for the suspension off race permits, it doesn’t mean that the extremely high levels of radiation in Death Valley National Park, and along the West Coast, aren’t legit and shouldn’t be taken seriously.

Hopefully, Death Valley National Park will come forward if the issue involves something as serious as high radiation levels within the park and be upfront with their reasons for denying the permits to Chris Kostman, AdventureCORPS, and other race directors.

Transparency is often promised but more often than not we get opaqueness.

[Read AdventureCORPS (Kostman’s) Full Response to DVNP and How to Help]

“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” – Andy Durfresne

-joshua holmes
(Follow on Twitter @bayou)

UPDATE: Response from Death Valley National Park

UPDATE 2: Badwater 135 Race Director Chris Kostman Responds to DVNP’s Kathy Billings

[Fukushima is spelled a couple of ways by different organizations/translations. I’ve seen it as Fukushima, Fukashima (Fairfax, CA), Fukishima]

The 2nd Annual Black Diamond 40 Miler + Relay was held in Jackson, Tennessee on November 29, 2013.

Jackson’s Arthur Priddy was the overall winner and set a new course record with a time of 5:39:19.  Second place went to Murfreesboro’s Chris ‘Beast’ Estes in 5:57:40 with third place going to Joshua Holmes in 6:14:16.

The female winner was Kendra Schoffstall in 6:17:17. She also set a new Black Diamond course record. Second place went to Beth Hosick in 8:35:23 and third to Diane Taylor.

Black Diamond 40 Miler Results

1. Arthur Priddy – 5:39:19
2. Chris Estes – 5:57:40
3. Joshua Holmes – 6:14:16
4. Kendra Schoffstall – 6:17:17
5. Kevin Gerteisen – 6:17:17
6. Danny Staggs – 7:22:23
7. Billy Cannon 7:54:26
8. Anthony Ohrey – 7:54:27
9. Beth Hosick – 8:35:23
10. David Oglesby – 8:35:24
11. Joseph Nance – 8:47:12
12. Ben Pennington – 8:47:14
13. Muralidhar Nannapaneni – 9:00:59
14. Rob Apple – 10:42:56
15. Diane Taylor 10:42:56

DNF – Michelle Lenahan

The Black Diamond 40 Miler Relay was won by the 2-person team Muppet Madness, that consisted of William Henson and Kelly Henson, in a time of 5:48:18.

Second place relay went to Just a Blur 2 (Steven Reagan, Marj Mitchell, Leigh Carr, Clary Bilbrey) in 5:52:05 and third to +Y Racing (Melanie Casey, Erin Veneman, Julie Montgomery, Bob Beasley) in 6:27:13.

Black Diamond 40 Miler Relay Results

1. Muppet Madness (William Henson, Kelly Henson) – 5:48:18
2. Just a Blur 2 (Steven Reagan, Marj Mitchell, Leigh Carr, Clark Bilbrey) – 5:52:05
3. +Y Racing (Melanie Casey, Erin Veneman, Julie Montgomery, Bob Beasley) – 6:27:13
4. Three Gentleman and a Lady (Daniel Escue, Tasha Dayoff, Joey Kennedy, David Escue) – 6:49:00

Double Black Diamond 40 Miler Results

1. Joshua Holmes – 6:45:55
2. Bill Baker – 7:12:14
3. John Leighton – 7:25:25
4. Anthony Ohrey – 10:16:22
5. Danny Staggs – 10:16:22
6. Diane Taylor – 12:10:47

Congrats to everyone who ran this weekend and to big thanks to Jeff Keas, Dr. Karl Studtmann, Shannon Miller, and several others that did a great job being roving aid stations and checking on all of the runners.

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Can Lake 50 Miler that took place on October 12, 2013 in Canandaigua, New York.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by RIF #190 John Kent Leighton – follow him on Twitter @MarathonJohnL]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Rock/Creek Stump Jump 50K that took place on October 5, 2013 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Brent Fuqua said about the race, ‘Hot, humid and overrun with yellow jackets!”

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Brent Fuqua – follow him on Twitter @brent_fuqua]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Brooks Yarkon Ultra that took place on September 20, 2013 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Hudi. – follow him on Twitter @aunderwood]

“The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly rolling a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own weight. They had thought with some reason that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor.” – Albert Camus

The Silverton Challenge 48 Hour Race Report

The gods were Mark and Sharill Hellenthal. The condemnation they had laid down on us runners was a 1 mile loop in the mountains of Silverton, Colorado at 9,500 feet with a gain of 250 ft per mile and a subsequent loss of 250 ft per mile as well.

Others must have committed far worse sins for they had been sentenced to six days and three days on that mountain, repeating that same punishing loop over and over. Some even dared to piss off the gods by bringing tents to sneak naps and breaks in.  A portable shower was even spotted, but even it couldn’t diminish the stench the mountains had left on the imprisoned runners of Silverton.

My journey to the mountain was complicated, two flights to Albuquerque then a 5.5 hour drive to Silverton. In retrospect it was the calm before the storm. I checked into a small cabin, then headed over to prison headquarters, where I knew my sentence was to begin the next day. I picked up my prison number and spoke for a bit with the gods behind a veil curtain so that they could keep their omnipresence spell over us that had been sent there.

While there I saw the long faces and worrisome looks from the six and three day runners. They looked at me with jealousy knowing I was soon to retire to my cabin before returning the next day, but they also looked at me with sympathy knowing I had no clue what was about to happen to me the following morning at 9am.

I slept well that night, showered the next morning, and showed up early at the barracks to begin my sentence. I had assumed that this might do me some favor with the gods. It wasn’t the only faulty assumption I had over the next 48 hours.

The games of the gods began promptly at 9am after a group photo. The photo I assumed was to remind us eventual survivors that we had been the fortunate ones. The race started and those not long for this earth started sprinting up that mountain. We saw them again within 5 minutes as the altitude had filled their lungs and gravity had harnessed their pride back towards the laughter of the gods.

Two hundred and fifty feet of climb over a mile would be punishing enough but no, that would have been too easy for some. The 250-ft climb happened in the first 0.33 mile to the summit where we’d catch our breath, run on level ground for roughly 25 yards before our heads started falling ahead of our feet and our legs wouldn’t stop. Our legs were moving at a warped speed as we couldn’t slow down, we couldn’t stop and our minds were searching and begging for the slightest incline so we could slow down. Some thought they had fallen into a black hole.  No inclines were to be found. Our quads ignited, rocks beneath our feet gave way as we were moving too fast and cutting too hard on switchbacks down towards the gods, and spots in our shoes became hotter than molasses on a Tennessee sidewalk in the heart of summer.

The 250-ft asteroid-like fall from the summit back to flat land took just 0.25 of a mile. Flat land had never felt so secure before. It was also time to walk for a few seconds to let the muscles in the leg rescind back to where they normally reside. A third of a mile later we were back at the tented residence of the gods. The tent was full of food, drink, and mocking. The treats were an oasis of hope that did just that…it made us forget the punishment we had just endured and before we had realized it, we had exited the tent, usually with cookies or gummy worms, and were scaling back up the mountain towards the summit.

I went into Silverton hoping and wanting to reach 100 miles to repay my sins. I didn’t know if the angels would call before I reached that distance, but I thought that once I reached it that my sentence on the mountain would be over and that the gods would release me.

Just five miles into this spectacle, my hamstrings, calf muscles, and feet were begging for no more. They had run 100 miles the weekend before at the Lean Horse 100. I didn’t believe I’d be able to reach 100 miles on this hellanthalish mountain loop. I knew I could stop at any time, since it was timed, but that the gods would laugh, mock, and scorn me by flashing me with the 100-mile buckle I had fallen short of before decapitating me. Foolish pride and a constant restocking of gummy worms and grilled cheeses (upon request) kept me leaving that tent and going back up and down that mountain 100 times over.

After 100x up and down that mountain I had reached 25,000ft of gain and 25,000ft of loss. A hundred times should have been enough. It had taken 35 hours 42 minutes and 44 seconds.

There was one problem…the male and female that did the most loops on this mountain in 48 hours would receive a free pair of Hoka One One shoes ($170 value). It was a mean and cruel trick by the gods that toyed with two of our deadliest sins – pride and greed.

That’s when I realized a 12-yr old boy by the name of Colby Wentlandt was in second place and on my heels. Twelve years old and sentenced to 48 hours on this mountain. What was his crime? How serious must it have been for him to be sentenced with the adults? Had his parents abandoned him while passing through Colorado? Had he murdered his parents? It turns out his parents were on that mountain too, doing painful 1-mile loop after another, but they were so many miles behind young Colby.

Colby moved at such speed it was as if he we was hoping that he could improve the fate of his parents if he could do more miles than any of the other prisoners. However, the gods had no rollover miles plan where he could convey his bounty to his mom and dad.

Colby would taunt me when we’d cross paths under the tent of the gods. He’d tell me how tired I looked and how I should go down. I’m not sure if he meant I should take a nap or if someone with a longer rap sheet should put me down behind the barn. He was sneaky wicked like that and it helped keep me alert and on my toes. I made sure to stay on the opposite side of the mountain to keep him from sneaking up behind and cutting me.

He was easy to spot from the high side of the mountain as he was always with shady characters like a Jester that went by the name of Ed Ettinghausen and two other munchkins by the names of Brandon and Cameron Plate (all sentenced to the 72-Hour and trying to keep up with 48-Hour Colby).

The taunts continued among the inmates as the night became late. ‘The Jester’ and ‘The Boy’ kept putting down 1 mile after another as Colby started to get close to tres digitos. I remained roughly 6-7 miles ahead of Colby per the prison LCD screens that were connected to our anklet tracers.

Colby hit 100 miles (his second time to reach said distance) and everyone within the tent celebrated briefly for most still had many loops left to complete before any hopes of being pardoned from Silverton.

I came in after 107 miles to learn that Colby the Cannibal had retired for the night after 101 tough and strenuous miles. I had met a rough, rugged, and dreaded female convict by the name of Sarah Johnson during these early AM miles. I had spotted a wild bear during this time as I stumbled across one of the ridges high up on the mountain. The bear was a hundred feet away or so looking for food (or bearded runners) in a dumpster near the ski lodge.

I reported the bear to the gods and they called other gods with badges. The gods had planted the bear for us prisoners. My mistake was reporting the creature as the gods then scared the bear back up the mountain near our trail where dozens of us were still circling around in the dark.

The ‘Dreaded One’ stayed close either due to fear of the bear, thinking I had Oreos, or because she couldn’t figure out if her headlamp had an actual light. The company was nice even if albeit fundamentally radical.

“Often the best guys are just those that can suffer longer, who don’t give up. And it’s so easy to give up, when you’re on a mountain and it’s really hurting.” – David Millar

After 110 miles (in 40:38:44) which was a new course record I decided I needed to attempt some rest and sleep as I planned a 6 hour drive back to Albuquerque to catch my flight upon my anticipated release date of 900 hours. I knew I had to be sneaky to dodge the gods so I curled up in the back of my rental car and probably slept for 90-120 minutes.

I was paranoid that Colby had arisen early (thinking it was a school morning) and gone back out on the course for more miles before the sun came up. I went back over to the holding tent and found out that Colby was still fast asleep and far away.

I was surprised to win the race and even more impressed by Colby’s 101 miles and second place finish.

There was great joy celebrating the liberation of several of my fellow companions on the mountain as they came in after 100 miles or more. Some of the highlights were seeing Eric ‘The Fireman’ Waterman complete 100 miles after several failed pardons during other prison stays. Collen Zato was impressive in setting the 72-Hour female course record while setting up several touchdown celebrations for others as they reached memorable milestones during the event and by pacing Rachel Spatz to the female 48-Hour course record. The Jester set a male 72-Hour record for most miles on the course with or without a Jester costume. I was impressed watching Rob Distante who arose from the dead (almost literally) on day two and ran out the rest of his sentence to reach 100 miles. All four Run It Fast – Club members went over 100 miles.

“Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was.” – Dag Hammarskjold

The gods were cruel but the punishment was cleansing like a toxic bleaching to the soul. The mountain had beaten us down physically yet our bodies were renewed from the pounding. We left the mountain not knowing if we could survive again on the outside. Many of us knew we couldn’t and we’d be back. Some of us knew that the gods would not give us a choice either way.

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that damn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac

– joshua holmes (Aug 31-Sep 2, 2013)