Badwater Forum

http://www.daveharper.com/2006Badwater/2006BadwaterRR.htm

Loved your report, David.

You really hit the nail on the head when you say "Prepare, Plan, Strategize and be prepared to throw all of that out of the window and resort to adapt, improvise and perservere."

Amen. So much of our plan did not go into effect and things happened we couldn't imagine - and Bill still plodded on when it was so easy to drop...

Truly is a "take it as it goes" exercise for all. Part of my Type-A personality is a tendency toward habitual actions - Badwater really tempered that! My Marine Corps training stressed adaptation to environmental/troop status changes with regimented discipline as the foundation, so it's a tough enough line to walk just for a crew member - I can't even imagine the adaptation that must be undertaken by a runner!

Congratulations to you and all who gave it the good fight.

Connie Karras, 2006 crew member
Bill LaDieu, 54:50

Thank you Connie,

I've crewed, and I've run, and believe me, both have their challenges. It's a great honor to be involved in helping someone to the finish line of this race. You guys were back and forth with us for most of the event.

I have actually gone back, and added a complete section to my race report that details some of the positive things of the Badwater event. I won't say it's not a torture-fest, because to a large degree, it is, but it's also so much more than that.

David,

What a nice touch - your update. I had similar thoughts on the drive back to Vegas...how that miracle we visited a short time was as beautiful as it was dangerous. Very humbling to say the least. And I still can't put into words the beauty. Randy pointed out the shooting stars to me the first evening and I kept missing them because I was concentrating on crewing so much...and then I slowed down enough to look at the sky - REALLY look at that sky - and I saw three that evening! My first shooting stars!

Here's to wishing (and I heard it makes no difference who you are),

Connie Karras