At 6:45am on Monday morning, July 14, 2008, the alarm on my watch went off signaling the start of the longest, most exciting day I have ever known. I had been awake for about an hour. My heart was racing. Would I be a good crew member? Could I keep up with Dean while I was pacing him? Too late to worry about any of that now.
I was to meet the rest of the gang at breakfast at 8am. I opted to walk over to the steak house where the pre race meal was being provided a little early so that I could watch the other runners. Crews loaded their vehicles and athletes smiled wide and nervously as they readied themselves for the intense physical challenge that awaited. I watched as Pam Reed and her crew entered the restaurant for breakfast. She looked calm and ready.
Koop, Mike and Morgan showed up just a little after 8am. Dean was mentally preparing, alone in the hotel room. We took a seat near Pam who was curiously smearing jelly on exactly half of her piece of toast. A pre race routine maybe?
At 9am, it was time to leave for Badwater. Dean loaded into the van with us a few minutes late. He looked focused but excited. He cued up his Ipod and away we went, 17 miles to nowhere. Other runners had begun their races in 6am and 8am waves so as we drove, we could see them as they ran towards Furnace Creek. We cheered and they excitedly cheered back when they saw whose name was on the side of out van.
Morgan tapped Dean on the shoulder. "While you are coherent." he said, "I just want to thank you for this opportunity. It is such an honor."
"You guys need to stop thanking me," said Dean bashfully. "It is I who should be thanking you."
As we continued our drive, I zoned out, happily breathing in the music, the sights of the other runners on the road, reminding myself how lucky I was. A dream I didn't even know that I had was coming true.
At the start line, talented runners fought through the pack to shake hands with Dean and take a pre race photo. It wasn't long before these amazing athletes were being herded to the start line. I looked around and saw a sign that read 280 feet below sea level. It truly looked as if we were at the bottom of an ocean - absolutely breathtaking!
The race began. I set my stopwatch. Funny to think that it would be more than a day before I pressed that button again. The runners spread out pretty quickly. Jorge Pacheco started out fast as he always does, but it wasn't long before Akos Konyas and David Goggins were running directly behind him. Dean was maybe a 10th of a mile back. For the first 17 miles, we were only allowed one vehicle and could not pace him. The beginning of our monotonous but strangely fun routine began - drive 1/2 - 1 mile ahead, load up water bottles, load up a pitcher of ice and water, run across the street, ask Dean what else he needed, run back to the van and run out to him whatever strange thing he decided he needed at that moment, and repeat. There was no break in this and a constant sense of urgency surrounded us.
At mile 6, Dean decided to push ahead of the pack, maybe a 10th of a mile in front of the other 3. We all exchanged nervous glances. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked.
"Not sure yet," Said Koop.
He was the next one out to bring Dean water. "These guys are moving really fast," said Dean.
"Maybe you should slow down," said Koop. "It's a long way to Lone Pine." Dean nodded as he let the other runners move ahead once more.
At Furnace Creek, Koop laced up his running shoes for the first round of pacing. Mike picked up the second vehicle as Morgan and I rode in the first one, continuing to crew. The other vehicle just followed us and Mike would get out to help as needed.
About 5 miles down the road from there, we saw David Goggins, a favorite to win, laying down in the back of the crew vehicle. We never saw him again.
Dean and Koop ran fast as I nervously awaited my pacer duties. I would pick him up at Stovepipe. I told the guys that I didn't know how long I would last at his pace. I hopped out of the van when we arrived as Mike drove into town to get gas and popsicles. My heart was pounding. Was a really pacing Dean Karnazes at Badwater? Well, not for long! His pace was strong so I only lasted about 5 miles which we completed in 40 minutes. I let Morgan take over so that I did not become a liability.
The hours flew by. I never wanted this race to end. It was an ultrarunner's heaven.
"Summer, do you have a good moisturizer?" Dean asked at one of our stops.
"I have my Mary Kay sunscreen with moisturizer," I said.
"That sounds great!" The guys snickered as I dug into one of my bags and pulled out both the sunscreen and lip balm. The lip balm was quickly renamed 'lip gu' and needed about every other stop from that point out.
As the sun began to set, the sky opened up as a welcomed rainstorm showered over us. A beautiful rainbow spread across the twilight and through mild exhaustion, smiles were impossible to hide. "Dean, go get us that pot of gold," I said. "It's right there." It wasn't long before Mike took over pacing some of the night portion and Dean finally started to get hungry. I was on 'kitchen duty."
"What can I get for you, Dean?" I said smiling.
"Cheese and crackers!" he said.
As we drove to the next stop, I carefully layed triscuits out across my legs, cut the cheese and made him his snack. We stopped and I ran them out.
"Nah..." he said. "How about peanut butter and crackers!"
Back at the van, I dug up some peanut butter, spread it on the crackers as we drove, then ran them back out. I handed them to Dean.
"No thank you," he said. "Unless you have jelly. Do you have jelly?"
"I don't think so," I said.
"But we have honey," said Koop.
"Oooo.... honey. Yes, that's perfect!"
Morgan looked at me and started laughing. "Welcome to crewing Dean and his night eating habits!" said Koop.
I fixed the crackers for him as we drove, honey dripped all over my hands and legs as I attempted to quickly prepare them. I ran them out once more.
"They look dry," said Dean. "Oooo... how about pudding with peanut brittle!"
Morgan laughed hysterically and Koop was nice enough to grab the pudding this time and put me out of my misery!
The night was long but the desert was beautiful. We saw snakes and scorpions but the most breathtaking sight was the flashing lights in the distance of other crews helping their runners across the vast landscape.
At 5am, Dean grew tired and opted for a 5 minute nap. It was a much needed rest for me as well. I sat on the back of the van watching my watch so I knew when to wake him. Suddenly I heard footsteps approaching. "Hello,' a female voice spoke from the darkness. It was Pam Reed.
"Hi!" I smiled, a little flustered. "Good morning!"
I was so excited to see her that reality did not set in - she was passing Dean, putting him in 4th place. I woke him shortly thereafter and he resumed his running, slightly more energized.
The sun began to rise and we could see Mt. Whitney in the distance. "See that switchback?" said Mike. "That's where we are headed." Koop took over pacing in the morning. Morgan and I were riding in the 2nd van as we saw Dean catch Pam at almost exactly mile 100. His pace quickened.
"No rivalry between Dean and Pam my ass!" I laughed. "This is awesome!"
They leap frogged each other until Dean took the lead. But there were other battles to fight. Jamie Donaldson, a women's favorite, was catching up quickly. Coming in to Lone Pine, she was running sub 8 minute miles.
"Do you think you can pace Dean up Mt Whitney?" asked Mike. "Just for a little while, like you did before?"
I smiled. "I will do it or die trying."
"He is going to want to walk this but you can't let him. Push him. He is very close to a PR."
I nodded as I geared up. The past two months of training and ever the past few years of ultrarunning had lead me to this moment. I hopped out of the van.
"You have me for a while, is that ok?" I smiled.
"Oh yes!" said Dean. "Man, I am really beat."
We walked for a bit before I glanced behind us and saw Pam Reed, not far behind.
"Okay." I said. "Ready to run?"
"I can't run this," said Dean.
"Just to that white car... see that up there?" He nodded. "Then I will pour both water bottles over your head."
And that's how we did it. One land mark after another, up Mt. Whitney, together.
"Mike, she's making me run!" Dean complained.
"Dean, cancel your manicure, grow a mustache, and get your ass up that hill!!" said Mike.
I didn't leave him, I didn't ask for someone else to replace me. Although it was the hardest thing I have ever done physically, I paced Dean 13 miles up Mt Whitney, and he ended the race with a PR of 27:11, beating Pam Reed who also PRed!
Tears streamed down my face as all of the crew members and Dean held hands as we crossed the finish line together. I was forever changed.
"Just one thing I want to know." Mike said to Dean over pizza in to Lone Pine. "You gonna become a Mary Kay rep after this?" We all laughed.
I saw Larry on my way out of town the next morning and we shared stories of the race. "He's a little disappointed," I said of Dean. "But he is still very cheerful."
"Did he really think he could beat Jorge?" asked Larry.
I shrugged, "You have to give yourself permission to be great, right?" I said quoting him. He smiled.
Driving out of town was bittersweet. One adventure down, but I was off to Vermont!