Running on the Sun

Once upon a time, some years ago, when I was spending the majority of my waking hours running or inline skating or resting as a result, I had a fantasy about taking up ultramarathon running.

Back in the day I ran a total of four marathons — the old–fashioned 26.2–miles–long variety, with a best time of 3:16 for Culver City (part of greater Los Angeles) — before I tired of the endless training.

Then, when I was in the habit of doing the Athens–to–Atlanta Inline Skate Marathon (86 miles from Athens, Georgia to Piedmont Park in Atlanta, on the road) every year, trying a running ultra seemed like an interesting challenge.

As time has passed my interest has waned such that nowadays I'm happy if I do 30 or 40 minutes of slow jogging three or four days a week.

I watched the above–titled DVD last night and I can only say: Oh, man.

It is truly unbelievable.

For the $9.47 price of admission (at Amazon) you get to meet some extraordinary people.

It is impossible to summarize this DVD but I will say the following:

• The Badwater Ultramarathon accepts 40 people who want to try and complete what is simply a brutal course, indescribably difficult. It takes place every July, begins in Death Valley and covers 135 miles, with tremendous inclines and decline, ending 8,000 feet up Mt. Whitney.

• There are no cash prizes: you get nothing but an extremely coveted belt buckle for covering the 135 miles under 48 hours. The course record is just under 28 hours. About one–third of those starting drop out, one–third finish under 48 hours, and the other third finish within 60 hours, when the course closes.

• If you don't want to see some really terrible looking feet and toes then don't buy this DVD.

• If you don't find yourself repeatedly dumbfounded and amazed at the enormous mental strength and reserves of the varied living embodiments of Samuel Beckett's, "I can't go on — I'll go on" who participate in this race, you're a harder person than me.