135 Miles of Death Valley

Ultramarathon runner John Radich has just completed his ninth running of the treacherous Badwater Ultramarathon. The race covers 135 miles right through Death Valley—some of the toughest terrain on the planet—with temperatures approaching 130 degrees. The route proceeds over three mountain ranges and covers a total cumulative ascent of 13,000 feet—beginning at –280 feet and ending at just over 8,000 feet.

This particular race was quite unusual as the Death Valley Ultramarathon goes. Because of cloud cover, the average temperature remained at a relatively mellow 116 degrees.

But those clouds didn’t stay idle. “We had just come out of the worst section of the run for heat, about 35 miles from the finish, when the sky opened up in a downpour,” John told Organic Connections. “Before it started, the temperature was at 107 degrees. For the next 10 miles we were literally drenched, and the thermometer dropped to an amazing 71 degrees. I actually got cold!”

Of course, it being in the middle of the desert, once the rain subsided the temperature rose sharply again, and runners had to endure layers of steam rising from the pavement.

But John got through and finished with his third best time ever—and he gives a lot of credit to his crew. “Any Badwater runner will tell you that without your team, you can’t finish a race,” he says. “They’re out there making sure you’re staying hydrated and doing well. They’re just amazing, what they do.”

Why does he make this run? “Just the distance and the challenge I find are really different from a regular marathon,” John said. “A marathon is very challenging; they’re a lot of fun and I still do them. But the ultramarathons are just different. You’re out there much longer and you can really experience the environment.”

John added a little extra to this race, as he’s done several times in the past, and after completing put in an additional run up 14,492-foot Mt. Whitney, where he even encountered snow. All in all, it was a very weather-adventurous race.

In addition to the challenge, John also runs for a cause he’s passionate about: a nonprofit group called The Way to Happiness Foundation.