Don Reichelt Runs The Badwater 135
The Badwater 135 is called the toughest footrace on planet Earth. Covering 135 miles, the race goes from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney CA. Temperatures can reach as high as 135 degrees F and the race puts the runners under significant stress with their first steps at the lowest elevation point in North America at 280 feet below sea level all the way to the entry point of Mt. Whitney at 8,000 feet. Runners have 48 hours to complete the race. The strongest are looking to challenge the record of 21 hours 56 minutes set by Pete Kostelnick in 2016.
For many runners and adventurists, entry into Badwater 135 is the jackpot of endurance sports. A lottery, running in at least three 100-mile races and a deep endurance sports resume are the first hurdles to get over. So, even to get to the start line is hard. Races like the Badwater 135 attract those who have a sense of adventure, keen determination, and a deep-rooted belief in their ability to endure and embrace suffering. In a modern world where so much of what we do is geared towards making things easy this race is as much about survival as it is finishing in a good time. And in choosing to take on a challenge of this caliber, running a race like Badwater gives one the opportunity to find something that is difficult to find – personal fulfillment.
One of the entrants into the 2018 Badwater is Don Reichelt, an ultra-endurance specialist who has competed in countless ultramarathons including 5 races of 100+ miles with a 100 mile PR of 16:27. His journey as an ultra-runner comes to a pinnacle tonight when he starts the race at 11 pm (to avoid the heat – haha). Performance Tea is proud to support Don during his race and with our Energy blend drink, we are confident that Don will have just the right stuff to hydrate himself and keep him going strong.
