Known as “the hardest foot race on the planet," this race is a course for a super human endeavor where elite athletes run 135 miles to a finish line nestled amongst the pine trees at the Mt Whitney Portal. More than two mountain ranges away, the distance is of secondary concern. For the runners, the unforgiveable heat (that can reach 130 degrees air temperature and 150+ on the pavement) rattles even the most seasoned Badwater veteran.
Amongst the 2010 entrants in the Badwater Ultramarathon is Ray Sanchez. A relative newcomer to the Ultrarunning world, Sanchez is a former Golden Glove amateur boxer who aspired for Olympic greatness. Fighting is something that comes natural to him. Raised on the inner-city streets of Sacramento, Sanchez realized that there would be no one to help him out of a tough ghetto.
He would have to do it on his own.
After learning of long distant running from a coworker, he has become a staple on the Race Entry Logs and Official Finishers. Running more than 125 Ultra’s in the past four years, Sanchez began to dig deeper to find out what was driving him to such levels of endurance. Becoming somewhat stagnant, he made a few mental notes of directional change.
In the fall of 2009, he made two big announcements that consisted of him telling a few people. The first, he would focus 2010 on completing this relatively “unknown race series that’s never been done.” A three race series called the Badwater World Cup had never been done. Not by Ray, not by anyone. The series consists of the Brazil, Arrowhead, and Badwater; all 135 miles long and all in grueling environments. Already difficult races, what makes them an impossible feat to most, is they must be done in a single calendar year. Brazil and Arrowhead are done on back to back weekends. Logistics, finance, travel, climate, recovery, and exhaustion makes most elite ultrarunners scoff at the notion of even attempting it.
Sanchez’ second huge announcement was that all of his future races would be ran for a reason. For Sanchez, that reason is Be Change, an after-school program that gives inner-city kids in Sacramento an equal start in their educational, medical, dental, and nutritional needs.
The altruistic and unassuming Sanchez quickly found support for his lofty goals. Be Change founder and Ultrarunner Jason Harper agreed to build a crew of support that would assure he would be at optimal performance. Harper sent two from his team to support Sanchez in Brazil, while he and another headed to International Falls, Minnesota. Though Arrowhead must be run unsupported (Sanchez pulled a sled of supplies weighing more than 50lbs.), Harper spent a couple days preparing, adjusting, and strategizing a solution that would give Sanchez a shot at finishing in the 30 below-zero arctic conditions while still recovering from South America. Arrowhead 135 intimidates and corrupts the process of vision casting and goal setting for an ultrarunner.
Two down, one to go.
Brazil 135 | Official Finish | 35:01:00
Arrowhead 135 | Official Finish | 54:52:00
Having toed the line at Badwater before, Sanchez seemed calm with only two days before the race of his life. Maybe his calm comes from the fact that he has already been the first to run all three races sequentially. Beginning with his 2009 Badwater finish, Brazil and Arrowhead thus far in 2010, to Sanchez it’s not legit unless he has ran all three in a calendar year. For some it’s a fight to be the first. But for Sanchez, his legitimacy doesn’t come other people as much as it does from having purpose; Running for a reason…
In the running world, most are unaware of the Badwater World Cup. For many in the Ultra world, it is not that big of a deal. Some even discount the feat as “not that big of a deal.” Perhaps it’s because it is seemingly illogical and audacious to even attempt all three in a row.
To the average marathoner, a 100-miler seems ridiculous; a 135-miler is insane. But to run in the hot and humid Brazil 135 that weaves through the shadow of the Andes Mountains only to face frostbite days later in the frozen northern Minnesota wilderness…it’s to hard to grasp. It’s unthinkable. It’s illogical. To put it in perspective, for a sprinter, it’s trying to wrap the mind around a three minute mile. It’s complete insanity.
For Sanchez there is no cash prize when he runs. He has some first-place finishes in his career and a few course records, but to him it’s more than medals, belt buckles, and bragging rights. For Sanchez it’s a desire to use running to make the world better than he found it. By leveraging his running feats, he is able to teach the inner-city kids that the unthinkable and the impossible are reachable.
“I run for a reason. Every stride I take is a possible step up for a child who has never seen a doctor or a dentist.” Sanchez said. The rarely emotional Sanchez spoke with conviction.
“I was raised with very little. I know what they face with hunger and poverty. When I am running Badwater and the pain and fatigue has trashed me, I remember it is nothing compared to what that face everyday.”
The kids get it.
Because of Ray Sanchez and others who have chosen to compete for Be Change’s Run for a Reason, stories are starting to emerge. Recently Sanchez worked with kids in Harper’s after-school running program. The kids played with Ray and chased him around the play ground. Watching the kids run brought a smile to his face. Be Change Staff pointed out the kids who had been given a step up through a recent dental appointment. Others told Sanchez they had been selected to go on a trip to USC to see a college campus and attend a celebration and Disneyland for their classroom achievements. As they spoke, he smiled. For Sanchez, he realized people don’t give as much to purpose as they give to pain.
“When I run, people are motivated to give to a worthy cause. Be Change has helped me get to a level I could not have gotten to without their support.”
Be Change needs Ray. Ray needs the kids. The kids need Be Change.
Each has a different story. Each has a reason to run. |
