On Tuesday, August 11, 2020, the three Ohio “Team Harvey” crew members were relaxing in our room at the historic Dow Villa Hotel in Lone Pine, California. From the window we enjoyed a view of the summit on Mt Whitney, easy to spot as it looks like shark’s teeth at 14,505 feet. We were worn out from crewing legendary ultra runner, Harvey Lewis, who started his FKT (Fastest Known Time) attempt two days prior on Sunday at 6PM from the iconic Badwater Basin sign, 282 feet BELOW sea level at a toasty 121 degrees.
Harvey’s goal was “simple”, to reset Marshall Ulrich’s 29 year record! Recognized as “The sport’s (ultrarunning) figurehead in this country, Marshall Ulrich’s FKT was a huge goal to target. Marshall’s second book, “Both Feet On The Ground”, was published in ’19. Chapter 6, page 83 is where the story of Marshall’s 29 year FKT is highlighted along with relevant history. I highly recommend the book and wish I’d read it before the trip!
Spoiler alert. He did it. Harvey beat the record by 22 minutes in a time of 33:32. Early that Tuesday morning with a near full moon above and 29 chilly degrees at the summit on Mt. Whitney, Harvey completed his supported run from the lowest point in the continental US to the highest. By comparison, my three toughest ultras of just over 100 miles, have taken me well over 34 hours! Harvey covered significant elevation changes, baked by direct sunlight in the world’s hottest place, a lone competitor racing the clock for 146 miles. This seemed impossible. Absurd, and what a thrill to have a close up view while playing a supporting role.
“He looks terrible” said one of the Ohio crew members shortly after 12 Noon that Tuesday. Dave Oakley, our crew chief, had crewed for Harvey’s fiance, Kelly O’Dell. Jeremy Scheffler knew Harvey well, as he’d traveled with Harvey’s Travel Quest company to Portugal and Africa. Jeremy had run the Boston Marathon, but hadn’t run any ultra marathons. We were a relatively inexperienced crew. Dave has crewing experience but it was a first visit to Death Valley for all of us. We weren’t sure if we’d see Harvey until the next day after the FKT attempt. Our schedule was open to do as we wished on Tuesday, so I got out early to clean out the rental van before it got super hot and stinky! What a mess, but there was some food in there worth salvaging. I would not suggest loaning out your vehicle to a crew doing the Badwater 135!
After descending Mt. Whitney, we speculated Harvey might take a nap in the Whitney Portal area regardless of the success or failure of the FKT attempt. Or Harvey might have gone to his room, shower and pass out for many hours? We would speculate with increasing optimism after 4AM “West Coast” time whether the FKT had been achieved. No, Harvey and Michael Jimenez came to our room so Harvey could thank us and share what happened after the first 135 miles. Naturally, Harvey had the ultra runner post run hobble, he’d lost weight, was looking a bit gaunt, and his face was caked with thick layers of salt. During the run through Death Valley, he changed out of running clothes as they became abrasive due to dried salt build up! I didn’t think Harvey looked terrible, as his eyes were bright and his big, tired, joyful smile looked like a post run high to me! Here was a guy who’d accomplished one of the most epic, magical adventures of his life. He was ecstatic and it radiated from him.
We estimated Harvey had been awake for about 55 hours after being self propelled for 157 miles with Newton’s on his feet the whole time. Harvey is dedicated to his shoe sponsor, Newton, wearing a more generously padded model for steep downhill running. How could he look so “great” after the historic world class FKT he’d orchestrated? More on that later. It wasn’t just his favorite shoes that allowed for a miraculously fast recovery. Harvey has many sponsors. In my opinion they are lucky to have him.
My beliefs and values clearly shaped my views on this adventure. After reading the Christopher McDougall bestseller “Born To Run” in 2010, I’d adopted the better habits of the Raramuri as primarily full-time parent in suburban, Ohio. This led to me shedding my fears of a cancer recurrence to become a huarache wearing, plant eating, die hard ultra runner eager to share the “best” ideas from the book. Raramuri means “the running people” referring to the more nomadic, subsistence farmers from the Copper Canyons of Mexico, known to be some the very toughest runners on earth.
Going all in with the barefoot vegan runner “stuff” with life changing results, I’m astonished that more people aren’t doing these simple things, given how many people have read “Born To Run”. With more than ten years of minimalist and barefoot running experience and a ten year “vegan-versary” coming up Dec. 10, 2020, it was an unexpected thrill to be invited to crew for a fellow vegan ultra runner! I’d first learned about the Badwater 135 mile race in the best seller, “Born To Run”. Over the years, I’m meeting more people featured in that book, which helped me radically transform my well being. I entered a phase of life more focused on cooperation than competition; more about experiences, adventures, the environment, people, wisdom, energy, enjoying more “ease” in life. “Ease” is anything but easy.
Interesting things have happened as unforeseeable consequences and responses to the pandemic. Add my Death Valley adventure to the list, as this would not have happened had the actual Badwater 135 not been cancelled in July. Ironic that my year has been going well with extra family time and perhaps more running than ever. Races may have been cancelled, but not my running adventures. I created new adventures and added fundraising to a couple of 100 miler DIY runs, raising over $3200 for charities. Making the best of the situation while well aware of how fragile life is, becoming the new goals. Making the best of a tough situation, the pandemic, was a message in Harvey’s post FKT TV interviews.
Let’s back up to Saturday, August 1st. About 15 miles into a point-to-point 20.5 mile run, I was headed for home when my phone goes “bing” and it’s Harvey wondering if I could break away for an adventure August 6-13th? He’d help with some travel expenses and is going for an FKT, something about Death Valley. Intrigued, I immediately checked with my wife, who says, “How could you pass that up?” Agreed, I’d be an idiot to not go, right? Meg, my wife is the best!! People die out there, it ain’t called Death Valley for nothin. I’m in!! That fast, plans were being finalized, I was super pumped to be going on this adventure, yet unable to tell people about it in any detail until just before our flight out the following Thursday August 6th. While I’d run 16 successful, official 100 mile ultra marathons, I’m not a competitive racer and had never really had a crew or pacer for them and I’d never crewed for anyone else’s ultra marathon. I had “crewed” myself and there was some value in that experience.
Who goes to Death Valley in August of a pandemic year? Us. Dave Oakley, Jeremy Scheffler and I would meet up with Michael Jimenez from the LA area. I talked with Harvey the evening of August 1st to get a better idea of what this was all about. Quickly I realized this FKT was a huge goal and I was lucky to be play a supporting role. Harvey had been interested in this FKT for many years and was investing thousands of dollars to take his best shot at it, viewing this as a once in a lifetime event. The crew can make or break a runner in Death Valley and Harvey was covering the longer, more difficult, original Badwater route that includes the tough extra eleven trail miles for a total of 146 miles! He placed a lot of faith in us. People die in Death Valley. This would be Harvey’s 14th visit to Death Valley. Sure there’s risk, but I was in good hands and Harvey made it clear our safety was the most important thing. No matter how he was feeling out there, Harvey was watching out for our safety. We looked after each other as well, with simple reminders to hydrate, eat and watch for traffic.
There is something special about the immense quiet of Death Valley. The wide open spaces help a person become hyper aware. Eric Orton, author of The Cool Impossible and also a part of the “Born To Run” story, likes to say that athleticism is all about awareness. There are some magical qualities about being in Death Valley. Many consider Death Valley a sacred, spiritual place. Harvey seemed hyper alert and tuned in to everything, savoring it all. Danger instinctively ramps up our awareness.
I’d gotten to know Harvey primarily via FaceBook a few years ago and talked with him at the Roots and Rocks 50K races in January and February the past three years, before and during the races at Alum Creek Lake, north of Columbus, Ohio. We chatted briefly during one of those races where he was running 50 miles, while most of us were doing 50K. Conditions were brutal, the lake was frozen and reminded me of Algonquin in the Winter. Harvey passed and talked so fast and so long that I didn’t get a chance to tell him I had three layers of hats and buffs over my ears! And a bit of tinnitus, along with about 10% hearing loss in my left ear, I couldn’t hear most of what he said, but his energy was off the charts as he “flew” over the ice and snow. Harvey typically wins these races by a good margin and would be home before I could finish the shorter distance. Often he’d fall down, due to his speed on slippery trails, quoting one of his favorite lines “fall down seven times, get up eight” in his race report. “Embrace the elements”, is another of Harvey’s favorite quotes. Little did I know that in 2020, I’d experience something similar, but in the world’s hottest place; Harvey charging ahead and me trying to listen. What was it he wanted at our next stop? Usually I got it right.
After whittling down my travel gear for nearly 8 days and packing my bag, Harvey realized that if I used our cooler as a checked bag, that would result in one less cooler that needed to be purchased in Nevada, then donated after the FKT attempt. I repacked into a cooler and carry-on bag, with less stuff and still brought too much! Being flexible, frugal and creative is part of what the pandemic has been teaching us and this is how we proceeded with helping Harvey do the “impossible”. Due to very low occupancy levels at the better hotels, we were fortunate to stay in some of Harvey’s favorite places, The Ranch at Death Valley and The Dow Villa. Harvey was thrilled to have us out there contributing to the livelihoods of those trying to survive a pandemic which of course resulted in a dramatic drop in travelers.
Harvey is a full-time public educator and he’s a natural teacher, leader and communicator. He says life is all about experiences and relationships. Mr. Tracey Outlaw is Harvey’s PR guy, who updates Harvey’s social media and interacts with media while Harvey is out on his grand adventures. Tracey confirmed what I already knew, Harvey is all about energy. For me, this is the essence of human existence. Everything is energy and in my view, Death Valley is far from dead. The hottest place on earth, Death Valley is flowing heavy with the sun’s energy and full of plant and animal life that’s adapted to the extremes. Harvey has learned to harness the sun’s energy in Death Valley. He seeks to keep his thoughts and emotions positive. Whether learned or instinctive, he seems to be applying “the law of attraction”, and principals from quantum physics to his life and running. Everything is in fact energy, but our feelings and thoughts and our ability to influence them are what differentiate us from other life forms and inanimate objects. If we tend to become what we think and feel about, then Einstein was onto something with the idea that our internal energy goes beyond our own skin. Watching Harvey orchestrate this FKT project reminded me of all these ideas.
“Energy flows where attention goes” is one of my favorite mantras for life and running. “Seek wisdom over wealth”, is a guiding principle. I think there is power in a belief that an abundance of good flows frequently and easily to and from me, which helps attract and create more joy, resources, love, laughter, healthy food, adventures, experiences, gratitude, energy and productive relationships. To win or succeed requires the yin-yang of offense and defense. I wondered how Harvey would keep motivated as the only racing runner out there for so long? I know how powerful the push and pull of other runners can be, but Harvey found the positive of solitary racing by focusing on realizing that the lack of a faster runner ahead was good for him, as he would not be pressured to change his strategy, possibly going out too fast. He focused on the positives of the unique situation he’d created.
Our second morning in Henderson, Nevada on Saturday had us enjoying the complimentary hotel breakfast. Bananas, coffee and oatmeal for me! A friendly dude walked by our table out by the pool. Dave, our FKT “crew chief”, was wearing his red, white and blue COVID mask and a patriotic shirt, which led to a conversation with Michael Cade in the breakfast room. We looked up his story on our phones to verify he’d been shot in the head four times at close range while saving a woman’s life! Harvey and I went in for more food, when Harvey invited Michael out to have breakfast with us. That led to an interview with Michael that Harvey posted on his FaceBook page, Harvey Lewis – Ultra Runner. Check it out. Relationships and experiences.
It was a miraculous true story. Michael is writing a book about his life. These connections that Harvey made happened over and over. I kept thinking, there are no strangers with Harvey. Whether it was a park ranger, the staff at The Ranch at Death Valley, the man working the camp store counter at a nearly deserted camping area at Echo Bay on Lake Mead, random people in parking lots, a dad on his motorcycle with a special needs son in Death Valley, or an “angel” bringing Harvey vegan smoothies and Coca Cola mid FKT, Harvey would try to connect with them, share, understand and learn from them.
Our crew chief, Dave, was thrilled with his first time visit to Death Valley and he had a tough gig driving the van and leading the effort to keep up with Harvey’s needs every half mile to a mile, while searching for a safe places to park. In the stifling heat of the second day for Harvey running in Death Valley, a kind woman on her own volition brought Harvey his favorite cold beverages. In her enthusiasm to get her vehicle out of Harvey’s running path, she parked too far off the road, resulting in all four tires digging into the sand as her massive 4 wheel drive Mercedes leaned hard and away from the road, close to a tipping point. The three of us were really hustling full-time to keep up with crewing duties and Harvey wanted Dave try to do something, as we couldn’t leave her stranded in Death Valley! Dave flagged down a random driver on highway 190 and asked the driver to check on her. Shortly after that, we caught up with Ben Jones, AKA Badwater Ben of “Born To Run” fame. Dave asked Ben if he could also check on the young lady in the Mercedes. Ben did so and got her exactly the help she needed. Ben came to the rescue as hoped, as he was a medical doctor trained in Ohio and the coroner for the area for so many years. Ben ran his first Badwater at my current age, 58! In 1991, “Badwater Ben Jones,” as he is affectionately known in this large area, became, in all likelihood, the first “marathoner” to take time out from racing to do an autopsy. (A trekker in Death Valley had died of a heatstroke.)
From Ben Jones “18 prescriptions for a long life”; I try to be behind an 18-wheeler when I drive, so I won’t be wiped out in a head-on. Seems logical to me!
Crowley’s Point is where I first met Ben, 88. With little time to spare before Harvey would come thru needing aid, I went over to Ben’s truck, introduced myself and got him to try his first ever “sheet” of seaweed. I’d been tickled by Harvey’s request for his next snack, Oreos and seaweed! Ben was game to try some, he took photos of the process and I grabbed photos of Ben, which Tracey Outlaw then posted to social media on Harvey’s behalf. Dr. Ben had delivered well over 1000 babies in his area and had performed over 2000 autopsies. Ben Jones, “Mayor of Badwater” keeps cool in the heat and that younger woman in the truck, his wife Denise. If you know Ben, you have something to talk about with nearly everyone in the area. Denise Jones is also a Badwater finisher, while Ben’s run it three times. They enjoy mountain views from the front and back of their home, with the summit of Whitney out back.
To clarify, Harvey did not consume the sea weed with the Oreos. One would chase the other each mile or so. I recently consumed a couple packets of seaweed during the Pine Creek 100 in Pennsylvania and I earned a 100 miler PR there after my 58th birthday, on a course that was long by over two miles. Seaweed might have helped, but I passed on the Oreos! The PR may have had more to do with approaching that 100+ mile run with more of Harvey’s style. I ran faster from the start and did everything I could to stay focused, alert and healthy. Harvey combines the confidence of Muhammad Ali with the humility of Gandhi. I tried to run more like Harvey. Stand tall, go go go, and have confidence in the ability to recover from rough patches.
Harvey wanted to have as few surprises as possible during the FKT and he wanted the process to be low key onsite, yet active online for the fundraising effort. Naturally this led to some conflicting goals, making the challenge greater for our crew chief Dave. I was able to try and enjoy and savor the experience a bit more perhaps. Harvey would get energized each time he heard the fundraiser was doing well, yet the publicity attracted more people to the highway to cheer in person. It was after Crowley’s Point when more people showed up. Davey McCoy, photographer, arrived as planned with his partner Tracy, a fifth place overall Badwater 135 finisher! Davey and Tracy became key Team Harvey members not only for professional photographs, but getting Harvey some key food items he craved such as watermelon, hash brown potatoes, and marinara pasta. Davey and Tracy would then join Harvey for the ascent and descent of the Whitney Summit. This extra help proved vital in getting Harvey safely back to Portal.
Slowly the FKT started becoming more circus like. A running party, on the highway, in Death Valley! I was loving it, but I think it was causing Dave some angst. As more vehicles started stopping on the “course”, it became harder for Dave to find a safe place to park. Some were fans, others were fellow Badwater finishers. There was Darren and his adult children who would also climb the Whitney summit. A man and his wife from California stopped by, he wanted to run a bit with Harvey. A couple with a cow bell came out to cheer and make some noise at several spots along the route. Ben and Denise were there. Cora-Lena, the vegan woman with the huge Mercedes SUV was there. We’d see her running full speed near the road with hair in her face or cheering from atop her vehicle as if she were at a concert cheering for an encore. I thought the energy was fun, it was good for me, so I assumed mostly good for Harvey as well, in spite of the “low key” aspect going away for awhile.
It was somewhere after Crowley’s Point, where fighter jets often practice maneuvers, when two jets flying side by side dipped down, seemed to buzz as low over us as they could, then blast up to the sky. It was ground shaking, ear piercing, heart pounding energy and most importantly Harvey absolutely loved it. His pace picked up, his big grin saying it all. This typically happens during the actual Badwater 135 race, which allows up to 100 runners. Harvey’s FKT was not a Badwater sanctioned event. We were to follow all rules of the race and we wanted to be good running ambassadors and not do nothing that might reflect negatively on the actual Badwater event. Thus it was Harvey’s desire to keep it low key onsite and not disrupt the flow in Death Valley in any way. There was a second less dramatic fighter jet flyover closer to Lone Pine, CA.
Cora-Lena, the vegan in the giant Mercedes that had been towed out of the sand became a regular on the course right up until Harvey started climbing the summit with Michael, Davey and Tracy. She wanted to help more, but Harvey had everything set to go and our duties were complete. I later learned, Cora-Lena is trained and experienced in mountain rescue and has significant experience climbing the summit of Whitney. She predicted Harvey and the team might need more fluids and nutrients on the descent, so she carried much needed supplies on her own volition, several miles up the mountain. Harvey greatly appreciated it as they did indeed need more sustenance.
Harvey’s well on his way to visiting every country on earth. Death Valley is one of his favorite places. He considers it magical and sacred. Now I understand why so many International travelers visit Death Valley, yet it seems to be somewhat a secret here in the states. Pulling off this FKT, required more than world class running ability. Harvey was orchestrating a complex team effort and the fundraiser for a local charity in his hometown of Cincinnati tied to this FKT raised at least $10,750! This was a collaborative team effort and Marshall Ulrich was rooting for him. Helping others via some “productive discomfort”, AKA suffering, has more meaning when it’s also helping others.
One of the surreal moments for me happened after Harvey made to 135 miles at the end of the road portion of the race. It was here that I received a text from Tracey Outlaw with a link to Marshall, who was waiting to talk with Harvey before the final ascent up Mt. Whitney. Listening to these two legends talking at this point in the run was the perfect example of how running can bring out the very best in people. Harvey was beyond the time he’d allotted for starting the summit climb. There were rough patches and this was one of them. Timing was perfect for the call, some Death Valley magic. These two runners clearly have mutual admiration and respect. Marshall was passionately rooting for Harvey to be the person to reset the FKT. A few days later on our trip back to the Vegas area, Harvey spoke again with Marshall, who was able to relive his journey to his FKT 29 years prior; heart pounding and sweating as if he were there. Vicariously feeling the adventure from his home in Colorado, Marshall followed Harvey’s progress via the Garmin tracker transmissions all the way up to the summit!
Clearly, Marshall had been mentoring and inspiring Harvey for many years. I have no doubt that Harvey will do the samef for others, paying it forward.
Records are set to be broken. Marshall’s had an incredible 29 year shelf life. Personally, I suspect Harvey would currently be the most likely person to beat his own FKT. I can’t help but wonder how long this record may stand. Harvey is more likely to run the actual Badwater 135 as many times as possible, but the future is less predictable than ever.
Let’s go back to early Sunday morning, August 9. Harvey messages Jeremy and I at about 6:50AM to meet on the back porch of their room for a team meeting in ten minutes. The plan had been to start the run at 10PM that evening, but after talking with Marshall Ulrich and learning that in 1991, the start time was 6PM, Harvey shifted our plan back four hours to a 6PM start in order to keep his FKT as close to the original journey as possible. Our day would go by even faster, as we consolidated down to one room and prepared to pack the van for crewing duties. We decided to have Jeremy remain in the room for the first 17.5 miles of the FKT, to help keep him fresh and rested. Michael Jimenez arrived from the LA area around 4PM and would rest in the remaining room that night. Some time after noon that day, Harvey had me hold his iPhone steady outside for a pre FKT TV interview that lasted long enough for the phone to overheat and shut down. A perfect example of just how hot it is in Death Valley in August! Phones die. People do die out there.
Acting as a tripod was good practice, as my iPhone would be used to get some photos and video to Tracey Outlaw before and during the FKT. Getting a signal would be tricky, but we were able to get some good material over to Tracey, as many people were following Harvey’s adventure vicariously and Harvey’s energy ramped up as the donations came in for the City Gospel Mission. We all worked together trying to create an upward spiral of positive energy. The original fundraising goal was $2500 but we passed that early, perhaps before he started running! Harvey doubled it and then raised it by $2500 again and again. During the FKT, I formed a bad habit of misplacing my phone and generally annoying others with photo related efforts, but I felt it was worth documenting the FKT. What Harvey was doing was extraordinary and our work was tough at times. Naturally things got tense or awkward at times, but teamwork and the mission came first and we all worked well together, each of us handling what seemed right for us. We all grew together and are grateful for all of it. This adventure was a high point of 2020 for us. We were living Harvey’s goal of doing our best in spite of challenging times.
Harvey had registered to run Ohio’s Burning River 100 Miler August 22, prior to setting up this FKT attempt. While I assumed he’d use that as a relaxed recovery run, on our journey back to Ohio on August 13, Harvey made it clear that he thought he had a chance to win at BR100. And, he did. with only eleven days of recovery after climbing down from the summit of Mt. Whitney. His FKT effectively became a “training run” for the Burning River 100! Every run is preparation for the next! Incredible. As I listened to Harvey on some post Burning River 100 win podcasts, I felt that I was understanding him even better, his passion and dedication. He wants to share what works for him rather than keeping it secret. On one podcast, Ten Junk Miles, Harvey was welcomed to open up more about his nutrition, veganism, and the environment. And he let listeners and viewers know how vital stretching is during a race, but out of sight from competitors to avoid an appearance of being vulnerable! This was something I learned during my first 100 miler, that a minute spent stretching could make the legs feel fresh, take tension out of the feet, back, etc. and I’d make the time back then some as my legs felt “new”. Out in Death Valley, I’d plant both feet firmly on the road, bend my knees a bit, form a solid “base” position, and Harvey would lean into my shoulder to stretch his calves during some fueling stops. Once again I was like a human tripod which reminded me of trying to hold that iPhone steady for TV interviews in the heat of the Death Valley region. Other times, Harvey was flat on the ground stretching his core, back, etc.
At most of our crew stops we supplied Harvey with what he needed each mile or so. He seldom stopped. Harvey would merely slow down enough to eat, drink, etc. Our jobs included providing whatever was needed from the van, to help cool him down, keep him hydrated and fueled, set up a staging area for changing shoes, socks, and clothing. The combination of extreme heat with low humidity was something rare for me to feel. I liked it. Harvey blasted thru the first 50 miles of heat, but he was pacing slower than his best to leave enough in the tank to climb to the summit. That extra eleven miles would be a serious climb on a tired body into much colder temperatures. Harvey mastered the art of pacing via his years of experience on USA 24 Hour Running Team. During the FKT, he always knew where he was relative to Marshall’s FKT in ’91. It was always close, but before reaching final eleven mile climb to the summit, he felt like he did not have enough time. Marshall Ulrich’s talk with Harvey was well timed. How different it must have been for Marshall in ’91 with no “smart” phones or internet!
I always believed Harvey could set the FKT, although there were low points where it seemed like the possibility could slip away. When it was my turn to hike with Harvey up the long hill to the portal area, he was getting a pep talk from his fiance Kelly. She reminded him that many people were watching, cheering, donating, invested in this run and that he should at least start the trail climb up Mt. Whitney to see how far he could get. With only a fraction of the ultra experience Harvey has, I figured he was a master at self motivation, so I just tried to smile and note what a gift this adventure was, just being in this incredible place admiring the Mt. Whitney summit. Yet, I was concerned about the menacing dark clouds up there. I said, “We didn’t come so far to see it from down here”. I think he smiled. Generally I tried to be low-key encouraging … you look great, you look strong, keep it up, or ask what can we get you next? When he seemed bored with his food options, I’d get out some of my stuff, like maple syrup packets, Gin Gins, or TJ’s Almond Butter bars. Or I’d get something out that maybe he’d forgotten about, like Aloe Vera juice as a better option than soda.
At a rough patch before Michael Jimenez arrived to pace for about ten to twelve miles, Harvey was struggling and we thought he was taking in too much root beer, Coca Cola and Dr. Pepper. We tried to bring out more options than just what he requested. Things evolved to where I had a tray on the side of the highway with multiple options for food and fluids. I was like a waiter in sandals on the side of the highway. I’d smile and say “three, three, five three”. He needed 33:53 or less to get the FKT. Or, I’d flash three fingers twice, flash five and then three again.
I could tell by the wobble of his headlamp or upper torso how rough he was feeling. When the side to side wobble became more pronounced, I’d try to have extra options or try to listen more, talk less. It was a challenge for me as first time crew person to know when to be more quiet so as to not interrupt his thoughts, vs trying to offer ideas that might help get him out of a slump. There was a rough patch just after fifty miles. I think it was there that I noticed his fatigue was visible by the side to side motion being more pronounced, something that’s easier to see at night via the headlamp motion. Side to side motion in excess uses energy that could go towards more forward motion.
It was not until close to midnight the day after Harvey’s finish, that we let Harvey know, at Michael’s suggestion, that we secretly dropped some Tailwind powder into his soda drinks at many stops after Michael drove ahead of us. We’d mix as much Tailwind in as we thought we could get away with, then watch closely as he sipped with no observable reaction to the flavor change. This reminded me of the times I’d try to sneak some spinach or chia seeds into our daughters meals when they were younger. Usually I’d get caught and the idea backfired. Harvey got a good laugh out of the confessions but had to rush out before midnight to keep his running streak going. Even after the FKT success, he kept that streak going, which was also his active form of recovery.
Typically Dave would stay with the vehicle unless it was time to dump ice water on Harvey or pump spray him with iced water. Jeremy would have his drink ready and every third mile a fresh bandana with the right amount of ice. I’d typically be the last stop with food and sometimes beverage options. I’d then run along and take any trash back to the van along with requests for the next aid stop. Time flew by for us, we hardly had time to pee! I never took a nap and in fact, felt as if I were running a hundred miler.
For the first 17.5 miles out of Badwater Basin until Harvey ran to the Ranch at Death Valley, the crew was just Dave and I. We were glad to see Jeremy and thrilled to have a third hand when he joined us there. Michael from LA was there with his camera on. As I was getting food ready, I turned back and said to Michael, “Harvey is doing GREAT, he’s KICKING ASS!” I had never imagined that footage would make its way onto the TV news in Cincinnati. It did!
Being part of Team Harvey was special, not only because we got to see, and help a top performing ultra runner do the “impossible”, but he’s a passionate advocate for plant based living, nutrition, running, and the environment, animals, etc. For me, that was the cherry on top. Harvey’s performance out there as a long term 100% plant fueled athlete was one which could have earned him a spot in the hit documentary, “The Game Changers”! If you have not watched this film, I highly recommend it for the wisdom, science and inspiration. In one of Harvey’s post FKT podcasts, it seemed to me Harvey was trying to give away one of his top strategies for world class performances and unbelievably fast recoveries!! Eating plants, only plants, all the time. But, that particular podcast didn’t seem to want to talk nutrition. I remember clearly how Scott Jurek was an early influence on me going 100% plant fueled nearly ten years ago, along with runner Dr. Ruth Heidrich. Both were part of the book, “Born to Run”. If the book were being written now, Harvey might be included. And I recall many years ago learning about Harvey’s competitive ultra running as a long term vegetarian. I was super psyched when he went in all vegan, 100% plant based, roughly three or four years ago! Maybe Harvey’s example will inspire thousands more people to change habits and form a deeper connection to earth, along with the wisdom to see we are part of the environment.
Being part of the FKT was incredible. But the days before and after, we effectively had Harvey Lewis as a tour guide in the Death Valley region. What a gift it all was. We all made it home tired, safe and to my knowledge, Covid free.
For the most efficient fueling energy … it’s plants. Pick what works best for you for any given application. Whether it’s highly processed plants, gels, “goo”, liquid, solid, whole foods or any level in between, there’s a solution for you. Plants are where the antioxidants are. Endurance sports create oxidative stress. This is an easy connection to make. Heavy exercise is stressful, which leads to inflammation as well. Plant based foods: fruits, veggies, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, fungi, herbs, ideally minimally processed or whole plants are your most anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich “diet”. It’s been years since I’ve taken an anti inflammatory. For me, headaches have become mild or nonexistent as a plant fueled endurance athlete. The ingredient in aspirin, that relieves headaches and can damage your digestive system, is found in a healthy vegan diet naturally in a form that can not harm you. When I’m incredibly sore from running ultras, it’s OK. Think of it as a privilege to feel productive discomfort. Whether you want to minimize cancer, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or dozens of preventable chronic diseases, or you simply want to run more, recover faster, “whole food plant based” is where you would be wise to look. I recommend Nutritionfacts.org for easily understood analysis of credible peer reviewed science from a non profit that does not seek to make any money from your health woes. Plants are also where the proteins, calcium, iron, fats and more come in the most efficient form for human digestion. Harvey knows this and his accomplishments are great testimonials. At 44, Harvey’s still improving.
What I like to think of as my “experiments in truth” not only includes minimalist/barefoot running, ultra running and plant based foods, and a physically active lifestyle, but a cooperative living focus over a competitive focus. In the media, it’s winning, speed and competition that gets the most focus. I tend to think of running ultras as more of a form of yoga, meaning more focused on natural healthy motion, breath and awareness/meditation. Then there’s Harvey, competing at a very high level and avoiding injuries as evidenced by his years long running streaks. With superhuman running ability combined with a knack of collaborating, he’s a team player and high performer.
Being exposed up close to a more competitive example of running, via Harvey, helped me channel that example to get a 23rd place finish of 54 runners at The Pine Creek 100M challenge on Sept. 13th. My best yet, a PR after seventeen official 100 mile finishes. I thought about Marshall’s mindset as well, respect the environment and spirit of competition. What would Harvey do? He’d go out faster, stand tall, stay focused and push to the end while being friendly and grateful along the way. Confident but with humility. Intense, but with safety and the long run in mind. Being acutely aware of as much as possible at all times … being fully present.
Epic views! We had many. I loved Death Valley in part due to the ever changing beauty and the shifting light. Harvey’s views on adventure, spontaneity, goals and life focuses were epic as well. He’s eager to share, so I recommend his social media presence, Harvey Lewis – Ultra Runner. Seeing a world class runner accomplishing one of their biggest dreams in Death Valley, epic. It’s about looking out and digging deep within.
Harvey is also Kelly ODell’s fiance. Kelly says Harvey is great at inspiring people to be better. Whether its running more, running faster, starting to run, kayaking, planning adventures, “plogging” (picking up trash while out running), consuming healthy food, or any number of other ways, Harvey leads by example.
Our crew chief Dave, noted that Harvey was inspired by a horrible car accident that left him with some hardware in his shoulders and doubts about the future. Somehow this experience helped inspire him to lead a life of adventure and reaching for incredible goals, inspiring many along the way. Dave noted that Harvey’s like a Labrador! If he sees water, there’s a good chance he’s going in. And he did so in Lake Mead, at one of the hot springs in the Nevada desert, at the hotel pools, and in a cold mountain stream between Mt. Whitney and Lone Pine after the FKT. Harvey soaks up life.
Relationships and experiences. And running. Focus all of your energy on what you want your world to become.
Keep movin!!
(The End)
Not really the end. Here are more photos, most from my iPhone. Can’t tell you how many times I misplaced my phone during this trip. Great memories in these images. I hope this provides you with a good feel for our most excellent adventure.
“Training is not rocket science, but it requires focus and a desire to accomplish the extraordinary, regardless of whether you define “extraordinary” as something that’s never been done before or something you’ve never done before. We can all do more when we don’t limit our minds or think our bodies won’t adapt.”
~ Marshall Ulrich
And those toes on the Badwater course are mine in the Xero Z-Trails for those first 135 miles. I am an advocate for general wellness, healthy natural motion and of course the minimalist footwear that supports our sensitive foundation. Xero has a full line up of sandals, shoes, boots, etc… all properly designed and truly minimalist. Check them out at my link below.
#PaidXeroPartner I am a proud Xero Shoes Affiliate and may receive compensation for referring the Xero Shoes brand