Badwater...Really?

There are races, and then there are races.

Badwater would be in the second category.

While I have absolutely no doubt that Oswaldo Lopez is one of the most badass athletes on the planet (with his Badwater 2011 winning time of 23:41:40), I just have a hard time relating to a race like this. At all.

I don't really understand it. I mean, is this really a race at all? Or is it just a test of who can stand the most pain?

I mean, I'm impressed by the folks that finish these kinds of races...or even start them for that matter, but...

I can't even picture myself running Badwater. Not only that, I can't even picture myself wanting to run Badwater. And there aren't many races I could say that about. I mean, an Ironman would be brutal, painful, horrible, and long, but I could see myself trying it. And I can see myself actually having fun during certain sections of the course.

But these 100+ milers, in the heat, in the desert, through the mountains...I just don't know.

Again, I'm impressed, but it's not for me.