2025 Badwater 135- I didn’t have the day I had planned, I got the day I had -by Todd Nott

I have waited until the Saturday after the race to start writing  this up.  Initially I didn’t have the energy to think about it and for whatever reason I felt lucky and was at peace. I mean in the big scheme of life and the world, what happened to me is not that big of deal.  My conclusions (I don’t consider them a solid answer) come from things the crew told me the following days, on the drive to the airport and now finally looking at some shocking race stat numbers for me.

My sole reason for entering Badwater this year was to lower my 60-69 age group record I set last year (29:22:48).  I wasn’t there to just keep a streak alive and just another finish.  None of that interests me.  I was there to run faster.  I told people I wanted a  sub 29 hour but I really felt I would go sub 28 hours.  How was this going to happen?  Well, I felt I was as fit as previous years and I had so much room to cut time in the 50K from Darwin into Lone Pine and also in the final half marathon climb to the base of Mount Whitney.  Looking at previous years splits, I was going to be comfortable running splits close to my previous year’s bests through mile 90.7 (Darwin).  If I were within 20-30 minutes of my best at Darwin, I had the technique plan and mental preparations   to cut 45-60 minutes or more! Easy!  Well, I knew it would hurt but I didn’t mind the thought of that.  I also knew I had been pretty wimpy on that final 13 mile climb in previous years.  If I grew some balls, I could cut another 15-20 minutes there!  Last year I also dealt with a very swollen achilles the last 1/3 of the race and still beat the record by over an hour!

Now the cut to the chase:

I ate well and drank well leading into the race and on race day.  Drive to start was smooth and I was very relaxed and chill.  Ate about 600 calories and drank a couple hundred on the drive to start.

Ran relaxed, ate and drank well, peed several times in the first 42.2 miles.  Also got in a poop at 19-20 mile mark.

Furnace Creek-17.5 miles:  2:41 split (best has been 2:40)

Stove Pipe - 42.2 miles: 4:02 split (best has been 3:49, still good)

Town Pass - 58.7 miles: 3:48 split (best has been 3:37, still good)

Panamint - 72.7 miles:  2:09 split (tied my best of 2:09!) Arrived at Panamint at 10:31 a.m., just 11 minutes behind last year’s age record time.  I was fine.

Darwin - 90.7 miles:  5:30 split - (has been 4:20! Last year 4:32!)

So, I was in trouble but I didn’t know it it.  I thought I was doing great, climbing well, moving well!  I had no idea I was moving this much slower.  I actually remember thinking  my crew/pacers had to be impressed with me in this section.  When I hit Darwin I was not aware that my pace had fallen off so bad. 

I realized on the drive back to the airport that I also didn’t remember a light bulb going off in my head reminding me that this was the 50K that was going to make a sub 28 hour possible.  What actually happened as I compare mile splits from last year is horrific!  Instead of this flat to rolling section producing miles 2-3 minutes faster as planned I actually was moving 3-5 minutes slower the next 9 miles.  Once again, I had no clue or concern I was moving this slow.  My pacers later informed me they were trying various techniques to get me running.  In my mind, I was running!  I don’t remember walking this section!  I do remember having trouble putting sentences together with my pacer and crew. 

They were noticing all of this along with my desire stay a tad longer at our stops to get extra water and ice put on me.  Still, I know the stops were still pretty quick as I wanted to keep moving.  At mile 99.4 (according to crew) I stopped for what I thought was just another quick routine pit stop.  Bottle, gel and ice.  But the crew had flagged a medic down which they said was a pretty miraculous timing on his part.  I remember them laying me down on some type of stretcher and then there is a blank.  I was told later they had packed me in ice and I didn’t flinch.  I passed out. 

I don’t remember this at all.  I remember them helping me up.  I don’t remember them getting me into the truck or the drive to the ABnB.  I do remember throwing up in a big open space the second they got me through the front door and again and again in a bag Jason held open and I filled.  I remember them helping me get into the shower and helping me put on some shorts and a shirt.  I remember them having me drink a bottle of a salty drink.  Maybe the Medic had given it to them?  I remember getting up to pee a couple times that night.

In the morning I remember laying in bed thinking I was suppose to go back out there and go for a 35 mile walk to the base of Mount Whitney!  I certainly didn’t feel like it. My head and stomach both hurt pretty bad and though my legs didn’t feel too bad I was weak.  Then I slept a couple more hours.  When I got up I shared with the crew the thought of if I should walk in and finish.  They didn’t say no but they stressed to me the seriousness of the situation from the night before.  Jason, a paramedic felt I had been really close to a ride in a rescue squad.  That the medic had been salvation.

We talked about what I (and other runners) have:  a mind that will make the body push until we are done with an event.  Driven.  Focused.  We don’t stop when we are hurting. We stop when we are done.  I also learned they had withdrawn me from the race anyway.  Though I didn’t intend to return to the race for a moment this upset me.  Why hadn’t they waited?  They said they did it after they put me to bed and went out for some food. 

I couldn’t be angry at them. It was my fault.  At our team meeting I didn’t discus a “plan B” with them.  I didn’t have “B” or “C” goals.  I had only one goal.  The goal was to break my record.  I shared my plan to do this.  They did an incredible job in giving me a shot at making it happen.  What went wrong?  Not exactly sure and probably won’t ever know.  I am sure it is a combination of things.  Possible contributors and Random:

*An easy swim the Saturday before flying out recorded my heart rate at 30 beats higher then it is normally for the same type of swim workout.  I didn’t look at the data until after the race.  Did I have something going on health wise before the race?

*I did the Leadville Marathon 9 days prior to Badwater.  I did race hard and the entire race is 10,000  feet above sea level.  I felt recovered with an easy week after this and my mental confidence was boosted greatly with my performance on the massive climbs and decent. 

*At last years Badwater my Garmin indicated my beginning potential at 100% and ending at 1%.  This year my beginning potential was at 97% and upon my drop out at 99.4 miles it was 3%.  There wasn’t much left in the tank with 35 miles to go!

*I was preferring water over electrolyte drinks in the race. I drank some electrolyte drinks but not the every other bottle as planned. Though eating and taking in jels I probably got behind on sodium.  I had electrolyte pills packed but I know I didn’t tell my crew to give them to me on regular intervals as I was planning on getting them in drinks.

*My hands became swollen at some point.  I don’t remember when.  I don’t remember telling my crew.  In my mind, not a big deal.  Silly me.

Todd Nott