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  • Nacharbeit vom Step
    Einige Mails hatten sich angesammelt und ich...aber guckt sie euch gründlich durch! Besonders hinweisen möcht ich auf die Badwater-Berichte und auf Schlammi, der auf dem Weg nach Athen ist...

    (28.07.2004, Steppenhahn)

    Kommentare Kommentare zu dieser News:
     
    Jurgen schrieb am 29-07-2004 18:11:

    Re: Badwater Günter Böhnke

    Ja, es ist ein guter Bericht. Da ich selber da war und ZGuenter vom Trans Europa Lauf kenne kann ich das befuerworten.
    Hier ist mein Artikel , allerdings in Englisch.
    =========================
    CREWING BADWATER IN 2004

    134 degree record heat – MY runner hit by car

    Record heat, a near DNF and being hit by a tourist car, could not stop Robert Wimmer from finishing the Badwater race. That is determination, will power and guts and I am not saying this because Robert is a Kraut and from my home town of Nuremberg.

    When I met Dean Karnazes at the 2004 Western States 100 mile trail run, I told him that I would bring stiff competition for him at this year’s Badwater race in the form of Robert Wimmer from Germany. Who was he? He won the 3,050 mile Trans Europe Foot Race from Lisbon to Moscow in 2003, is holding a couple of German & European records and trained about 200 miles a week for this event.

    Robert learned a valuable lesson during this Badwater race. His speed on the road and his determination of last year, did not prepare him for what lay ahead

    Dean Karnazes however, wasn’t to be denied victory this time around, as we should find out later, even if it was only by about eight minutes over previously unknown Canadian runner , one of the closest finishes ever.

    Roberts’s spirit was seemingly broken when around eight PM on Monday evening he stumbled along the road to Panamint Springs when Dean Kanazes seemingly flew past him in a fast downhill sprint. When Pam Reed, the winner of the past two years past him about halve an hour later, he declared that he was through. We drove him to Panamint Springs check point and told Chris Kostman about Robert’s DNF.

    Sebastian Bear, Robert’s friend, coworker and sponsor, took Robert to the medical room, where Nancy, a nurse, checked him out and declared that nothing was wrong with Robert. He was exhausted, mentally and physically and had definitely reached a low point. The nurse said Robert had nothing that a potent liquid drink, also given to starving children in Africa and several hours of sleep, could not remedy.

    While Tom, Sebastian and I hung out in the van, trying to catch a few minutes of sleep, Robert emerged at about 3:45 AM on Tuesday morning. With a wide grin he announced that he was ready to run again. Yes, I said to myself, I knew he could do it. Robert had little knowledge that Sebastian already talked to Chris Kostman earlier, asking him if Robert could reenter the race again should he so desire, thus lifting his previously announced DNF. In other words, he was in the race without him knowing it just yet.

    Robert hit the road again at close to 4:00AM, realizing that 1st place seemed out of reach. He had enough pride and desire to finish, not to mention that he did not want to disappoint his mentor and sponsor, Sebastian Baer, I am sure.

    Midmorning a video crew appeared asking if our runner was Robert Wimmer. When we said yes, they told us they were with CBS and doing a piece for 60 Minutes. Wholi s…, I said, now we are in the big league. It will be aired some times this fall we were told, so we’ll see.

    An hour later we had to perform “surgery” on Robert’s feet. Sebastian and Tom brought out the big gun instruments and went to work, doing a “bang up” job, draining and patching up the blisters. After the “operation,” Robert, or at least his feet, where as good as new and he trotted off into the distance.

    Getting to know Robert well during the 63 day Trans Europe run, I readily agreed when asked if I would be part of his crew during his bit to run Badwater in 2004. I knew of his determination and potential capability on the road. Having finished Badwater twice myself and being from Robert’s home town of Nuremberg, Germany, he valued my experience. Believing in talking to people who have finished the event at hand, I connected Robert with Marshall Ulrich for some first hand advise, tips and strategy.

    Two hundred miles a week of training seemed sufficient, but what I didn’t know was the fact that his training regiment did not prepare him for steep up and down hill stretches, long through the night hours of running to test his ability to stay awake.

    Had I been aware of these facts, I would not have been so fast to predict a potential Robert victory. Sorry to all I may have annoyed with this prediction, but I was pretty sure that Robert had a shot, based on his previous record.

    Undoubtedly, Robert now knows that fast road running does not prepare one for the likes of a Badwater race or a tough trail run, which Dean Karnazes has plenty of experience in.

    Moving along Route 190 in mid afternoon, I stood behind our van when I heard a commotion and Tom, our co-crew member yelling, Robert got hit by a car. When Robert saw a car heading directly towards him, he jumped to the left, but the car’s side mirror still hit him right on his right hip. The impact caused the mirror to actually break off the car leaving a giant, wildly colored bruise the size of a tortilla on his right hip.

    The older driver took off in a panic, but was stopped soon thereafter by an Adventure Corps volunteer that just happen to come along and pursued him with smoking tires, eventually catching him. He apologized, giving his name and address and was let go, although I thought a little sterner action should have been taken, considering the potential harm that could have been done and that it actually was a hit and run situation.
    As I stood there taking it all in, the van started to move away, while I was thinking who is driving this thing? As I quickly found out, no one was driving. As the commotion started, Tom jumped out of the van, not setting the brakes nor putting it in neutral, causing the van to take off on his own. The vehicle rolled forward, crossing the road, jumping a wall of sand and rocks, landing in the desert. Sebastian realizing potential disaster, came running, jumped into the van, revved the engine trying to reverse out of this mess. With a little push we succeeded and thanked someone upstairs that no other car came along during these few tense moments of chaos on the road.

    After talking it over with the crew, I announced that I would accompany Robert from here on all the way to the finish line. Able to keep up with Robert’s slow running and walking shuffle, I ran behind him, all the way from Kiehler to Lone Pine. Having rooms reserved at the Best Western Motel, Robert took a quick dip into the pool while I took care of some urgent personal business. When I reemerged, Robert already had taken off. What an ungrateful credent I thought, while trying to catch up with him.

    At the traffic light on the Whitney Portal Road, I took the lead up the hill with Robert close behind me in tow. Being familiar with this road, I pushed ahead, rarely stopping, taking refreshments on the fly. Mile after mile we pushed ahead, actually feeling quite good, especially since heat wasn’t an issue any longer.

    With about half a mile to go, Robert detected a light behind him, bobbing up and down, believing it might be Ulli Weber, the “Rock Star” German whom he did not want to be passed by. Robert gave gas, leaving me in the dust while he sprinted towards the finish line. Arriving a few minutes later I learned that Robert finished 9th overall and as the first German runner. Not a bad day at the office, considering his near DNF and potential brush with disaster on the road. He did not win, but learned a valuable lesson and appreciation for all runners that finished this race, not to mention the performance by all those that finished ahead of him.

    Dean Karnazes, deservedly won by a mere eight minutes over before unheard of Ferg Hawke, a close race indeed.
    Wednesday was spent cleaning the rental van and relaxing at the pool. At night we all met at the local school for the award ceremony. We all mingled with fellow runners, swapped war stories and generally had a good time, with like minded people.

    On Wednesday afternoon I had gotten a permit at the ranger station to climb Mt. Whitney on Thursday for the 19th straight year in a row, while my friends all left for Vegas and their flight back to Germany. Would I crew again? Most likely not, since I rather run and I would only crew some one I knew really well. I learned one thing too; never again to bet on any runner, no matter how sure I think I might be of his potential for victory.

    Chris Kostman did a great job organizing a tough event that will cause him getting gray hairs prematurely, I am sure. We all appreciate Chrises efforts, allowing many runners to test their mettle against this challenging course.
    Jurgen, the Ultra Kraut.



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