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SHANNON FARAR-GRIEFER’S BADWATER 2001 DOUBLE STORY     I won't make this long as I don't have a choicebecause, slowly but surely it is all coming back to me. I started with the 6 AMBadwater runners. As I was driving to the race, the crew van had a flat tire.The only thing I could do then was to hitch hike with my one hand-held bottle. Iknew that this was just one of my little hurtles with the race.  MarshallUlrich's crew picked me up and brought me to the start.  Anne Langstaffofferedto share her crew with me until my crew fixed the flat. I knew I could not staywith her. She is just way too fast. I bummed water from whomever I saw.  Soonmycrew came and I felt a sense of security.  I had Denise Jones, Kari Marchant,mymasseuse Michelle Gardner. I couldn't ask for a better team. My family includingmy husband, Alan, my two boys, Maurice and Ben, my mother, Jackie, and mysister, Beth, arrived for the mid-performance. I will never forget them fortheir love and support through this journey.     What a beautiful day, not as hot as expected, and Icouldn't believe it, Iwas finally here, after training for a year, sacrificing family obligations,sauna training and the obsession with the race.  Jay Grobeson picked me up atFurnace Creek (17 miles) and slowed me down a bit. His experience and companywere main factors for my success with the race.  I felt so safe with him. Iknewhe would look out for my best interest.  I reached the finish at the Portals(135 miles) in 51:41:47. To run through the tape with my family, I couldn't askfor more in my life than this. I could only compare this to giving birth totriplets. I had other plans. This was the delivery of my first (born) my second(delivery) is to summit the mountain. Between these times, I wanted toparticipate in the post-race dinner and be a part of this event of the race. Ifelt we were all a team. My next attempt could wait a few hours. At 2 AMSaturday, I started my summit quest. What an amazing sunrise happened. I willnever forget it. Although I was hoping to be on the top at the time of thesunrise, we caught it half way up. The summit of Whitney (146 miles) was reachedin 78:30. Coming down from the mountain, my body finally felt the fatigue. Atthis point I had less than 3 hours sleep since the start of the race. I couldn'trecognize my crew. I started to feel weak and I slipped on a rock. This was aconcern, I felt. My family was at the bottom of the mountain. I so badly neededto see their faces and kiss my family. I felt safe again.  I had justdeliveredmy second (born) and my third (delivery) was about to happen. I just needed tobe with my family and have a few hours of sleep. I went back to the hotel. Ithink I ate dinner, but I can't remember if I did. I fell asleep with my son Benin my arms. I awakened to attempt the return.  My crew took me back to thePortals (146 + 13 miles), where I left off the day before. Badwater was my nextdestination (third delivery) at 292 rounded off to 300 miles.      I knew this would be more difficult as I wasbeyondfatigue. There was no entertainment with the race and other runners. It was justI and my crew on this fantastic journey. I had bad stomach problems coming downfrom the Portals. Not muchwanted to stay down. By the time I reached Keeler (146 + 36 miles), my crewcalled for an IV. The IV solutions arrived. Dr Ben Jones thought my crew neededit more than I did. I was happy that I was able to do this without IV’s. I couldeat and keep food down. I just kept with the ultra shuffle.  The nighttimewashard for me. I wanted to be home with my family; however I had Kari call her
 
husband, Phil, to come run with me. He had left the racecourse and had beenworking all day in Bishop. He drove to the course with his son, Richard, a13-year old, who has the desire to be the youngest Badwater competitor in thefuture. I know he can do this. He was so amazing with me. I needed their bodiesnext to me so badly. I began to feel safe.     I never thought I would be so excited to see PanamintSprings (146 + 74 miles) the next day. I had all my other landmarks, but I hadto chop this up into little goals. At Stovepipe Wells Village (146 + 95 miles),I found a phone booth and called my son, Maurice. When I heard his voice, Icouldn't stop crying. He told me to go on, that he loved me, and that I can doit. Denise re-taped my feet in the public gas station bathroom as I ate aburrito. A far cry from my Calabasas lifestyle, but so is lying on the middle ofthe asphalt at 4 AM.     As I left Stovepipe Wells, the headwinds were fiercewith the heat blowing into my face. I just broke down at this point, but theshuffle kept me moving. The icepacks on my right shin kept the pain down to amild ouch. I had Chris Moon, a double amputee, just ahead of me. He was doinghis second double, this time with a new prosthesis. I knew he was feeling thesame. He gave my crew words to give me to keep moving. He was my inspirationalong with my charity. I know that the children for whom I run are still inpain. [Today as I write this, I am home trying to get my life back to normal,they are not, and they might not]. I can't quit or give up. I wouldn't want thechildren with cancer to give up, so this kept me moving. My crew was socommitted. I still can't believe the love that they have given me during thesedays.      As I turned the corner to see the Badwater sign, thiswas the delivery of my third (born). I could not feel any emotion. Although Iwas told it was a triumphant finish, I felt as if I had to detach myself fromthe pain. This left me emotionless. It was 180:15:15-hours later. I had doneit.I did the “double” with Badwater. I had the best crew. I never thought the bodyand mind could do this. I proved myself wrong. I will always have the greatestrespect for the desert, for Jay, Denise and Ben Jones, Kari, Phil, Ashley andRichard Marchant, Luke and Alexis, Scott, Michelle, George Velasco and June, andall those who kept me moving, Chris Moon, Marshall Ulrich, Chris Kostman, MaryCampilongo, Art Webb, Steve Silver, Blade and his elephant sandwich theory, myfamily, and all of the Badwater runners, because we share a special bond.  Idon't know if this makes sense, but I'm still a little whacked out. When I wakeup in the morning, I have to think, “Am I making breakfast for my kids, or am Irunning to Darwin?”  Each day gets better. The memories are coming back andarefresher than ever. I just wanted to post this, as I want to share my experience.This race has changed my life. It was more of a journey for me on personalgrowth. It validates the beauty of the sport and the camaraderie and justknowing how powerful we are as human beings.  My time might not be one to beadmired, but I've never been about that. The destination was almost sad for me,as I wanted to sit down before I reached the finish. In a way I didn't want itto end. The journey was the best, not the finish; yeah ... I say that now.Love,Shannon Farar-GrieferPS: I would like to include in recognize BankcardUSA.comfor their support and Slim-Fast for providing me with the proper fuel to get methrough the 300 miles and New Balance for putting the perfect shoes on my feetto keep me moving.SHANNON’S TIME SCHEDULEStage I: “Delivery of triplet #1”From start of Race at Badwater 135 miles to Whitney Portals=          51:47:00 = total time to
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