It's been a long journey

Erin: I apologize for not getting a blog out sooner, it has been a busy few days where I am. Bill is very appreciative of everyone who is cheering for him and showing their support for his many ventures.

Friday night Bill was doing pretty well, he powered up Father Crowley's Pass (sp?). He was getting tired but just keeps firing out energy. His feet were very, very sore that night, but he was able to ice them and tape them up. He has cut the toe box out of a pair of shoes for when his feet were swollen and in constant pain.

A fellow runner (& the youngest at 19 years old to finish Badwater 2010), Nick Hollon, came out to pace him yesterday until the end. Dan Westergaard, who has been of great inspiration to Bill, has stayed and is working on his 4th straight Badwater this year. He will be only the 2nd person to ever have accomplished this. The two were able to chat a bit which boosted Bill's attitude and help him find his focus.

Last night when the night crew met up with Bill, the temperatures were around 115 degrees. He ran several miles before simply running out of steam. Night running is a huge challenge for Bill. He took a few breaks and slept for about 90 minutes around 2am PDT. The crew was able to get him to eat solid foods in order to prepare for today's heat. The high for today out there is around 123 degrees, but since they are below sea level it will most likely feel higher than that. He is on his way to finishing now and is counting down the miles to the end. Ben Jones (aka Badwater Ben) stopped by to see how Bill was coming along which really lifted Bill's spirits.

That is all the information I have from Friday night through early this morning (Sunday). I should be getting a phone call in the next few hours with more details. Thanks for supporting Bill, you all are just as amazing as he is!

Tired and Determined

Erin: Bill had a good day yesterday, but once the sun sets he has a hard time focusing. He is exhausted, but stays in good spirits and is excited to finish. Today he has a friend that just finished the sanctioned Badwater race not to long ago, that is coming out to run with him. Bill is excited to have a friend come support and cheer him on. He is staying focused once the sun comes up and is determined to get to his finish. Not much else is going on, other than Bill is still going as strong as he can. Although he is going on very little sleep, he isn't giving up and is going for the finish.

Tough Time Down the Mtn.

Erin: Prior to Bill summiting the Mountain, one crew member summited first, but because of altitude sickness all crew had to leave Bill. The crew was last with Bill 100 yards from the summit. The crew met back at the trail camp and waited an hour watching for Bill with binoculars. Due to trail conditions and crews physical health, all crew began their desent to the portal approximately around 6:30pm PDT on Wednesday. Sara and Karen met crew members at portal around 9:30pm PDT. The Rangers notified them that Bill was still on the Mountain alone at 3am PDT. Rangers were able to report that Bill was sleeping at the trail camp and was in NO distress. The crew is now waiting at the Mt. Whitney Portal and they are expecting Bill to arrive any minute.

I will be back with more of the latest information asap!

MT WHITNEY SUMMIT!

Erin: Bill summited Mt. Whitney this afternoon at about 4pm PDT. Bill and his pacers are headed back down the trail to the portal. Sara and Karen shall meet him there in the early morning hours on Thursday. Bill has reached a high level on the 'epic'-scale with his summit.

His blisters are still bothering him, but the crew continues to help with treatment. He's staying as strong as possible and is staying hydrated to get him to the end of his journey.

I shall be back with more soon!

Day Three: It's a Tough Going

Erin: Sara paced Bill all day today, he is having some troubles with energy and sore feet. Bill is struggling a bit with the heat and keeping his energy level up. It's hard trying to get in enough calories and to stay 100% hydrated in the desert. His feet are real sore and he's getting blisters. He made it to Lone Pine where he was able to take a shower, rest for 45 minutes (not sleep though) and get something to eat. Bill & Rich are on the way up to the portal and will hopefully get about 2 hours of sleep before heading out on the trail for his summit. The permits to make the summit are only good for 24 hours so they are pressing for time out there. His passes are good until 12:01am PDT on Thursday. He is trying to conserve his pacers for the summit, so he keeps being indecisive about when he does/doesn't want pacers with him. It is getting difficult to coordinate getting more ice and supplies, because stores in the little towns close early. The crew is working hard to keep Bill safe/healthy throughout this difficult journey. I shall have more tomorrow for everyone!

First Day/Night in 120+ Degree Weather

Yesterday was Bill's start to his race, he faced temperatures higher than 120 degrees. He is said to be keeping about the same pace he did last year when he was in the official Badwater race. It feels a bit hotter than it did last year, which makes it tougher to stay on schedule. Yesterday, he soaked his feet three times and was misted throughout the day to keep him cool.

He has been running into other Badwater racers from the official race and those who are doing the same thing he is (Double the actual race with Mt. Whitney Summit). Many of those who he comes across will chat with him and give him some tips for what they ran into. Dan Westergaard, who just finished the course Bill is following, was able to walk with Bill and share stories of his time out there, which keeps Bill not only entertained, but gives him something to remember. Sunday at approximately 6pm PDT, the day crew left Bill just before he reached Stovepipe Wells.

Again, the summit to Mt. Whitney shouldn't be too harsh. Others have been able to go without much trouble; however, the ground is still wet from the snow melting.

Last night, the temperatures only cooled down to about 105 degrees. Once Bill reached Stovepipe Wells, Bill took a dip in the pool there. He wanted to take a nap, but chose to take a dip rather than sleep. Bill ran into another runner, who has completed this exact race four times, is sticking around an extra day to help out and cheer for Bill. He was showing up with ice and pop-cicles for Bill and the crew, which was pretty awesome. After Bill got back on the bike, he was a little unfocused and exhausted from the heat. All last night was spent playing catch up and trying to make better time.

Today (Second Day in Race), temperatures stayed around 105 degrees. That made is much better for Bill to handle. The crew is keeping him on track and I shall be back with more soon!

1st Day in Desert Heat

Bill started his Double Badwater with Mt. Whitney summit this morning at 6am PST. This race is in Death Valley in California. It is going to be difficult getting detailed updates to everyone, since there is little to no cell phone service. There are two vans with 3 crew members each; 3 members are either following behind Bill at all times, while the other is out getting more supplies or resting at the closest motel. Bill is doing well and staying strong. Having raced in this heat before, he is pretty comfortable with what to expect this time around.

Yesterday, I had mentioned how Bill visited the portal at Mt. Whitney, well he was able to get some information on the predicted weather for when he summits the mountain. He is hoping to be able to wear tennis shoes and shorts, rather than dress for snow and cold temperatures. His team is keeping him hydrated and making sure he gets enough calories in to keep him energized.

This picture to the left is Bill when he started this morning. I will post more once I can get more details on Bill's status.

Bill's Latest and Greatest Journey

First off, my name is Erin and I will be updating each and everyone of Bill's supporters/fans while he is on his latest journey. My mom is actually his crew chief for this race of his. We all know that last year about this time, Bill completed the official Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley....Well, this year he has decided to go out on his own (still with crew in tow) and run double of what the Badwater race is, PLUS summit Mt. Whitney. He has gone out and prepared himself in hopes that he will be able to complete this with little to no struggle.

Yesterday, Bill and Sara (crew chief) have picked up the entire crew, which includes Bill's friend from the UK, Rich Hume. They have made it out to Lone Pine, where they visited the portal to ask folks about what the conditions will be like. Today, the crew is still in Lone Pine collecting supplies and prepping the van, which will be the support vehicle for Bill. Later, they will be heading out to Furnace Creek to stay the night before the start of Bill's latest epic adventure!