810 Miles of Running and Biking in Death Valley

Remember Lisa Smith-Batchen? I wrote about her last year when she was running in the Badwater Ultra and elected to go for the "Double Badwater", which in ultrarunning circles means completing the 135 miles of the course, then turning right back around and running back to the starting line.

Well, it seems Lisa is up to her old tricks this year and this time, she's running with a purpose. She's launched Lisas810.com where this incredibly gifted athlete has set her sights on raising funds and awareness for the plight of children in Africa who have become orphaned as a result of AIDS. To that end, Lisa will be running and biking 810 miles to support the AIDS Orphans Rising charity, which works hard to help the children whose lives are changed forever by this deadly disease.

On July 9th, Lisa will depart from Las Vegas, Nevada and run almost 160 miles through the desert to reach Death Valley. Along the way she’ll face scorching heat, cross mountains, risking dehydration and injury, just to get to the start of her race. Once she arrives at her destination, Lisa will take part in one of the most grueling endurance events on the planet by racing in the Badwater Ultramarathon, which is another 135 miles of running through Death Valley, one of the hottest locations on Earth, and the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. The race typically ends at the Mt. Whitney Portals, but Lisa will continue another 10 miles to the summit before she rests.

Then, in October, Lisa will return to Death Valley to take part in the Furnace Creek 508, a 500+ mile bike race, with more than 35,000 feet of elevation gain, that will once again test her dedication and endurance. The desert is just as unforgiving in the Fall, and with all that climbing, riders will deal with temperature extremes throughout the course.

For more information on Lisa and the cause she is working so hard for, be sure to check out her website where you’ll find more information about Lisa, her support crew, the Badwater and Furnace Creek races, and how you can help with the cause.

Good luck Lisa! We’re pulling for you!