Local runner conquers 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon
SANDPOINT — Imagine running a marathon in the blistering, arid 100-plus degree heat of the Death Valley desert.
Now imagine performing that feat five consecutive times and you begin to get an inkling of what Hope resident Peggy Gaudet accomplished last week during the Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley, California.
Beginning Monday morning at at Badwater, which at 282 feet below sea level is the lowest point in the U.S., and ending Wednesday afternoon at the summit of Mt. Whitney, which sits at more than 8,000 feet elevation, Gaudet pounded out a whopping 135 miles of running in a tidy 53 hours, 59 minutes and 32 seconds.
Neither blisters, swollen feet, heat rash, nausea or fatigue could stop her, buoyed by a six-person crew following along while providing both physical and emotional support.
“You try not to think about the finish line because it’s so far away,” explained Gaudet of her mindset during the race. “You just go mile to mile and try not to focus on the pain.”
Gaudet, 40, started running with a friend years ago, and 10K fun runs soon turned into a half-marathons, which turned into full marathons, and the next thing she knew she was running in 50 and 100 mile races. After completing two 100 mile races, she was one of 86 people selected by a committee to participate in the Badwater race, by far her longest to date. Which begs the question: Why put yourself through such a grueling endeavor, one that makes marathons and Ironman triathlons seem like child’s play?
“It’s hard to say why I run these distances. I guess once I figure it out, I’ll be done with running,” answered Gaudet, a third grade teacher at Farmin-Stidwell. “I’ve always loved being out there running. The peacefulness, the solitude and the beauty are all part of it. I like pushing myself through all ups and downs to reach the finish line.”
While Gaudet alone must ultimately pound the pavement, she acknowledges the value of her support crew, saying she couldn’t have done it without their support. Every mile, they would bring her out food and water, sponge her down, offer encouragement and motivation, and when the going got especially tough during one stretch, even played music and danced for her in the middle of the desert.
Her father Fred Gaudet, fellow Farmin-Stidwell teachers Kathy Berget and Trish Butler, Sandpoint’s Holly Higbee, and friends Jenny Patterson and Mike Ehredt were there for her nearly every step of the way. Gaudet insisted that they all run with her for the last mile, collectively holding hands as they crossed the finish line.
“I am amazed at her,” marveled Butler, lauding not just her physical fitness, but her emotional and mental fortitude as well. “There were so many opportunities where you can say ‘I’m done.’ There are so many facets to call on your inner strength.”
Like overcoming vomiting up the food you just ate. Or grinding on when your feet have to be completely taped up because of blisters. Or restarting after nabbing one hour of sleep, which Gaudet manged to do three times.
To train for such a grueling race Gaudet runs a couple of hours during the week, then runs anywhere between four and six hours straight on the weekends. She’s gotten to the point where the miles are essentially meaningless, opting instead to count the minutes and hours. She’s even developed a little mind trick that seems to work for her.
“It’s where you put your halfway point,” she laughed, noting she walks stretches to preserve endurance. “You have to do that to do the long distances. You just have to pound your feet and get going.”