Frank McKinney faces death (Death Valley that is) for the 6th time!

19 February 2011

Recently I learned that my application to participate in the 2011 Badwater 135-mile Ultramarathon (www.Badwater.com) warranted an invitation! See the race director, Chris Kostman’s words as taken from my inbox:

Congratulations! You have been accepted to compete in the 2011 Badwater Ultramarathon, presented by AdventureCORPS, Inc. You are part of a select group who will participate in what is recognized across the globe as “the world’s toughest footrace.”

Many of you have made it possible for me to finish my prior Badwater races, been a Badwater runner yourself, or understand how special Badwater has become to me. This will be my 6th attempt to complete the toughest race in the world according to National Geographic, finishing my previous 5. I take nothing for granted, so the sacrifice found in all the training begins…

The race begins July 11, 2011. Learn more about my 2010 experience through our new DVD, The Power of Plan: https://frank-mckinney.com/powerofplan/

I thought I would share a few excerpts from my answers to the essay questions posed on the race application. May give you some insight. Would love to see you “on the road” as I start to accumulate the training miles.

Prior Badwater finishes:
2005: 48:49:20, 47th place
2006: 43:02:40, 34th
2007: 44:31:35, 51st
2009: 53:29:58, 46th (lost 10 hrs due to forest fire)
2010: 40:20:50, 42nd

Why do you want to compete in the Badwater Ultramarathon?
“More Than A Race. More Than A Place. A Way Of Life.” So ends the video montage on the Badwater homepage. 2011 marks my 6th time answering the “why” question. The “why” that is posed above, is often asked by those non-believers who are foreign to Badwater, and quietly we ask of ourselves, is always there.

Having the privilege of experiencing 5 Badwater odysseys, my answer this year can be found in the above slogan. Your first and perhaps second encounter at Badwater is all about the race, the actual 135 miles and all the preparation. It is about running a long, grueling race, and nothing more. With experience comes perspective, and Badwater soon becomes more than a race.

If blessed with a third, fourth or even fifth invitation and finish, one eagerly anticipates the “place.” The Death Valley environment, your second summer home, your crew, and those you meet along the white line from hell to heaven. You imbed every turn, scene, and granule of pavement found in the “place” into your permanent memory. Perspective gives way to enlightenment, and Badwater becomes more than just the beautiful place.

It becomes a way of life, a part of who you will be until your ashes are sprinkled somewhere between the start line, Furnace Creek, Stovepipe, Panamint, Dow Villa’s pool and the finish line. Yes, once you have attained the “way of life stage” these kinds of thoughts are contemplated and even openly discussed!

So, if Badwater has become a way of life that I have shared with thousands over the last 7 years, I desire to add another chapter in 2011, and see what may exist beyond the way of life that has become Badwater. Your (My) Race Is Now!
Is there anything you’d like to mention here that wasn’t described within the Qualifying Standards section above?
After nearly 7 years of involvement with the Badwater ultramarathon I have come to this simple revelation, and it was a result of the new Qualifying Standard #1: “You have officially finished the Badwater Ultramarathon AND have completed at least one significant ultra running event in the previous 12 months.” And that is that I am a Badwater ultramarathoner, and not an ultramarathoner.

Sure, I meet the qualifying standards, yet Badwater was only my 2nd ultramarathon when I first participated in 2005. I guess Badwater has set a pretty high standard for me, as the desire to run numerous other ultramarathons has never really materialized once I experienced the ultimate. While not likely to help my application, it is an interesting truth. Am I alone in this category? Regardless, I am honored to be one of many Badwater “Ambassadors” year-round.
Will you, personally, cover this event for any media and/or will you have any media accompanying you to cover this event? If so, which?
Hard to believe there is more to life than Badwater, yet my day job is that as a real estate artist and 5-time bestselling author. Accounts of my prior Badwater experiences have been captured in my books and also in DVDs that have been shared with many thousands for the benefit of our Caring House Project Foundation.

When giving frequent public speeches, Badwater is often a part of my presentation. I have a recurring segment on Lifetime TV’s morning show The Balancing Act titled; Real Estate for Real Women. During past and future segments Badwater has been and will be a topic of discussion.

Always taking an ambassador’s approach to this important event, if fortunate enough to be invited this year, I am sure additional media exposure will result.
Will your participation in this event benefit any charity? You may choose to dedicate your efforts to any charity of your choosing. If you choose to do so, for which charity will you run? Tell us their website, what they do, why you will run for them, and more.
In 2010 we supported every charity that each invitee chose to support as evidenced by their charity of choice represented on the race roster page. This resulted in 63 runners receiving $100 each, benefitting 48 different charities. Our intent was to honor those Badwater runners who selectively chose to suffer a little for the benefit of those who are suffering a lot without choice.

We will be doing the same this year, regardless of being invited or not, with $50 to each identified charity. Please spread the word and encourage runners who may not have identified a charity to do so. In addition, we continue to support CAF and DVNHA.

The most significant beneficiary of my prior 5 Badwaters has been our Caring House Project Foundation, https://www.frank-mckinney.com/caring_project.aspx. The Caring House Project Foundation creates entire villages based upon self-sufficiency by providing housing, food, water, medical support and opportunity for the desperately poor and homeless from around the world, particularly in the Caribbean, South America, Indonesia, Africa and here in the USA.

CHPF has built 15 villages in Haiti alone, with 3 being built after the 2010 earthquake. Since our first village in 2003, we have provided over 7,000 men, women and children with shelter and a self-sustaining existence. CHPF will again benefit this year, should I receive an invitation.

I hope you will support me and our Caring House Project Foundation during this year’s race. We are planning an impactful event sometime in late June, with certain elements of my Badwater race being a part of the agenda. Stay tuned!…