Orkney athlete attempts World’s Hottest Endurance foot race
When Orkney ultra endurance athlete William Sichel, 52, toes the start line in the Badwater Ultramarathon in California on Monday July 24th he will become the first Scot ever to do so.
Said to be the World's Hottest Endurance Foot Race, the Badwater race is an invitation only, 135 mile, point to point road race starting at the lowest point in the USA, Badwater, running through Death Valley, the second hottest desert in the world, to finish at the portals of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the US continent.
William leaves Orkney on Friday morning ready to join approximately 80 athletes from 14 nations who are expected to start the 29th running of this event. The race has a 60 hour time limit with a special belt buckle being awarded to competitors who break 48 hours.
The race breaks down into two distinct portions. The first 40 miles is through Death Valley itself where peak day time temperatures are expected to be 130° posing huge problems for runners and crews. The remaining part involves crossing two huge peaks over 5000' and then a final 15 mile continuous uphill struggle to finish at 8300'.
A requirement of running this event is that runners must have a minimum of one vehicle and two crew members with them at all times. Death Valley is a remote wilderness with evidence of human habitation few and far between.
William explained "It’s been a huge logistical challenge planning to do this event but I think I’m just about ready now. My crew and I have to look after everything from start to finish and we have to consider the safety of all involved."
William and his crew members, Alan Young (Dundee), Tim Rainey (Manchester) and Mark Williams (San Jose) have undergone a period of 'sauna training' to prepare them for the incredible temperatures that they will face in Death Valley.
"I’ve been doing about three, hourly sessions a week in a special, heated cubicle at home which I’ve found to be very effective. I’ve also done some treadmill training under heat lamps whilst wearing extra clothing. It wouldn’t be worth going if I didn’t prepare properly."
William is grateful to sponsors: dion_networks, Loganair, Sheila Fleet Jewellery and The Orcadian.
End.
17/7/06
Editor’s Notes
William has made extensive enquiries both in the sport in Scotland and with the race organisers and no evidence of a previous Scottish competitor in the Badwater Ultramarathon can be found.
William currently lies 5th on the “All time” list of British road 24 hour performances with his run of 153.3 miles in 2000 and is currently ranked overall No2 in Great Britain in the 24 hour event with his outright win in the ‘Across the Years’ 24 hour race in Phoenix in January 2005 completing 136.4 miles.
William is a member of the Orkney Athletic Club and was voted Orkney’s ‘Veteran Sportsman of the Year’ for the second successive year in November 2005. He has represented Great Britain 11 times at ultra distance running since 1996.
William set new Guinness World Records for both 100 miles and 24hrs on the treadmill in December 2002. With his wife, Elizabeth, he runs the Orkney Angora (hand dyeing specialists) mail order business in Sanday, Orkney.
Although born in the Warwickshire village of Welford and brought up in the southeast of England, William has lived in the Orkney island of Sanday since 1982.
Comment from Orkney Athletic Club: please contact Ronnie Johnston ronnie.johnson@orkney.uhi.ac.uk
Higher quality images can usually be supplied if required.
Making contact:
William Sichel, Upper Breckan, Sanday, Orkney KW17 2AZ. Tel/Fax: 01857 600421. Mobile 0794 128 3506. william@williamsichel.co.uk Running web site: http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/
William Sichel, ‘Free to use’ photographs can be down loaded from my on-line photo album. Go to: http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/ and click on ‘Photos’.