Preparations intensify for World’s Hottest Endurance Race

As World Cup footballers complain of temperatures in the 30's centigrade (90's Fahrenheit), spare a thought for Orkney ultra endurance athlete William Sichel who will soon be heading over the Atlantic as the first Scot to be invited to run in the World's Hottest Endurance race – the Badwater Ultramarathon – 135 miles through Death Valley, California finishing at the highest point in America, Mount Whitney which starts on July 24th.

Temperatures will be approaching 130°/55°C through Death Valley with runners needing special cooling methods in order to progress through the race.

"I’ll have to be sprayed with ice water every 10 minutes, have ice under my desert hat and have an ice bandana around my neck in order to survive the heat. Not to mention all the drinking I’ll have to do. I’ll have a vehicle and three crew members with me at all times."

With just a few weeks to go William is now doing intensive preparations which will enable him to cope with the torrid heat in Death Valley.

Part of William’s heat training involves his own special "sauna cubicle" which heats up to 60°C/137°F.  With one hour sessions, three times a week from now on, William should be well acclimatised when he arrives in Death Valley.

Are there any disadvantages to this type of heat training? 

"Yes there is one disadvantage – in the cool Orkney summer weather I’m having to wear my thermals all the time!"

William is grateful to sponsors: dion_networks, Loganair, Sheila Fleet Jewellery and The Orcadian.

End.

26/6/06

Editor’s Notes
William has made extensive enquiries both in the sport in Scotland and with the race organiser 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'.