Wilmington woman taking part in her second 135-mile race through Death Valley

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Death Valley is famous for being one of the hottest places on earth. In fact, the warmest temperature on record (134 degrees) was set there in 1913.

Spending any amount of time outside in that type of environment seems nearly impossible. But for roughly 100 people each year, survival is taken to another level.

The invitation-only Badwater 135 Ultramarathon sees competitors attempting to run 135 miles in just two days every July, with the first organized race of the course taking place in 1987.

Wilmington resident Emily Lyons completed the incredible task last year and is heading back soon to give it another go.

She says the race is unlike any other marathon she’s taken part in due to multiple factors.

“You start off and you’re already sleep-deprived. But night running at the beginning of Badwater 135 also is incredibly hot,” Lyons said. “Even at night it’s still in the 100s.”

The race of more than 5 normal marathons strung together begins at Badwater Basin in Death Valley and travels through some of the most unique terrain on earth, ending on Mount Whitney.

To train for the extreme elements — where sweat can literally evaporate from the skin before it has time to bead — Lyons says she strategically spent countless hours outside during the hottest portion of the afternoon.

“Often I would run a couple miles with my black hoodie on with my hood up and black sweat pants,” Lyons said. “So my neighbors thought I was a little crazy.”

To ensure safety during the race, each person is followed by a group of supporters in a van. In Lyons’ case, her husband and a few friends.

They supply her with anything she may need, such as water, food or ice.

The one thing she still lacks due to the race’s time constraints is time to rest.

“Not much sleeping, because hopefully I’ll finish as quick as possible,” Lyons said. “But I will sit down maybe every few hours for 2-5 minutes.”

But Lyons says stopping for even a short period can prove detrimental to her pace.

“We like to say ‘beware the chair’ in ultramarathons,” Lyons continued. “You try to avoid sitting down unless you have to, because it will take a few steps to even a mile to shake out that stiff feeling in your legs.”

The race is a test of each runner’s endurance, with 20 to 40 percent of people not finishing the course. Thankfully, no one has ever died but there have been countless injuries and some hallucinations.

For those who do cross the finish line, there are a few prizes for doing so.

“Every finisher, including the winners, get a belt buckle, as well as a t-shirt and a pizza party,” Lyons said with a smile.

Regardless of the perks of finishing, Lyons says the accomplishment itself is enough of a reward for her.

“Seeing Death Valley on foot and running what I thought was impossible 10 years ago,” Lyons said. “Being able to finish that was just amazing.”

Lyons says the current record for most completions of the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon by a North Carolinian is five times.

So she plans on at least finishing six.