by Miles Blumhardt

The curious stares Alene Nitzky draws while jogging along the Spring Creek Trail are warranted. After all, dressed in the all-white training suit she looks like a cross between the Flying Nun and someone responding to a hazmat incident. But then the 44-year-old nurse isn’t your normal runner.

Saturday, the Fort Collins ultramarathoner ran the Colorado Marathon up the Poudre Canyon, as yet another training run for her next adventure, the Badwater Ultramarathon, which is recognized as the world’s toughest foot race. The July 14-16 race starts in Death Valley at 280 feet and over the 135 miles includes 130-degree heat, 13,000 miles of ascents and 4,700 feet of descents. This year, 90 people qualified, including 23 women. Nitzky made the field by completing 149 miles in 48 hours in a qualifying race in Arizona in January.

Between a busy work and work out schedule, the Coloradoan caught up with Nitzky to ask why anybody in their right mind and fit body would do such a thing?

OK, the obvious first question is why?

People think it’s really out there to do these races. But you learn so much about yourself. It’s so satisfying to challenge yourself. I love it.

What was the motivation to finally qualify for Badwater?

I had wanted to do it for a long time. Then in 2006 my sister had a bilateral mastectomy for breast cancer, at age 35. Another friend, Chris, who is going to be one of my crew members, found out two years ago that he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Both are doing well but I started thinking about my mortality and how I wanted to live my life to the fullest. I’ve always believed every day is an adventure but this was an opportunity to do Badwater and do it for charity.

What’s the crew do?

I’ll have a crew of six. Because of the heat, they’ll have to make sure I’m OK. Dehydration and heat stroke are a concern. They’ll be spraying me down with water, getting me ice cream sandwiches when running by a store, talking to me. They’ll be doing everything to help me keep going. I couldn’t do this without the help of so many people in my life from the crew to my co-workers to my friends and family and my husband doing yard work, cooking and house cleaning.

How do you stay cool in 130-degree temperatures?

There will be a coffin-sized cooler full of ice that I will use to fill a bandana to go around my neck and to fill my hat.

How much water will you consume during the race?

I need to average 28 ounces of fluids every 15 minutes.

What do you eat during the race?

Everything and anything. I like salty stuff, like crackers, pretzels, stuff that I’d never eat otherwise. I’ll eat soup, peanut butter and jelly, bananas.

Sleep?

I’ll probably take two to three naps of an hour or two along the road.

What are your chances of finishing?

I just want to finish it, but I think I’ll come in in about 48 hours.

More at coloradoan.com

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