Death Valley Jack
Jack Denness
75-year-old Jack Denness, AKA Death Valley Jack, prepares to tackle 135-miles in shoe-melting, hallucination-inducing heat as he takes on his 14th Badwater Ultra-marathon.
Think old age is the
time to put your feet up? No such luck for Jack Denness poor
tootsies. The 75-year-old school caretaker from Kent will be running the Badwater Ultra-marathon for the 14th time this July. He'll be the
oldest person to complete the 135 mile course, running non-stop from Death
Valley to Mount Whitney. A bit further than his usual jog around the park…
Why the Badwater
Ultra Marathon?
Badwater is the ultimate challenge. I remember the heat
reaching 130°F one year and it’s about 140°F underfoot. You need to keep
changing your shoes as the soles start to melt. Five years ago I said I wasn’t
going to run it again, but when I turned 75 I thought, ‘why not be the first 75
year old to do it?’
How do you cope in
those extreme temperatures?
You’ve got to respect the heat, especially when you get
older. I don’t take any chances. Like every competitor, I have a support crew with
me in a van, they carry everything I need and hose me down every now and then.
I have a lie down in the van if it really starts getting to me.
How do you train?
I just run when I feel like it. I do a long run of about 25
miles every Sunday, but other than that it’s just the odd two mile jog around
the park when I’m in the mood. I know people who run over 100 miles a week to
train for Badwater. Some are out there now so they can train in the right
conditions. But I get around fine, so I don’t really see the point. Maybe you
just get better at putting up with pain and suffering when you get to my age.
What do you eat and
drink?
I drink gallons of Lucozade Sport to keep hydrated and replace
the electrolytes I lose by sweating. In the past I haven’t eaten anything at
Badwater, but this year I’m taking freeze-dried meals – they should be easy
enough to make as there’ll be no need for a kettle to heat the water.
Do you take any
supplements?
I swear by cod liver oil. I was a war child and we were
forced to take spoonfuls of the stuff at school. I hated the taste, but knew it
was good for me so I kept taking it into adulthood. Nowadays I take the Seven
Seas capsules, so it’s a lot easier. I’ve never had any joint problems, so I
think I’m living proof that it does the job.
What are you most
looking forward to about the race?
The camaraderie is great – fast and slow, we’re all in it
together. About half of the competitors have done the race before and it’s good
to catch up. I also enjoy helping the ‘virgins’ running Badwater for the first
time. I’m often told I’m an inspiration to the new people, I think it helps
them to see that an old guy like me can do it.
And what you are you
least looking forward to?
After about 10am, from around mile 10 to 50, the heat gets almost
unbearable and I really suffer. My support crew are my lifeline, always there
with a cold towel… And a kick up the butt when it’s time to get going again!
What’s on your mind during
all those miles out there in the desert?
I can be out there for anything from 50 to 60 hours, so I
have time to think about pretty much everything. I often mull over how I’d like
to change the world and make it a better place. I listen to my MP3 player too. I like country and western, and some modern music like
Queen and Madness, but I even have Les Miserables on my playlist. Anything with
a good beat helps block out the pain.
What keeps you
motivated when it gets tough?
Fear of failure probably. Doing something most people
couldn’t and being told I’m a legend is a great ego boost, so that’s part of
it. When it gets really bad you’ve got the hallucinations to entertain you. I’ve seen all sorts - I had the devil
(complete with horns and trident) following me one year. Another time I saw
spaceship full of aliens, and once there was a jumbo jet taxiing alongside me.
Most 75-year-olds are
happy with a mug of tea and a crossword, what makes you different?
My wife says I’ve never grown up. Running 135 miles through
Death Valley at my age - its ridiculous really isn’t it? It’s a cracking
adventure though.
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