Bill Latter is a long-time reader of Marathon & Beyond. And, like many readers, Bill is more than a subscriber - he's family.
He has quite an impressive running history, including everything from speedy 400 meters and 5Ks, marathons, and 24-hour events to adventure runs longer than 100 miles.
For Bill these days, it's not about PRs or clock times or extreme distances anymore. It's about the experiences, the life lessons, and the friends that he has gained.
Bill's "normal" running life began long before August 8, 2010, but it was on this date that he embarked on a journey from which there was no turning back. A journey that would take him places he had only dreamed about. A journey that would change everything.
On August 8, 2010 Bill set out to run from Badwater, Death Valley, to the summit of Mt. Whitney and back again. A distance of nearly 300 miles. Solo. He dubbed his adventure the "Death Valley Express."
You see, August 8 was his brother Rick's birthday, and 20 years prior his brother had died from brain cancer.
Bill says he was inspired by his friends, Rich Benyo and Rhonda Provost, the first man and first woman to successfully complete the Death Valley double crossing. Bill had plans to complete his double-crossing in six to seven days. He would contend with extreme temperatures and arduous climbs to the summit of Mt. Whitney at 14,505 ft (4,421 m). He assembled a five-person crew to make sure he was safe, watered, and fed - for the best possible chance of completing the distance.
Yet, we all know about the best-laid plans.
Before his solo attempt, Bill suffered a seriously herniated lumbar disk. He said of this setback, "I will be walking most of the way. But, the very fact that I am making this attempt at all has taught me a valuable lesson - to never, ever give up because dreams do come true." His training included methods of minimizing the pain from his injured back. It was effective - up to a point.
Bill did not complete the nearly 300-mile journey. Remarkably, however, he did make it 135 miles to the portal of Mt. Whitney. There is no such thing as "just" 135 miles. In spite of blistered feet, a painful back, and a bout with dehydration, Bill completed the entire Badwater 135 course, a tremendous achievement.
One year later he commenced Death Valley Express II. Bill writes: "It was a grand day in the desert. The air was clear and hot. The start at Badwater Basin was shaded by the adjacent hills. The rising sun was brilliant and the distant mountains shown in glorious purple. While my crew did what they needed to get ready, I wandered out onto the salt flat feeling joy and wonder that I had once again made it to the start of a wondrous adventure. I was happy and comfortable. I was ready."
Bill felt fabulous. That is, until he got the news that, back home, his beloved cat of 14 years had died. Feeling sad and a bit guilty for not being there when Rurr Rurr died, Bill said he wasn't going to let that stop him, "I just needed to work it out in my head and keep my feet moving. It is what I HAD to do."
In spite of that, things began to fall apart during the run.
Bill was having serious stomach issues, and without being able to eat solid food, his continuing was not only an unwise, but also unsafe. Together, he and his crew decided to stop after a brief trek out of Stovepipe Wells.
Knowing when to stop often takes more courage than continuing when all signs are telling you to stop. Bill was courageous.
Recently in February 2013, Bill began a series of painful surgeries to repair his back injury. While his doctors promised 80% pain relief, they warned that he would probably not regain the lost function in his legs. In spite of finding out, from his MRIs, that the injury was much worse than expected, his doctors were wrong about his recovery prospects. Today, Bill says he is 100% pain-free, and he has also regained function and sensation in his legs.
So, with the approval of his surgeon, he has started light running. At three-and-a-half months post-surgery, he wrote this note:
"Three-and-a -half months ago, my medical team performed two major surgeries on my back in an attempt to give me my life back. They said we are
doing this so that you will not have pain anymore.
We are doing this so that you can run again.
Today that promise was kept. Today I ran.
It was a mile. I panted and coughed just like I am beginning again - I am. It was a long mile. I took it slow and savored it like a long ago forgotten favorite song. It was a short mile. I wanted more, but I have to learn to run again. It was the best mile. When it was done, I cried a little, for I had no pain.
Today I ran.And even better, tomorrow I will run again."
To celebrate his return to running, Bill has registered for the 2014 Napa Valley Marathon. He hopes to continue his progress toward another run of Death Valley in August 2014. Click here to read more about Bill's ongoing adventures.