the great escape

LIVE FROM BURNING MAN // BLACK ROCK CITY, NEVADA, USA

On Saturday, once again, I knew I had to run... and this time a long one. So I pulled on my hot pink skirt, strapped on the iPod and headed out into the city. This was my first real tour of the backroads, and it was quite pleasant... so much going on so early in the morning. Many gift breakfasts, coffees, and even a free water camp, which I happily indulged in. I quickly reached the edge of the city, and headed out onto the open playa. I traced a fairly wide road, and to my shock and surprise, saw a pirate flag about a mile out from town, with about twenty to thrity people dancing and laughing. I made the mild detour, and was immediately greeted by a gracious woman who said "hail to the athlete burner! can we offer you a drink... hmmm, you'd probably prefer cool water, wouldn't you?" The male bartender scowled a bit at this suggestion, but I happily accepted, and she offered me a large water bottle which I shamelessly chugged. Its well known in Black Rock City that you can drink all the beer, wine, and whiskey you want for free, but you'd sure as hell BYOW(ater). I was completely honored to be offered wondrous water from a bar, without even asking. Such is the reward for runners!

Livin on the edge..

I continued from there and made a solid line for the fabled perimeter, a perfectly pentagonal orange fence which ostensibly collects drift-trash from the city, but more in my mind serves as a psychological barrier between the dreamland of Black Rock City and the stark reality of the Real World. Approaching this fence, it immediately became clear what had to be done... I ran up to it at full speed, and with a burst of energy, pulled a complete hurdle over the 3' plastic. Suddenly, the world changed. The only thing in my vision, all 200 degrees of it, was crunchy bbone-white desert floor, purple mountain majesty on the distant horizon, and crystal sapphire blue sky. The only sound I could hear was the wind in my ears. It was as if I was the only human on earth, and it was easy to imagine that I was either or both 50,000 years in the past, present, or future. It was completely primal...

and then I saw the 4x4 rolling into my reality. I knew at once it was perimeter, and a brief mental panic struck me as I realised that a) I was without ticket, and b) I could have just as easily run in from Gerlach. The boys pulled up alongside me in their truck... I waved in a friendly innocent manner, and they said "Sir, could you please limit your run to within the boundaries of our city?" I nodded in humble acknowledgement, and made my way back to the fence, where I made another wondrous bunny-hop back into the dance/party/camp/drink/music/chaos of black rock.

A gracious gift of clean water from Pink Pussy Camp, an impromptu photo shoot, and a sprint through center camp later, I arrived breathless to our vehicle, where, to my delight, was Laurel, refueling her CamelBak. She was in deep meditation and I was in deep hyperventilation, so we soon parted ways, I dunked my head in the icewater cooler, and headed back to the camp for a brief chill.

One hour.
Two drinks.
Six miles.
SHAZAM!

training in the desert = good. :)

for more of my marathon training logs, visit:
http://acroyogi.blogspot.com