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Reed
STATELINE - In 1991, Pam Reed's husband knew a client who did 100-mile runs in his spare time. He encouraged the married couple to try one for themselves.
Reed's reaction was "Are you nuts?" But several weeks after the conversation, Reed took the advice and ran a 100K (about 62 miles). She finished dead last.
A few weeks after that race, she ran a 100-mile run and finished almost dead last. Fifteen years later, Reed has become one of the sport's biggest stars.
She is a two-time win ner of the Badwater Ultramarathon, a grueling 135-mile course that goes from Death Valley to Mount Whitney. She also holds the American women's rec ord in the 24-hour run (138.96 miles).
But it was Reed's per formance at the Bad water in 2001 that vaulted her into the national spotlight. She finished the race in 27 hours, 56.47 seconds, almost five hours quicker than her next closest competitor. Darren Worst was the top male that year and he finished in 32:38.57
Reed's reaction was "Are you nuts?" But several weeks after the conversation, Reed took the advice and ran a 100K (about 62 miles). She finished dead last.
A few weeks after that race, she ran a 100-mile run and finished almost dead last. Fifteen years later, Reed has become one of the sport's biggest stars.
She is a two-time win ner of the Badwater Ultramarathon, a grueling 135-mile course that goes from Death Valley to Mount Whitney. She also holds the American women's rec ord in the 24-hour run (138.96 miles).
But it was Reed's per formance at the Bad water in 2001 that vaulted her into the national spotlight. She finished the race in 27 hours, 56.47 seconds, almost five hours quicker than her next closest competitor. Darren Worst was the top male that year and he finished in 32:38.57
"It was one of the greatest athletic achievements I have witnessed in 20 years of extreme sports," Badwater race director Chris Kostman said after the race.
Reed is in Lake Tahoe this week to compete in Saturday's 72-mile ultramarathon as part of the 11th annual Lake Tahoe Marathon. Her race starts at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday morning and ends at Pope Beach, the terminus for the 26.2 mile marathon also scheduled for that day.
"I talked with race director Les Wright and he wanted me to do the triple (three marathons in three days)," said the 45-year-old Reed, who has completed more than 200 ultramarathons and marathons. "That would be hard. I don't want to do three marathons in a row and jeopardize the other goals I have. Something like that could put me under."
In November, Reed wants to reset her own American record in the 24-hour run. Although her story is astonishing - going from novice to world champion in a decade - Reed's ascension to the top of the ultrarunning world didn't begin smoothly.
She endured a lengthy battle with anorexia and is a mother of three children. It's these life experiences that qualify Reed as more than an athlete.
Her inspirational story is poignantly told in her recently released book "The Extra Mile." Published by Rodale Books, her memoir details the difficulties and triumphs in her life.
Reed is in Lake Tahoe this week to compete in Saturday's 72-mile ultramarathon as part of the 11th annual Lake Tahoe Marathon. Her race starts at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday morning and ends at Pope Beach, the terminus for the 26.2 mile marathon also scheduled for that day.
"I talked with race director Les Wright and he wanted me to do the triple (three marathons in three days)," said the 45-year-old Reed, who has completed more than 200 ultramarathons and marathons. "That would be hard. I don't want to do three marathons in a row and jeopardize the other goals I have. Something like that could put me under."
In November, Reed wants to reset her own American record in the 24-hour run. Although her story is astonishing - going from novice to world champion in a decade - Reed's ascension to the top of the ultrarunning world didn't begin smoothly.
She endured a lengthy battle with anorexia and is a mother of three children. It's these life experiences that qualify Reed as more than an athlete.
Her inspirational story is poignantly told in her recently released book "The Extra Mile." Published by Rodale Books, her memoir details the difficulties and triumphs in her life.
She also does public speaking to spread her message. One such appearance was on Wednesday evening at the Horizon Casino in Stateline.
"I don't mind telling people about my life and having kids and having anorexia," Reed said. "If I can help people that way, inspire them to do something, then that's great. I certainly don't think of myself as better than anybody else or worse that anybody else. Trust me, you can be average and be a ultrarunner because I'm average."
Although the 72-mile ultramarathon is a new addition to this year's marathon lineup, Saturday's race will actually be a resurrection of sorts.
In the 1960s, a race called the "Tahoe 72" originated. The course started at the fire station in Tahoe City and circled the lake, but the race discontinued by the late 1980s.
"It was a pretty popular race, sometimes 60 or 70 runners would be out there," said Austin Angell, longtime cross country coach at South Tahoe Middle School and an organizer for the Tahoe Triple and Saturday's ultramarathon. "It was always the last week of September. So, basically, this is a way of bringing the race back by having it part of the Lake Tahoe Marathon."
"I don't mind telling people about my life and having kids and having anorexia," Reed said. "If I can help people that way, inspire them to do something, then that's great. I certainly don't think of myself as better than anybody else or worse that anybody else. Trust me, you can be average and be a ultrarunner because I'm average."
Although the 72-mile ultramarathon is a new addition to this year's marathon lineup, Saturday's race will actually be a resurrection of sorts.
In the 1960s, a race called the "Tahoe 72" originated. The course started at the fire station in Tahoe City and circled the lake, but the race discontinued by the late 1980s.
"It was a pretty popular race, sometimes 60 or 70 runners would be out there," said Austin Angell, longtime cross country coach at South Tahoe Middle School and an organizer for the Tahoe Triple and Saturday's ultramarathon. "It was always the last week of September. So, basically, this is a way of bringing the race back by having it part of the Lake Tahoe Marathon."
11th Annual Lake Tahoe Marathon
Today: Tahoe Triple Leg #1, 5-mile kayak, 9-mile kayak
Friday: Tahoe Triple Leg #2, 35-mile bike ride, 72-mile bike ride
Saturday: Marathon, 72-mile Ultramarathoner, half-marathon, 10K
Sunday: Kids fun run, 5K
For more information: www.laketahoemarathon.com.
Today: Tahoe Triple Leg #1, 5-mile kayak, 9-mile kayak
Friday: Tahoe Triple Leg #2, 35-mile bike ride, 72-mile bike ride
Saturday: Marathon, 72-mile Ultramarathoner, half-marathon, 10K
Sunday: Kids fun run, 5K
For more information: www.laketahoemarathon.com.
