Liz gloried amid the Pyramids.

Three weeks ago, W50 multi-eventer Liz Johnson of Charlotte, North Carolina, was battling symptoms of what she calls the “Egyptian death virus,” an intestinal illness. After a day of recuperation at the Sahara Race 2008, she fought cramps, nausea and sun poisoning to complete 20 miles, stopping only at the behest of race officials “because of upchucking,” Liz writes from home. “I think they thought I was endangering the ecosystem of the desert with my excessive fluid expressions.” Is this lady tough (and funny) or what?

Yesterday, Liz wrote her friends about her dune-marathon experience and true inspiration — a wheelchair-using aerobics student of hers at Siskey-branch YMCA in Charlotte.
Excerpts from her note to friends:

Thanks for good wishes while I was attempting to race Sahara. Seems I got a case of Egyptian death virus the night before the race, which put a kink into my racing plans. I now truly understand the phrase “pray for death.” Actually got in a 5K the last day to finish at pyramids. It was also great fun to volunteer and help others with the race.
Seems some good always prevails.
The second day I was able to go over 20 miles but was slowed by the upchucking that went along with the virus . . . .
It really was stunningly beautiful and transcendent. There were actually shells on the bottom of the desert from where ocean used to be. The challenge was fun, as were my 10 mates.
Please note the real hero in all this is Tom Wrenn from my chair aerobics class at Siskey. I bet him in April if I crossed the Sahara, he would have to try and take two steps out of his wheelchair. We started in the pool, where Tom could barely make it a few steps walking. Eventually he was up to over 20 laps. I was thrilled to greet him in class today.
The first thing he did — he got up out of his wheelchair with minimal of help. He looked so shaky, about to teeter over at any moment. Then he found the strength to will his body to take five absolutely picture-perfect steps. Upon sitting back down, his response was not to soak in the celebration but to ask what the bet was for next year.
He said he knew he could do 20 steps or more and was expecting to hear my side of the bet soon. So . . . there just may be another desert race in the future. But in the meantime, I have seen what real courage and greatness is. Maybe we all need to take the time to see greatness in others and appreciate the fact that life is only as great as your friends. And my life is great!

Excerpts from Liz’s reply to my queries:

Somehow, the scene from “Alien” kept coming to mind with live creatures bursting through the abdominal cavity. (That) serves as a perfect metaphor of the experience. I am fully recovered. I actually got dehydrated the night before the race. No hospitialization was needed. However, there is always questionable issues in regard to my mental health and choices of adventures. I started four legs and finished two.
The longest leg I completed was over 23 miles. It was also great to volunteer and help others on their journey. Don’t know (my) weight at finish. I got home Election Eve and still mustered up some energy to help get out the vote the next day.
The conditions — sunny and sandy, then sunny and sandy some more. The course we ran was mostly very soft, deep sand. We raced through the white and yellow parts. There were amazing high dunes, with water stations placed evily, just at the top. So we got to use our climbing skills. If not sand, there was craggy, sharp plains of rock. The temps reached 115. I am not sure of adequate synonyms for really, really hot. The scenery was breathtaking.
I especially loved the quiet and serenity.
I learned, despite killer months of killer long training, you can’t control the variables. I really thought I would cry and feel sorry for myself. Instead I tuned into the lesson that something better always comes along.
It was a time of deep introspection and peace. I was awed by vastness of the desert and how transcendent, quieting the mind can be.
I felt more connected to the miracle of being than ever before and have had trouble fitting myself back into the freneticness of my previous existence. I learned I really have the greatest life with the best friends imaginable. I really thought I would return home cured of my need for high adventure. Instead my mind is already envisioning the finish line of a future desert race.

I asked Liz if she had tried to interest her teammates in masters track. She replied:

I gave it my best to try and recruit them to the brevity of our sport. Instead they were were strong-arming me to join them in their ultra-jaunt races around the globe. I am not sure I took the time to process through the event, until now. Thanks for the inquiry! Much cheaper than therapy!

Speaking of breathtaking, how about Liz Johnson’s incredible spirit? She proves no hurdle is too high for someone with guts and dedication.