Greetings from Crew Member Colleen

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to introduce myself...my name is Colleen Woods and I will be one of Lisa's crew members during next week's Badwater Double Challenge. I have had the privilege of spending lots of time with Lisa and her lovely family over the past few months and I can say with confidence that Lisa is ready to face this challenge head on.

If you listened to Lisa's most recent audio post, you'll know that she has picked up her sister Julie in Las Vegas and she has arrived to Stovepipe. Julie is one of the crew chiefs, as is Bob - who is also with Julie and Lisa in Stovepipe. George Velasco is the final crew chief. Believe me when I say that the meeting of these minds over the next few days will be critical to pulling off this challenge. No fear here though - Bob has successfully completed Badwater and brings so much to the table as a veteran ultra runner and Clinical Psychologist, Julie is an incredible sister who has crewed Lisa before at Badwater and who has the unique qualification of being the one licensed massage therapist on the crew (won't she be making lots of friends as the miles wear on!), and George has so many talents but lately the one he has been perfecting with tremendous success is Crew Leader Extraordinaire (I think Jackie Florine, recent California 14ers champ and Lisa's husband, Jay, who triumphed and finished Western States in grand style this year, would agree that George was absolutely integral to their success.)

I'll be posting Blog updates throughout the challenge - complete with photos from the course. I hope that through words and pictures we can share with you the agony and ecstasy of this challenge. I know its going to be an exciting time for everyone involved - including those of you who cannot be in Death Valley but have so generously contributed to this experience.

Please use the COMMENTS feature and send through your words of encouragement and humor. I will do everything I can to relay them to Lisa and other crew members.

And I should note that two of our crew members will be celebrating birthdays out on the course - a special birthday shout out to RICHARD MURDOCK and FINLAY WOODRUFF!

Let the games begin!!!