'Obsessed with distance': Castle Hayne woman faces 135-mile ultramarathon in Death Valley

Emily Lyons is no stranger to pushing her body past its limits.

The 33-year-old Castle Hayne resident, who only picked up endurance running eight years ago, is set to tackle an ultramarathon unlike anything else on July 22.

"Realizing that you can do these crazy things is kind of a draw for me," the Fayetteville native said of running ultramarathons.

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Lyons is one of 100 athletes, and the only one from North Carolina, who will compete in next week's Badwater 135. Billed as the nation's toughest foot race, the Badwater 135 starts in Death Valley, California, approximately 280 feet below sea level.

Athletes from 26 states and 21 nations have 48 hours to traverse the 135-mile course that begins at the lowest point in the U.S. and concludes at 8,300 feet above sea level at the feet of the Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney.

The blistering summer heat in Death Valley, which often reaches above 120 degrees, adds another layer to the already daunting race, but Lyons isn't too worried.

"I love pushing past your limits," she said. "Who thinks you can run 50 miles, let alone 100 or 135? If you can do that, you can do other hard things in life."

Lyons, a soccer player in her youth, didn't start running long distances until 2015. Her first time running 26.2 miles (The distance of a marathon) came as she competed in a 50K (31 miles) in 2016. She competed in a 50-mile race the following year before taking on her first 100-mile competition in 2018.

"I heard about ultras online and realized there was one nearby. That inspired me to run my first 50K," she said. "I did a 50-miler and realized how fun it was. I decided to do a 100-miler and realized it was possible to run crazy distances. I just became kind of obsessed with the distance."

Expecting to burn anywhere from 12,000 to 13,000 calories in the event, Lyons, who will compete in a more than 300-mile competition next year, says runners have to fend off a litany of side effects that include dehydration, injury, and even hallucinations due to sleep deprivation.

"If I sleep, it's not getting me any closer to the finish line," she said. "My want to be done with the race and accomplish it is greater (than my desire to sleep)."

Lyons competed in the Badwater 135 in 2023, finishing the race in just over 41 hours. She hopes to break that mark this time, but it's the race experience alone that drives her to keep competing.

"I just want to see what I can do now with my experience," Lyons said of this year's race. "The experience of running Badwater and getting to run through Death Valley is really awesome."