BRYAN LEE
Tucson Citizen

Xavier Gallegos / Tucson Citizen Tucsonan Pam Reed is training to run 300 miles - without a sleep break.

Pam Reed is at it again, and this time she's taking it to the limit - if there is such a thing for Tucson's world-renowned ultra distance runner.

Reed, 44, a two-time winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon, the sport's top event, will attempt to run 300 miles without sleep, unprecedented in running annals as far as she knows.

She will attempt the run March 25-28 and hopes to complete it in 72 hours.

That would coincide on March 27 with a tentative CBS-TV "60 Minutes" piece with Lesley Stahl on Reed.

"I had no idea that was going to happen, but I guess it fits in well," said Reed, who was featured on "The CBS Late Show" with David Letterman in 2003.

The reason for the attempt has to do with the success and failure of Californian Dean Karnezes, who won the 135-mile Badwater last summer and stole Reed's thunder, including earning a cover shot on Runner's World magazine. Reed, who set a women's Badwater record in 2002 and won overall in both 2002 and 2003, placed fourth in 2004.

"(Karnezes) had said at the time he had tried to do the 300 miles twice and failed," Reed said. "My husband, Jim, asked me after if I could do it. I thought about it for a day and I'm confident I can. Now it's my goal."

Chuck Giles will lead Reed's extensive support group, as he has in her Badwater efforts, and local runners are invited to run with her at their convenience.

Her route will be the Interstate 10 frontage road starting at Picacho Peak and going south 12.5 miles. The loop is 25 miles and she will attempt to run it 12 times.

"If anybody can do it, Pam can," said Giles, who used to support runners in the Race Across America event. "I know of nobody else. She's run over 220 miles in 48 hours without sleeping. It's amazing what people can do. The thing to be concerned about is circumstances beyond our control - a bad day for her, a turned ankle, weather."

Giles said they picked the Easter weekend because there will be a full moon, it's not likely to be wet, it shouldn't be too hot and there will be less traffic on a motorway which is not heavily trafficked at any time.

"We picked the safest course we could think of," he said.

Reed plans careful preparation, which includes some rest. She dropped out of the Old Pueblo 50 ultra run Saturday after 29 miles - she was defending women's champion - because "it was not right."

"I was becoming depleted and it was foolish and my son was sick at home. Why was I out there?" she asked. "I realize I need to save myself."

After the 300-mile attempt, Reed doesn't plan to slow down. She plans to run in the London Marathon April 17, then travel to the Boston Marathon double (52.4 miles) on April 18.

PAM REED FILE

Age: 44

Height, weight: 5 feet 4, 105 pounds

Family: Husband -  Jim, 43. Children - Timothy, 20; Andrew, 15; Jackson, 9. Stepchildren: Greg, 18, Jonathan, 15

Miles per week: 100 to 120

Workout schedule: Run, 5:30 a.m.; run, 11 a.m.; swim, noon; p.m. run as her schedule allows

Favorite running trail: Alvernon/Pontatoc

Usual running companion: Aspen, her Old English sheepdog

Good luck from the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.