Dan Jensen: Back for More

By Greg Minter

For those who may have seen the documentary Running on the Sun, one of the most heartbreaking moments had to have been watching runner Dan Jensen pull out just shy of 100 miles due to excessive swelling in his leg. Having lost his right leg to a land mine in Vietnam, it wasn't the heat, or the distance, or even the climbs up Towne's Pass or Father Crowley that dragged him down, but the chafing and swelling in the cup where his leg rests atop his artificial leg.

Last year, at the 2005 Kiehl's Badwater Ultramarathon, it was a great treat to watch Dan come in just moments apart from Jack Denness (11-time official finisher and the first 70 year old to complete the race) and Scott Weber (finishing his 10th crossing).

"A lot more complete, more structured, more miles more cycling, more weight training. I definitely wanted to come back, but it's really about being out there and enjoying the training." And the leg? "The leg's been doing real good." On closer inspection, something's off, though. He's wearing a left shoe on his right (prosthetic) foot. "Yep it's a size seven and a half, which gives the foot a little room to flex." But the left shoe? "Oh, I used the right one in training so much that it wore out. The shoes aren't that different left to right, so I can switch them."

Joined this time by his wife Robin, oldest daughter Kay and friend Bob, we wish Dan and his whole crew the best of luck.