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| (Michael Popov during his 2009 JMT Trail traverse; more photos available here, photos courtesy of Ben Jones) |
[Update - The San Francisco Chronicle posted this article with more details, Great Risks Can Accompany Great Feats, at 8:42pm on Sunday, Aug 12th]
[Update - This article by Outside Magazine was posted on Wed, Aug 15th, and shares a few more details about the situation]
Scott, I do not care for your, "You might also like" section. The picture is now in very poor taste and I would ask that it be removed from this news.
ReplyDeleteRespectfully,
Michael's Friend
This article is factually inaccurate. Michael and I were on this trip together. I was with him until he started his run, I was the one he was to meet at the end, I was there as medical personnel attempted to revive him, and I was able to say goodbye to him before he and I, separately, left the valley Tuesday night.
DeletePlease remove this article from your blog. Thank you.
Sarah Spelt
What did Scott write that is factually different than anything you just wrote Sarah? He just didn't bother to make the article about you.
DeleteTragic loss. Mike will be missed.
Sarah wrote on Facebook that Scott's 2011 blog post 'nearly ruined PCTR'.
DeleteScott's post, a fairly accurate accounting of PCTR's history hardly ruined PCTR. PCTR mismangement ruined PCTR.
Scott's blog post: http://www.atrailrunnersblog.com/2011/12/delicate-fate-of-pacific-coast-trail.html
despite the apparent controversy up there with some comments, i think the message remains the same in that it's a sad loss to the trail running community. this has been a tough year when it comes to losing some wonderful runners.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad when active people with a zest for life and adventures are taken early.Rest in Peace Mike.
ReplyDeleteCait the Arty Runnerchick,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your comment. The message is that there has been truly a sad loss and it should not be about arguing over details.
http://marooftrendwatcher.blogspot.co.uk/
Hi Scott, thanks for covering this and bringing us at least the few details available.
ReplyDeleteMisha was awesome, and I miss him tremendously.
About the facts... I'm not sure if the tyranny editorial belongs in the post unless volunteered by the Popovs themselves, and I believe Misha went to college in Vladivostok. He was proud of that strange land.
I hope everyone stays safe, on and off the trails.
The "You might also like" items are advertising, and are not controlled or controllable by the blogger.
ReplyDeleteWhatever factual errors are in the posting ought to be corrected.
The original post contained a link to someone else's online photo album containing pics of Mish. I believe that was the requested removal, as the link is now gone. In case anyone was wondering.
DeleteUm no, it was the link featuring a mock pctr tombstone that I had issue with and it looks like Scott was able to remove it. Thank you Scott.
DeleteThis is not personal against Scott...but considering this blog's negative impact on Misha, it's very bad form for this notice be posted here.
ReplyDeleteLet those of us who loved Mish grieve, sans this inaccurate and overreaching blog post. Shame.
I agree with the last poster. The problem is that the person who wrote this entry apparently did not know Mish as well as he thought, and does not know what transpired on Tuesday afternoon at all. (Mish was not out there at dawn - we didn't even leave our Mammoth campsite until 6:00 a.m.) The writer has not yet spoken to anyone who was present on Tuesday in Death Valley, so essentially every "fact" stated about Mish's run, death, and rescue attempts are in error.
ReplyDeleteHis name is not 'Mike'. He was an English major in college in Vladivostok, as Vlad said - English wasn't "quickly mastered" here. He wasn't out scouting a course, he was going for what he thought was a 10K cross-country run.
Please, I beg of you, Scott - take this down and let those of us who really knew and truly loved this incredible, irreplaceable, unforgettable man whom you didn't even know, whom you are using as 'news', grieve as we deserve.
Sarah Spelt
Agreed.
DeleteThis post is ridiculously inaccurate actually and doesn't reflect what transpired near Badwater. Please take it down until more information about the events gets passed onto you.
I met Michael/Misha at a PCTR race, and he was very helpful in getting me through one of my first long distance events. Joyful and encouraging. I am thankful to have met him.
DeleteIn regards to the "factual inaccuracies", now that the SF Chronicle story is posted I'm not sure why Sarah and her anonymous friends had such an issue with it. From what I can tell, here are the differences in the two stories:
1) It was 123 degrees, not 126.
2) It was the middle of the day, not dawn.
3) He wasn't scouting a new course, he was on a solo run.
4) Sarah Spelt was involved/quoted.
How exactly is that "ridiculously inaccurate"? Scott I don't why you even deal with these people.
My plan is to do a solo run on the same course where Michael encouraged me to keep going. And I will keep going. My best to his family.
Christina Williams
Personally, I find it in poor taste to argue over details when most of us just came here to read about and grieve a fallen fellow runner. Also, no one cares about how long it took him to learn English, we care that a life was lost too soon. Peace be with his family and (even annoying) loved ones.
ReplyDeleteDear "Anonymous" -
ReplyDeleteSadly, your response is not at all surprising to me, given where it's posted. I gather that didn't know Mish, either.
Sarah
I say keep the article up. This has nothing to do with some random individual who is making it about themselves. Its a much larger attempt for everyone to pay their respects to a fellow runner.... inaccurate details or not. Maybe you would be wise to step aside and not be so selfish.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that making stuff up can be hardly considered respectful.
ReplyDeleteScott, it sounds like if you changed Mike to Michael, eliminated the last bio paragraph, and the 2 paragraphs below, everyone would be fine:
ReplyDeletePeople are warned about the excessive heat conditions, and to not trust GPS in the Badlands area due to constantly changing conditions. Mike set out before dawn for a quick one hour run. He was found unconscious miles off-route several hours later. Temperatures had risen to 126°.
Medical personnel were on the scene immediately; an emergency helicopter quickly arrived to transport him to the closest hospital. Mike fell into a coma and slipped away while life-saving efforts were being conducted.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteScott --
ReplyDeletethank you for taking the time to write this. I was not close to Mike/Michael/Misha/Popov/Konda but, by any name, he was clearly a warm and generous person worthy of your accolades.
There may be some inaccuracies but I don't really know or care if each detail is absolutely right. What matters is that he is dead and your column is a generous tribute to the man he was.
"Everyone that knew and loved Mike are shocked and immensely saddened by his tragic death. He was one of those rare individuals who could instantly befriend anyone he met. He was kind and caring; smart and funny; perfectly comfortable in a large crowd or by himself during any number of adventures. His was a competitive soul; he lived for taking on great challenges."
to dwell on some detail is to miss the point. that sarah is taking the time to debate the issue is another sign that she is not psychologically well. I like sarah and care about her but right about now, really wish someone take her computer away. I find all this petty and misguided discussion of "who ruined pctr" offensive to his memory.
Again, thank you for doing your best in reporting and writing such kind things about the man who has, in big and small ways, made many lives, mine included, a little better.
Scott,
ReplyDeletehave some compassion. It is not appropriate for you to be Michael's obituarist. Let someone else do this (Vlad?)
running Skyline tomorrow in his memory.
Adam
Sorry Adam, I would love to but I am not qualified. I wish I knew Michael better. All I know is the few things I have been fortunate to learn from our few times running alonside at PCTR events.
DeleteThanks, Scott, for correcting the information.
Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThis is all very sad and unfortunate.
Hey, Anonymous commenters -
ReplyDeleteThe standard rules apply, folks. If you want to call someone out, you have to sign your name. I don't think that is asking much, particularly given that Sarah is signing hers.
I am happy to post a more detailed (accurate?) account if somebody can point me to it. This was sent to me with a request to post, and I confirmed it with another party before posting. But I'm no journalist - I'm fine to take it down as long as we point to something we know is more accurate.
I hope that all, like some of the commenters above, can just focus on the loss of one of our "tribe" and give him a few moments of your time to honor him next time you are on the trails. My condolences to friends and family who knew him well.
Thx, SD
Amen...
ReplyDeleteThis was the first time I have checked in to Scott's blog in awhile, had heard of the death of Michael/Misha in the news, and only found out a little more of his association with Sarah/PCTR/Bay Area events, etc. here. I have run a few PCTR events and many others around the bay area, probably have run with everyone posting at one time or another. I unfortunately was disappointed at the personal issues away from the man that we should be giving a moment of respect to. Maybe this is how we grieve now...in blogs...and I can respect that too, but ultimately I learned a little more about how good Michael/Misha was and the vigor he lived life and how he affected people. Running is an emotional venture, life affirming,and varied for everyone, but must ultimately remain a positive community away from personal politics.
I give all who knew and loved Michael/Misha Popov my deepest heartfelt sympathy and respect in a moment of grieving for a young man taken in his prime.
David Altena
Last I heard, Michael's family is still trying to locate his father, Boris, camping in the eastern Sierra. The man doesn't know about his son yet. Perhaps you could take the post down until he's been notified.
ReplyDelete-Chris
Thank you, Scott, for the thoughtful post and for sharing as much as you can reliably know about this tragic event.
ReplyDeletei'll always remember Michael's sincere early morning congratulations at the finish line of the Headlands 100, and his warmth and sense of humor this past April in hosting the Woodside 50k. At Skyline to the Sea last year, his younger sister gave me a ride in the shuttle van to my car at the beach, and she was very sweet, and my heart goes out to her and all of Michael's family & friends. He struck me as a really wonderful person, and he will be greatly missed. But i also know he is alive & well on his continuing Soul journey.
ReplyDeleteNamaste Dear One,
Rob G
Scott, many of your facts *are* wrong, and you should take this down in total, including all comments. Especially in respect of his family. Heather Ulrich
ReplyDeleteRegarding "anonymous" comments the default is to comment as "Google Account" (which I did), which even when signing in makes it show up as anonymous. Apparently one can set up an account just for your blog as well (and why would people take the time to do that). Regardless, your blog is factually wrong. Also, given your negativity in the past about both Sarah and Misha (not Michael) and how little you knew him, you posting his obituary is offensive and inappropriate. It is telling that you have not tried to defend your actions, which are indefensible. I used to look at your blog as a definitive source of information for our "tribe". Definitely no longer.
ReplyDelete- Adam Blum
Scott –
DeleteI have asked you in public and in private, on more than one occasion, to take this down. You don’t even give me the courtesy of a reply. Now Misha’s sister has asked you in private to take it down. Nothing.
The following is based on a conversation with and at the request of Natasha, Misha’s sister. (Items in parentheses are mine.)
We know who gave you this “information” and asked you to post it. She doesn’t know Misha’s family and had only met Misha. We know with whom you “corroborated” this story – that woman’s son, “Mike’s” roommate, the person who wrote the piece. (Nice fact-checking.) The writer IS NOT a family friend. He WAS NOT close with Misha. He WAS NOT in Death Valley on Tuesday, nor did he gain this supposed "information" first-hand.
Misha’s father is still missing and knows nothing of what has happened. Misha’s mother is upset to the point of seeking legal action against you. His sister feels violated – they only saw Misha yesterday, and haven’t even gotten the results of the autopsy yet.
And you and his roommate are doing this why? To feel like big men who knew someone? To get the scoop? How pitiful.
Misha’s family, through me, will come out with a statement regarding Misha, his life, and his passing once all the facts are in and the family is ready. That statement will not be posted here.
Scott, in the meantime, take this down.
(Until then, should anyone want to know what Misha was really like and what people really thought of him, simply look around on Facebook or the Ultra List or the Barkley List…he is there.)
Sarah Spelt
This should have appeared in parantheses, as well: (And you and his roommate are doing this why? To feel like big men? To get the scoop? How pitiful.)
ReplyDeleteWow these PCTR folks are [pick your own adjective].
ReplyDeleteThank you for deleting the article, Scott. You may delete my comments, as well - I don't believe your system allows me to do it myself.
ReplyDeleteAnd this has nothing to do with PCTR. Misha's family and friends simply want to do what Misha would want done if he were here.
How is the SF article any different than what Scott posted? Oh, I see, equal time is given to Sarah so the SF one is ok. Give me a break.
ReplyDeleteFor all the Trail Runners out there, listen up.
ReplyDeleteI am saddened by the story but I thought to post the following. Firstly, RIP Michael.
Also, I see from the San Francisco article that he attempted to traverse between two (2) roads apparently and it was to be some 6 miles.
I feel that I should share with trail runners that they lack skills. Yes, other skills would be good to have such as Orienteering skills. I wonder if Michael was carrying 2 compasses, one working and another as backup. If he was headed a direction for 6 miles and "Veered" off course then his 6 miles became 10 miles easily.
His trip just went from 6 miles in, say, 1:40 to 10 miles in 3 hours with little water.
1. Orienteering says that if you are Right handed then you tend to navigate toward your right, So to compensate, you need to travel in a Zig Zag pattern; and then Tend to your Leftward Direction.
2. Orienteering also say to "Aim off", go look it up for more detail but it means if you are headed for a road or a river - when you get there you won't know which way to go. You won't know which way to go Right or Left or Upstream or Downstream; So to compensate you Aim Off to a known or Fixed target so that you can have Orientation. And know which way to go.
This Aiming Off would have easily turned his 6 miles into 3 miles. Better 3 miles than being lost.
Sad sad news, I hate to read about it.
But go out and get skills. Other skills, sure getting better times is good and being a Trail Runner is great but there is so much more to it.
Another thing I'll add is this, purify water. People don't do it and then when they do - they find they get sick. Why? It's because the Water drops around the rim of your Bottle are stil bateria filled.
Thanks for that post. The family plans to make a statement today, after they speak with the Inyo County Coroner. Details will follow shortly regarding what Misha was and wasn't carrying, how much water he had, what went wrong, etc. in the hopes of preventing this type of tragedy in the future. At this time, though, it's just premature. The coroner just so happens to be a good friend of Mish's and mine (we were to have dinner with him Tuesday night), so we'll be working together to turn Mish's death into something positive, good, and helpful. That's what Misha would have wanted.
DeleteI'm so sorry.
ReplyDeletehttp://therealfoodrunner.blogspot.com/
Scott, THANKS for making the changes to your post. Much appreciated!!!
ReplyDeleteAny and all comments, at this time, judging "what happened" - or why - or Michael's skills are premature and completly inapprpriate.
Heather
Your "suggested stories" says it all. Robert and Linda Mathis...gone. Caballo Blanco...gone. Now this. It's been a tough year for the ultra community. Let's stick together!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in how someone could get lost going from the west side road to badwater ... Isn't that a straight shot with known Gps coordinates . Sounds like an unnecessary tragedy .
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnother online article has appeared about Michael Popov"s Last Run
ReplyDeletehttp://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/running/trail-running/Michael-Popovs-Last-Run.html?page=1
Written for Outside Online by Gordon Wright - 5 pages total
The Outside Online article makes some sense of why Sarah has been so desperate to put her spin on the events of that day, Michael died while waiting for her to show up in support. He had completed the run.
ReplyDeleteMichael died while waiting for her to show up in support. He had completed the run.
DeleteFrom all of the accounts I've read, neither of those statements is true. I have to wonder why someone would post such an egregious false and potentially hurtful comment here.
Misha intended to run six miles from West Side Rd. to Badwater. He wound up running 10 miles. He ended up six miles south of Badwater, and died there.
Because he was alone, no one can know for certain why he went off course. But people who know the area have speculated (reasonably, it seems to me) that he made a detour to avoid squishy terrain.
Sarah waited at their pre-arranged meeting point. When he failed to show up, she went looking for him.
From Outside article:
DeleteThe crossing took him only approximately two and a half hours, and like so many other adventures he took on, he made it.
Nice job of cherry-picking. Now, for the whole story:
DeleteTHE SOUTHERN DIVERSION MEANT Popov would ultimately travel an estimated 10 miles. The crossing took him only approximately two and a half hours, and like so many other adventures he took on, he made it.
Few cars are found on Badwater Road in the middle of summer, but around 4:30 p.m. several of them stopped when they saw Michael Popov’s form lying on the side of the asphalt, six miles south of Badwater itself. One good samaritan drove north to the town, found satellite phone reception, and called the authorities.
As I wrote before, he went off course. We cannot know why, but the same article that you cherry-picked quoted the doctor who did the autopsy speculating that Misha found his footing to be uncertain, and detoured southeast as a result.
If you have some facts, please present them.
A personal friend performs the autopsy? When is that appropriate?
ReplyDeleteWhen the friend is a doctor who does autopsies.
DeleteThat is a conflict of interest.
DeleteIf you look at the map of area where he was found by passersby, 6 miles south of Badwater (town) on side of Badwater Rd according to article, then he was basically a straight shot across from start point at Shorty's Grave on Westside Rd, as run was planned. Where was Sarah after he reached the road? During his run? Doesn't make sense she never saw or found him.
ReplyDeleteHey Anonymous,
DeleteThis stream of posts is obviously a desire to belittle Sarah and to continue this sad series of highly insensitive self-centered childish bull____. I never knew Michael, Sarah, PCTR, etc., but I do know when someone can't help themselves to a mean spirited desire to get back at another person through pathetic means. Stop already, very cowardly to never sign your name.
David Altena
My understanding is that Sarah went to Badwater and waited for him. When he failed to show up, she went looking for him.
DeleteThis is a very sad story, but what ever happened to basic common sense? Ultrarunner or not, it is simply not very smart to go for a run in the desert when it is 123 degrees. It is sad, but not surprising, that such a half baked idea ended tragically.
ReplyDeleteLook, ultrarunning is a risk sport. Lots of bad things can happen when you're far from a road in bad conditions. He accepted the risks; indeed, that was part of the challenge. If you don't accept that, stay home. I'll bet tons of us have had scares, and only dumb luck saved our rears.
ReplyDeleteAnd in any risk sport there is a need to examine what happened when things went wrong. We all seek to manage the risk, and by analyzing these tragedies we learn and make our sport safer, if not safe. In more mature risk sports this is even institutionalized. So we should examine what went wrong, and how to avoid situations like this. If nothing else, it's a reminder to be more careful, and to do what we already know we should do.
But in rehashing what could have or should have been done, we need to be mindful that real people are involved, and that they are suffering. So if we discuss lessons to be learned, remember that we all have probably been there, and something like this could happen to ANY of us. You can employ all the safety procedures in the world, and this is still a dangerous activity. Be honest with yourself about that; it sometimes seems like we have a emotional need to blame the victim as if to reassure ourselves that we could never meet such a fate.
I've been there...literally where he started his run. And I've taken impulsive risks and gone out without preparing as much as I probably should have. If I can take anything from this it's that I should think twice, prepare better and maybe listen to others more.
And it's also a reminder that it's not just our own fate that's at stake; risk sports are rather narcissistic, and we need to remember that our risk taking can hurt more than ourselves.
My sympathy to Sarah, who was instrumental in getting me to enjoy this sport, and to Mr. Popov's family.
I agree about the balance to be struck in commenting on Misha Popov's death. As a childhood friend of Sarah's long before her ultra-running days, I have been grieving for her. I'm not good at expressing tender sentiment, at least not in writing. All I can do is ask anyone who reads this to believe me when I say that I feel deeply for Sarah at this excruciating time.
DeleteAt the same time, I find the world of "extreme sports" somewhat offputting for tendencies toward hubris, narcissism, exhibitionism, and recklessness. I can't help but feel frustration at what strikes me as such a needless, and maybe even pointless, death.
Maybe that's too brutal a phrasing, I don't know. But it's honest, anyway. See, even a sympathetic friend can struggle with conflicting feelings. And then there's the question of who appointed any of us judges of anything to begin with. The division of feelings isn't dualistic. There are a variety of ways to look at this. Welcome to the real world.
If I put on my "frustrated outsider" hat, I can regard the paens to Misha (who I never met) and his ultrarunning obsession as contributors, in a way, to the mentality that bred the seriously flawed choices that surrounded this death.
In that mode, I ask: What goal was he seeking? We're not exactly talking about the astronauts who died in the first, abortive Apollo launch. We're talking about a man who died while running by himself in the sun, in the hottest part of the summer, in a particularly hot year, on a blisteringly hot day, in one of the very hottest places on earth -- for no special reason that we know of. His death was literally casual, and it's only human to say, in one way or another: "What the hell? Why the hell?"
And in that mode, which I view as equally legitimate as any other, it's part of the process to look at the details, even if the result ends of as a chronicle of errors. "Failure analysis" is a longstanding discipline, snd I see no reason why it can't be applied here. Quite to the contrary, there's a duty to apply it here.
Yet, in doing so, some more things need to be said. First, from what I've seen, both publicly and privately from Sarah, she has not tried to shrink from her and Misha's errors. Secondly, as frustrating (to the point of being maddening) as this is, neither Sarah nor Misha endangered others.
Each of them could have, and especially in Misha's case should have, acted differently. But Sarah has said as much, and more than once. I don't see any need for her public self-abasement. She has acted with honesty and integrity in this matter, and that ought to be enough for anyone. It is certainly enough for me.
Finally, on the question of judgment and its place in the discussion, I don't regard it as "judgmental," in the pernicious sense of that word, to engage in honest failure analysis. As I already wrote, failure analysis is required here.
What is equally required, though, is the realization that we are all human beings and not machines. All of us, including those like me who'd never voluntarily spend more than a couple minutes outside of an air-conditioned enclosure in Death Valley in the summer, or otherwise engage in "extreme sports" however that might be defined, have made serious errors in our lives.
"There but by the grace of God go I" is a cliche, but cliches exist for a reason: They tend to be true. So, in the end, we go forth, knowing (I think, anyway) what we need to know about how Misha died, bearing (and hopefully heeding) the lessons of another cautionary tale, fondly remembering (those who know him) a friend, and grieving for the complex, caring, passionate woman he leaves behind, who loved him so much.
Misha, I never knew ya, but R.I.P.
Sarah, nothing but the best
Everyone Else, be careful out there, and don't ride too high on that horse, because the higher you sit, the farther you'll fall.
Thank you Anonymous 8/17/2012 10:11:00 AM, thanks for taking the time to write---I agree with each word, you have expressed what I had been hoping to write quite exactly. Andy Jones-Wilkins may appreciate this contribution, or a link to it, on his blog.
DeleteAgreed, Vladimir. If anyone has ever wondered why I allow anonymous comments, here is your answer. Brilliantly said.
DeleteCoroner should not have been a personal friend of Michael's or Sarah's. Serious conflict of interest.
Delete"An ignorant person with a bad character is like an unarmed robber, but a learned person with a blog is a robber fully armed."
ReplyDelete~ Mickey Kaus
This from the robber who has defrauded and stolen more money from trail runners in the last six months than any in the history of the sport.
DeleteNot a few runners. Thousands of runners. No simile required.
Sarah Spelt now has a blog.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAnother blog written about Michael Popov:
ReplyDeletehttp://marshallulrich.com/blog/michael-popov-death-valley/
It really does hurt my heart to see the hate openly displayed in some of these comments. Please consider how you're portraying the trail running community on the West Coast...this coming from an outsider, yes, but I'm still saddened to see these comments.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I didn't know Michael Popov, but may he rest in peace and may his death not be in vain.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteMichael Popov's death has given Sarah Spelt the ultimate forum (on her now public Facebook page) to draw in the coddling sympathy she craves. She'll use it to excuse all past and future failures to meet basic life and work responsibilities. It'll start with today's declaration that she can't help the new PCTR RD's with any events.
ReplyDeletePCTR is **still** putting on events??? And people are entering them??? Wow ...
ReplyDeleteI hope that the sale of company resulted in paying back the entry fees owed ... or was that all taken care of previously?
Delete