Sinister Saunas

With the daunting task of crewing for Barb at Badwater in two and a half weeks looming, I've been once again hitting the sauna in hopes it prepares me somewhat for the environment in Death Valley. I'm pretty sure I'm in way over my head when it comes to the heat but I try and fool myself into thinking by doing 30-45 minutes in a sauna I'll be ready for 30-40 hours in the desert. Better to grasp at straws than at nothing.
It really isn't a comfortable environment to sit it: my head gets really hot, after twenty minutes I'm acting like I've got ADD and can't sit still - tapping my feet, moving my arms, even walking around - until eventually I'm accused of having autistic tendencies because I'm rocking back and forth or side to side and can even be heard moaning for the time to go faster. The goal is to do several days of 45 minute sessions and try to guzzle as much water as I can in that time. In 30 minutes I'm drinking almost a litre and a half. I'm not sure we can even carry that much water in the crew van to last me the race. Barb will have to learn to conserve.
The barefoot season is upon us!! I feel like I'm cheating a bit because, really, anyone can take a barefoot mentality in the summer (it is summer, isn't it?) when the weather is (hopefully soon) nice and the ground is dry and warm. Hopefully by starting now I'll be well-prepared to continue through the year in better condition. I've done a few runs in the racing flats and everything feels good so far. I'm trying to take the running a bit slower this year and stay off the asphalt for a while until things toughen up. There are so many minimalist shoes on the market by so many companies you have to wonder how they can even sell the regular shoes when they claim the minimalist way to be better for you.
As the summer is approaching I've decided not to race at all through July and August, saving myself for, well, I don't really know. Camping is a priority and we have quite a few trips planned. Kinda hard to do 3, 4, or 5 hour runs at that time. I'll keep up with the maintenance and hope an epiphany hits me as to what race I should do. My sister wants me to pace her for the Skagit Marathon in September as an eleventh-hour qualifier for Boston next year. There's also the Baker Lake 50km trail race and the Victoria Marathon in October. I'm again having trouble wrapping my head around paying $100 for a marathon.
Long term I'm thinking of the Sinister 7 in July next year. 148km through the Rockies in Southern Alberta then maybe a trip to Drumheller after.