The 135 Challenge Blog

Today’s coverage of women’s sports lacks depth and development. We’re missing the narrative. We’re missing the characters. We’re missing the whole story.

 
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Sports coverage needs dynamic characters.

People who love sports love more than just the game. We follow athletes and teams because we can follow the storylines. We know and identify with the characters.

  • Tom Brady, an underrated underdog turned top dog.

  • LeBron James, the redeemed king.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo — hero or heel?

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But most people don’t know the characters in women’s sports.

Media coverage of women’s sports is so slim and surface-level that unless you are already a superfan, you probably don’t know much about even the top women athletes in the world.

Without developing the characters and narrative, it’s almost impossible for the average sports fan to become invested in the stories, the characters, and the narrative of the athletes and their teams.

 
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With the 135 Challenge, I’m trying to change that.

For the next 135 days, I’m spotlighting one important woman in sports every damn day while training for the Badwater 135 mile race.

Many of these women inspire me, and I believe that if you knew more of their stories, they’d inspire you too.

My goal is to tell you who these athletes are—their athletic accomplishments & character archetypes—so you follow their stories, long after my race is run.

March 7th - July 19th, 2021

135 Badass women & 135 days of training for the Badwater 135.

While training for this year’s Badwater 135 footrace, I’m spotlighting 135 women in sports.

You better recognize.

Tamika Catchings - The Hero
the hero Kelaine Conochan the hero Kelaine Conochan

Tamika Catchings - The Hero

Day 113/135. This year, Tamika Catchings was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, the same class as her childhood friend, Kobe Bryant. But that ain’t even the half of it. She’s a real hero.

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Mia Hamm - The Hero
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Mia Hamm - The Hero

Day 103/135. Mia Hamm was a household name before there was even a pro soccer league for her to play in. A hero of the USWNT, a winner on and off the field, and now a pro sports owner. Total hero.

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Serena Williams - The Hero
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Serena Williams - The Hero

Day 85/135. Since the start of the millennium, Serena Williams has been the most dominant and recognizable woman athlete in the world. And with 23 Grand Slam singles wins, she’s earned two other titles: Hero & GOAT.

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Billie Jean King - The Hero
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Billie Jean King - The Hero

Day 83/135. Billie Jean King is not only one of the best tennis players of all time. She has also fought for gender equity her entire career. She beat Bobby Riggs, founded the Women’s Tennis Association, and the Women’s Sports Foundation. What can’t she do?!

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Breanna Stewart - The Hero
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Breanna Stewart - The Hero

Day 69/135. Breanna Stewart has racked up every award, trophy, and title imaginable in her basketball career. She’s also a vocal advocate for women, sexual assault survivors, and racial justice. Her heroics just don’t quit.

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Dawn Staley - The Hero
the hero Kelaine Conochan the hero Kelaine Conochan

Dawn Staley - The Hero

Day 65/135. As both a player and a head coach, Dawn Staley is one of the all-time greatest in the game of basketball. But her impact, leadership, and legacy go far beyond the hardwood.

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Elena Delle Donne - The Hero
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Elena Delle Donne - The Hero

Day 55/135. Having Elena Delle Donne on your team is an absolute game-changer. Her lights out shooting, heart, hustle, and ability to win, make any team championship contenders.

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Amanda Chidester - The Hero
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Amanda Chidester - The Hero

Day 35/135. Amanda Chidester is an explosive hitter and one of the most outstanding players for Team USA softball. Behind the plate, she calls pitches. At bat, she annihilates them.

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Kim Ng - The Hero
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Kim Ng - The Hero

Day 26/135. It’s Opening Day for the MLB, and we’re celebrating Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng, who has worked for 30 years to finally become the first woman to become GM in a men’s Big Four league. What a hero.

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Alyssa Thomas - The Hero/Warrior
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Alyssa Thomas - The Hero/Warrior

Day 9/135. Playing with two torn labrums and a dislocated shoulder? No problem for WNBA All-Star Alyssa Thomas. She’s a hard-nosed power forward who is not afraid to give everything she has to her team.

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Christine Sinclair - The Hero/Warrior
the hero Kelaine Conochan the hero Kelaine Conochan

Christine Sinclair - The Hero/Warrior

Day 6/135. Christine Sinclair is the all-time leading goal-scorer in the world. Over her incredible career, Canada’s humble captain has scored 186 goals (and counting) and in some of the biggest games, when her team needed her most.

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