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.
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?
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.
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.
Claressa Shields - The Hero/Warrior
Day 16/135. With an 11-0 record and 3 world boxing titles, T-Rex Claressa Shields is the undisputed GWOAT. But that doesn’t mean she’s done fighting for equity in coverage.
Paige Bueckers - The Innocent
Day 15/135. Paige Bueckers is the most highly anticipated players to enter the NCAA in years. Will she lead UConn back to dominance?
Cat Osterman - The Caregiver
Day 14/135. Cat Osterman is one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of softball. But even as an Olympian, pro fastpitch ace, and surefire Hall of Famer, Osterman is not widely known. She’s working to change that.
Alyssa Naeher - The Orphan
Day 13/135. Alyssa Naeher has earned her place as the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. Women’s National Team. But some were surprised when she landed the role, seemingly out of nowhere.
Emma Coburn - The Rebel
Day 12/135. Emma Coburn has won a world title in the 3000m steeplechase because she can run and leap like a gazelle. But she’s not just going to play nice and do things your way.
Shalane Flanagan - The Lover
Day 11/135. In 2017, Shalane Flanagan became the first woman to win the NYC Marathon in 40 years. A marathoner who also won Olympic bronze in the 10,000m, Flanagan is known for sacrificing everything in pursuit of her goals.
Cris Cyborg - The Caregiver
Day 10/135. Cris Cyborg is one of the most dominant fighters to ever step into an MMA ring. But her personality outside of the ring is far from the cold-blooded killer we see winning the belt. Cyborg is a humanitarian. A caregiver. A lamb in wolf’s clothing.
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.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee - The Creator
Day 8/135. Greatness wasn’t Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s divine destiny. It was her way out. This phenomenal athlete won Olympic gold in the heptathlon, a world record performance that still stands, over 30 years later.
Kathrine Switzer - The Rebel
Day 7/135. Kathrine Switzer is the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon as an official entrant. But that didn’t happen without incident, as the race director assaulted Switzer and tried to physically remove her from the race. An amazing story of a rebel WITH a cause.
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.
Bianca Valenti - The Caregiver
Day 5/135. Bianca Valenti is one of the most accomplished big wave surfers in the world. She’s not afraid to surf Mavericks, the “Mt. Everest of Big Waves,” and she’s not afraid to take on the male-dominated surfing establishment, fighting for—and winning—equal opportunity and pay for women surfers.
Chamique Holdsclaw - The Explorer
Day 4/135. Chamique Holdsclaw is a story of redemption, hope, and self-acceptance. She was one of the most dominant players in the WNBA until she essentially went MIA. After retiring, Holdsclaw was indicted on felony charges before being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Today, she’s a whole new woman and an advocate for mental health
Steffi Graf - The Perfect One
Day 3/135. Steffi Graf is one of the all-time greatest tennis players. With 22 Grand Slam singles titles, 377 weeks ranked No. 1, and the designation as the only player to ever win a Golden Slam (all 4 Grand Slam singles titles + Olympic Gold in the same year), Steffi Graf is perfect, but maybe too perfect.
Destinee Hooker - The Ruler
Day 2/135. Destinee Hooker is the most dominant player on any volleyball court. As outside attacker, beware of this 6’4” dynamo who will block, kill, and reign supreme.
Mary Keitany - The Lover
Day 1/135. Mary Keitany holds the world record for the women’s marathon. Since 2007, she’s taken the distance running world by storm because more than anything, she loves to run and loves to win.