Badwater 135 2026: My journey from 40:52 to 29:09.
A Five-Time Finisher’s Guide to the World’s Toughest Footrace.
Death Valley is mother nature’s greatest sports arena, with temperatures as high as 54C. It’s surrounded by mountains from 5000’ to 11000’ on either side. The start line is 282 below sea level. It is extremely hot and officially the hottest place on earth at the hottest time of the year. That’s just the first 42 miles of the race. There follows a 17 mile climb to Townes Pass just to leave Death Valley. The runners then drop 10 miles down into the adjacent Panamint Valley which is dramatic and incredibly hot. From here there is an insanely hot climb up Father Crowly in the middle of the day to 5000’ and you are only at mile 90. At that point it’s slightly downhill for 50km all the way into Lone Pine passing Keeler and Owens dry lake bed. At which point you have 122 miles on your legs looking up at Mount Whitney and all the switchbacks with 5000’ foot of climb and 13 miles to the finish line near the Whitney portal where temperatures can be freezing. It’s a course of extremes.
Why 5?
Why do I keep going back to Badwater 135?
Firstly, I have never taken a single invitation for granted. Every one has been earned, worked for and appreciated enormously.
Being invited back to Badwater 135 five times consecutively is both an honour and a dream.
Badwater 135 isn’t just about the race.
From being invited by the Race Director, Chris Kostman (CK from now on) during the Facebook Live announcement in early February; it’s the training; it’s the preparation; it’s the pre-race build up; it’s the post-race celebrations at the pizza party and Jakes Saloon! Most importantly, having been part of this whole life altering adventure, you become part of the Badwater family.
And, of course, there is the race itself.
Badwater 135 is an immense, life-altering experience. When you cross that finish line, you will become a different person to the one who stood on the start line in Death Valley’s Badwater basin. A lifetime condensed into 2 days. It is a monstrous mental, physical and spiritual Litmus test. There is good, bad and Ugly out there. No-one escapes. There is mesmerising beauty across the desert floors and stunning nighttime views highlighted by billions of twinkling stars. The grinding miles of suffering and pain are soon forgotten by the dopamine filled rush as you cross the finish line with your crew and your flag. This is after all, The World’s Toughest footrace.
I am writing this to help you be prepared for every phase of your Badwater 135 Journey because who doesn’t want to be a Badwater 135 finisher!
The following are my top tips, advice, must dos, how to’s, don’t do’s, when to’s with a few highlights from my 2026 race experience sprinkled in.
Please take as much as you can absorb out of my own personal experiences and hopefully avoid a few mistakes along the way.
You may also want to crew Badwater or just want read about a British woman who is just an ordinary girl trying to doing extraordinary things.
I really hope you enjoy the following…..
Firstly: How Do You Qualify for Badwater 135?
Badwater 135 is, and always has been, an invitational race.
Applicants are considered based on their race application and its specific written merits.
This is what you need to run.
Two-thirds of the 100 places are reserved for first timers, AKA rookies.
To apply as a rookie, you must have officially finished at least four ultramarathons of 100 continuous miles or longer, with at least one of those races completed in the year before your application.
The remaining one-third of places are reserved for returning runners, known as veterans.
This is what is preferred.
Badwater has a list of Preferred Qualifying Races. As the race organisers explain, not all 100-mile races provide the same preparation for Badwater 135. Not all 100 mile ultra marathons are equal. They particularly value races that demonstrate experience of challenging terrain, significant distances and varied physical, mental and logistical demands.
The Preferred Qualifying Races include some of the world’s most iconic ultras.
There are currently 35 on the list.
It should be noted that none of them are 200+ miles and nearly all fall within the 100-160 mile distance.
But the application isn’t just about race credentials.
There are some very thought provoking questions, which change every year. Things like:
Why should you be given one of the coveted veteran spots?
What have you given back to the sport of ultra running?
What makes you a good sports person?
Every application is scrutinised by the race committee, who select the 100 athletes from around the world they believe have the best chance of finishing the race.
A strong recommendation to supporting any future application is to join a crew. By doing this you will gain vital intel and a thorough understanding of exactly what is required to compete in the world’s toughest footrace. This is a major plus point. It also demonstrates your commitment to the race and your willingness to help another runner.
A highly recommended way to see Badwater first-hand.
This is what I did to qualify.
For my first Badwater application, I had the hilly North Downs Way 100 and the long 145 mile Kennet and Avon Canal Race which was the sister race to the GUCR145 — which I won in 2019.
In 2020, my husband Matthew and I arrived home from the gym just in time to watch the Facebook Live race-field announcement.
When CK called my name as one of the 100 invited runners, we were both totally shocked and Matthew’s immediate reaction was:
“You can’t do that!!”
And here I am. 5 Badwater 135s later!
And we’ve never looked back.
Every year that I have applied to return as a veteran, I have tried to strengthen my Badwater résumé by completing at least three or four 100-mile-plus races.
For my 2026 application, I had completed:
- Keys 100 — May
- Badwater 135 — July
- North Downs Way 100 — August
- Daytona 100 — December
To hear your name being called out by CK, the voice of Badwater, during the Facebook Live show, is one of pure elation. This elation continues. And when it’s the first invitation, fear and apprehension are added to the euphoria.
Now the real work begins.
Logistics and training:
Hotels
Book your accommodation as soon as CK sends the email with the special Badwater rates, usually after he has received your race documentation in early February.
Lone Pine, located at mile 122, is a small town with only a small number of hotels and Airbnb’s. Accommodation can get booked up quickly.
Lone Pine itself is a charming little town with quite some history of western movies located at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, with spectacular scenery of snow topped mountains, including Mount Whitney.
There is a well-equipped supermarket, a fantastic hardware store, some nice restaurants and the famous Jake’s Saloon, which is a popular gathering point after the post-race pizza party, along with other amenities.
We like to stay at the Quality Inn, which is the first hotel as you enter Lone Pine from Keeler.
The Alabama Hills Cafe is our favourite place for breakfast and the Grill is our favourite spot for dinner.
Your Crew
You need to organise a team.
The Badwater 135 rules require a team of 2–4 people.
Personally, I think three is the perfect number. We use 3.
I had 1 runner in my first 2 years and they ran 60-70 miles. That was too much, despite them not complaining.
One person must be the Crew Chief.
For me, I’ve been incredibly lucky to have my husband Matthew, now known as my Crew Chief Extraordinaire.
Pick your crew wisely if at all possible.
You absolutely must have at least one crew member with Badwater experience.
I would also suggest at least 1 but ideally 2 pacers.
Ideally everyone should be able to drive.
Everyone on the crew needs to be an excellent team player and willing to do all the basic crewing jobs.
And there are a lot of them.
Crewing at Badwater is basically crewing on steroids.
At Badwater, your crew may be stopping every 1.5–3 miles to:
- Never let the Ice or water run out.
- Spray you down with icy water
- Change water bottles and continually refill them.
- Replace ice bandanas
- Act as ice butlers.
- Carry the caddy across the road with all the preordered drinks/ nutrition and lip balm or whatever the runner demands!
- Effectively communicate with the crew van with the walkie talkies
- Radio ahead to organise your next stop
- Pace you (by running behind you)
- Keep an extensive race log
- Look after any medical needs
- And look after each other
There is also a Badwater Family private Facebook group where you could reach out for crew / pacers.
Be advised you will be required to pay for accommodation / travel / meals for your team unless otherwise agreed.
My crew for Badwater 2026 was
Matthew — Crew Chief
James Ellis — third time on my crew. Nutrition expert and multiple Spartathlon finisher.
Allan Anderson — 2025 Badwater finisher and crewed Badwater in 2024 plus Spartathlon finisher.
The best team helps create the best results.
The Crew Vehicle
A minivan is best. We use a Chrysler Pacifica. 2 sliding doors, folding seats, large boot.
Remember: space disappears very quickly once you fill the vehicle with three crew, water, numerous ice coolers, the water butt, food, the camping chairs and everything else you think you might need.
Training
It’s time to start planning your training soon after you become one of the selected runners.
It’s incredibly exciting, but if you’re a rookie it can also feel overwhelming.
From this point onwards, life is focused on Badwater 135.
If you have been lucky enough to have been invited to the world’s toughest footrace, then you need to dedicate yourself 100% to the challenge.
Everything you do over the next five months should have a purpose.
Heat Training
Heat training is absolutely critical for Badwater 135.
The good news is that you don’t need to start five months before the race. I concentrate my specific heat acclimation during the final month.
For me, that includes daily sauna sessions during the four weeks before the race. There is a sample sauna schedule on Badwater University which I have found very useful but me being me, I increased my time in the sauna to a maximum of 75 minutes which was very tough.
We invested in an infrared sauna when I ran my first Badwater, and it has been one of the best investments I’ve ever made.
It’s used extensively for all my hot Ultra Marathons.
I also run on my Peloton Tread with two electric heaters blasting hot air at me. It’s absolutely savage but for me, necessary.
I run outside wearing layers of my winter running clothes at the hottest part of the day, which also gets some interesting looks.
This year I also invested in a CORE suit, which I used both on the treadmill and outside. Again, lots of funny looks and comments from people I pass.
But the main part of my heat acclimation is the 10 sessions at the University of Chichester in their environmental chamber.
Luckily for me, the university is only 15 minutes from my home.
Inside the environmental chamber, I run on a treadmill whilst the temperature is raised and the humidity is lowered to conditions similar to Death Valley. The fantastic team at the university monitor my heat response and adapt the session accordingly.
Over the course of the sessions, you begin to see heat-training adaptations including increased sweat rate, reduced heart rate, lower core and skin temperatures and an earlier onset of sweating.
For me, this is invaluable.
The rectal thermometer is a necessary part of the training as it is the most accurate way to measure my core temperature.
I would not go to a hot-weather ultra without properly heat acclimating first. When you are investing this much time, money and effort into a race like Badwater 135, you want to stand on that start line knowing that you have done everything possible to give yourself the best chance.
Hill training.
I really hit this category quite hard!
My 2026 training included:
- Starting with the Peloton Tread: 80 mins session at 10% incline – 2 mins hiking at 4mph / 1 minute running at 6mph – Repeat. 2500’ elevation gained.
- 60mins running at 5% incline.
- A local steep run route 1000’ elevation in the core suit.
- Hiking at 12.5% with the 10kg weight vest on.
All savage workouts but so beneficial.
What equipment You Will Need
I recommend buying most of this in Las Vegas, Los Angeles or Pahrump Walmart, which seems to be a popular Badwater shopping destination.
Our setup includes:
- Two large Igloo coolers (51 litres) — one for ice only and one for drinks – they must have a drain on them to drain the excess water out.
- Two smaller coolers — one for food that needs to stay cold and one for everything else (15 litres)
- Five-gallon Igloo water container
- A couple of folding camping chairs
- Large pressurised water sprayer – 5L
- Smaller, lighter sprayer for the pacer to carry
- Ice bandanas x 2
- Caddy for transporting equipment across the road
- Walkie-talkies — phone reception in Death Valley is extremely limited.
- Pacer belt
- Lots of plastic rubbish bags to keep the van tidy
- Something distinctive to identify your crew van at night — we use a flashing magnetic arrow
- Lanyard for the car keys — the driver wears it at all times so there is no chance of locking the keys in the van
- UV light — Matthew likes to look for scorpions at night!
- Magnetic light bar for the back of the vehicle to help with visibility at night and for the crew to look for rattlesnakes!
And, of course:
Biffy bags!
Travelling From Overseas
If you are travelling from overseas, I recommend flying to the USA as early as your job and home life allow.
We like to fly into Las Vegas approximately a week before the race so we can start acclimating to the time zone and soak up the dry desert heat.
You can also fly into Los Angeles or San Francisco. We prefer Vegas because it’s way hotter inland than the coast.
The drive from Las Vegas to Lone Pine is also fantastic because you get to drive a large section of the Badwater course, from around Mile 17 at Furnace Creek all the way to Mile 122 at Lone Pine.
It’s pretty cool to see the entire route before you’ve even started.
CK sends out incredibly comprehensive emails in the weeks before the race start. No subject is missed.
There are also Facebook Live videos with additional information, and the Badwater website is packed with useful resources.
Race Rules
Read the race rules.
Then make your entire crew read them.
Then read them again.
They are extremely comprehensive and every member of your team needs to understand them.
You need at least 10 blinky lights, which must be worn by the runner and team members front and rear at night between 7pm and 7am.
There are a number of places where being crewed illegally will earn you a time penalty or even worse DSQ.
There is also a crew van routine which will become instinctive. Park completely off the road, lights off, hazards on.
All crew members need a Class 3 hi-vis top.
You can pre order special Badwater versions from CK.
Pre-Race Registration
This takes place in Lone Pine the day before the race.
At approximately 1pm All runners and crew (officially crew chief only) attend a kit check, race bib collection, legal paperwork, receive packed goody bag and have photos taken.
Later, 5pm, is the Full CK race briefing. This will last approximately 90 minutes.
Comprehensive, instructional, with medical advice, contingency planning and more are discussed followed by a Q&A.
Race Day!
It’s Christmas Day!
This is the day you’ve been waiting and training for since your name was called out as one of the 100 invited runners.
It’s finally here.
It’s really happening.
On the 20 minute drive to the start line at the Badwater Basin and the -282’ sign, we like to play our classic hot weather running songs — Highway to Hell, Danger Zone and Ready to Go by Republica being some of our favourites.
It’s a surreal Journey! It’s unbelievably hot outside as the sun descends towards the mountain tops and the light starts to fade.
There are three start times:
8pm, 9pm and 10pm.
In 2022 I started at 8pm. For the last four years I’ve started at 9pm.
When you arrive at Badwater Basin, it feels like standing inside an oven with a hairdryer blowing directly into your face.
Your mouth will be incredibly dry. Lips stuck to teeth dry!
You are weighed by the medical team so they have a baseline weight in case you become unwell during the race.
Then it’s time for photographs at the famous Badwater Basin sign.
Eventually your wave is called forward for the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner.
It’s runners only and limited race staff and photographers at this point.
All the teams are waiting up above the valley floor near the crew vehicles, blinky lights ON, all in yellow BW Hi Vis tops waiting nervously for what is about to happen next.
It’s quite a spectacle.
Remember, you have absolutely earned the right just to be here on this incredible start line.
After some final words from CK, “don’t think about the 135 miles of scorching tarmac ahead of you” or something similar, there’s a countdown from 10.
10…….3,2,1 and you are off.
So, How Do You Actually Run Badwater 135?
One of the most useful resources I found on the Badwater website is the Zwitty Ultra Guide to Running Badwater 135 as Fast as You Can.
I personally find it incredibly useful because it breaks the course down into manageable sections. It explains logically what you are going to encounter and gives you an idea of how each section should be approached.
I have printed and laminated my notes onto cards and kept in the crew van and when requested, I can refer to them periodically during the race.
There are just 8 timing checkpoints along the course, as well as three major gas stations with small stores before Lone Pine:
Mile 17 — Furnace Creek
Mile 42 — Stovepipe Wells
Mile 72 — Panamint Springs
Your crew should stock up on ice and fuel at each one.
Pacers are permitted from Stovepipe Wells.
The major timing cut-off to remember is the 2000-foot sign, around Mile 50, which must be reached by 10am the following morning regardless of your start time.
The Course
Badwater Basin to Furnace Creek
The first undulating 17 miles are relatively straightforward compared with what comes later, but you are running through Death Valley in extreme heat.
Don’t get carried away.
Stay cool. Eat. Drink. Enjoy the spectacle of all the flashing hazard lights of the support cars and the blinky lights of fellow runners in front and behind.
It’s an incredible sight with all the crew vans and crews in such close proximity.
Stovepipe Wells to Townes Pass
The first major climb begins at Stovepipe Wells.
It’s when you look back behind you when you realise how steep it is.
You climb approximately 5,000 feet over 17 miles to the top of Townes Pass.
Runners from the 10pm start wave will be overtaking you and you might be overtaking runners from the 8pm wave.
Townes Pass to Panamint Valley
Then comes approximately nine miles of descent down to 2000’ and the inferno that is Panamint Valley.
This is often described as the hottest part of the course.
Use the descent wisely without destroying your quads.
Gravity is your friend.
Father Crowley
From Panamint Springs begins the infamous Father Crowley climb.
For me, it’s the hardest part of the course climbing between 2000’ and 4000’.
You climb back towards approximately 5,000 feet, with only eight permitted crewing spots over the 13-mile section.
This is another point where having an organised crew is absolutely critical.
Darwin to Lone Pine
After Darwin, around Mile 90 and 5000’, comes the section that has historically caused me the most problems.
It’s essentially a 50K to Lone Pine.
It’s long, straight and monotonous.
In previous years, I have slowed down to a pathetic shuffle here.
My mission for 2026 was very simple:
Keep running.
It’s largely downhill, so there was no excuse.
And this year, I did just that thanks to my training and my new nutrition strategy.
See notes below.
Lone Pine to Finish line.
This is the toughest half Marathon.
13 miles of climbing and stomping up a brutal hill with 122 miles already on your legs.
It’s a nearly 4750’ ascent which gets progressively harder with steep switchbacks.
7.4% gradient average.
See notes below.
Nutrition
I absolutely nailed my nutrition this year.
My Protein Rebel Maple Gels were the biggest difference. I was able to keep eating them throughout the entire race.
I also used my CurraNZ strategy of two capsules every four hours throughout the race (having dosed on 4 capsules a day for the 7 days pre-race)
The combination worked brilliantly for me.
What I used
Protein Rebel Maple Gels
I lost count of how many I had. This year I slowly sipped them rather than guzzling them, and that seemed to help.
Always kept on ice by my Ice Butlers.
Popsicle heaven.
- Mango popsicle at Mile 17
- Mango sorbet at Mile 42
- Mango popsicle at Mile 72
Caffeine
Frequent, small cups of Celsius Peach Vibe served over ice.
CurraNZ
Four capsules per day during the week before the race, four before the race and then two every four hours during the race.
Hydration
I alternated one handheld of water with one handheld of Protein Rebel Sustain Electrolytes.
Other food
Salted Ruffles potato chips and blueberry muffins.
The important thing is that this is what worked for me.
Badwater is not the place to suddenly copy someone else’s nutrition strategy without testing it extensively beforehand.
My 2026 race: Mile 90 to Mile 122 Lone Pine
This was the section I had been thinking about all year.
And I ran it.
When I reached Lone Pine at Mile 122, it was 11pm.
I was approximately four hours ahead of my 2025 time.
It was a dream. My nutrition plan was working.
For the final few miles before Lone Pine, we were constantly doing maths in our heads, trying to work out what finish time was possible.
My original goal had been around 32 hours.
Suddenly, it looked like something much faster was possible.
Once I reached Lone Pine, I knew I had one final challenge:
The world’s toughest half marathon at the end of the world’s toughest footrace.
The Final Climb
One of our favourite documentaries about Badwater 135 is the 2018 AdventureCORPS documentary.
Our favourite line comes from Jared Fetterolf, who finished second that year:
“I am Jared F***ing Fetterolf. Now get up that hill.”*
So, our Badwater mantra became:
“I am Laura f***ing Watts. Now get up that f***ing hill.”
We must have sounded like complete lunatics.
But it worked. Adrenaline flowed, nutrition continued.
Allan and James helped me stomp up the Mount Whitney climb while Matthew played AC/DC from the support car.
We were doing absolutely everything we could to get this done.
And then I realised:
Sub-30 hours was possible.
About a mile from the finish, I asked for my hairbrush.
It was denied by the crew.
The team didn’t want me wasting any time.
I also wasn’t allowed my phone to have brief chats with supporters around the world.
They were taking this sub-30 business very seriously.
I was being pushed hard. I loved it.
The Final 0.5 Miles
With half a mile to go and only two switchbacks remaining before the finish at 8,360’ at Mount Whitney Portal, the crew left me.
It was a time to reflect on my own as to what training hard, following the strategy and pushing yourself to limits you didn’t think possible.
I was euphoric.
Absolutely euphoric.
I had been listening to Miley Cyrus’s The Climb on repeat for the previous hour and I was literally punching the air in the darkness.
This was a dream come true.
29 hours, 09 minutes and 02 seconds after leaving Badwater Basin, I crossed the finish line of the Badwater 135 ultramarathon.
5th female.
19th overall.
Sub-30 hours.
I had become one of only 28 women ever to finish Badwater 135 in under 30 hours.
I almost fell over as I crossed the line and nearly took out the official photographer.
What Worked for Me
This was my fifth Badwater, and I think the biggest lesson from 2026 was that the details really matter.
My crew stopped approximately 80 times.
Stops were slick and quick.
I didn’t sit down once.
I didn’t even lean.
Every stop had a purpose.
Cool me down.
Give me fuel.
Give me fluids.
Keep moving.
Shoes: I wore Nike Alphaflys for the entire race.
Nutrition: Protein Rebel Maple Gels were a game changer for me.
Supplements: CurraNZ – which made me “Run Like A Beast”
Hydration: Alternating water and Protein Rebel Sustain Electrolytes worked well.
Heat: The environmental chamber sessions at Chichester were invaluable.
Mindset: The 50K from Darwin to Lone Pine was the biggest mental breakthrough of the race.
I had spent previous years slowing dramatically during that section.
In 2026, I decided I wasn’t going to.
And I didn’t.
Post-Race: The Pizza Party
Wednesday night is the famous Badwater Pizza Party at the high school.
It starts at 8pm.
Chris calls every finisher up to the front of the room in reverse finishing order, and each person receives a huge round of applause.
It is incredibly special.
And importantly, the people who didn’t finish the race are also applauded.
Because simply starting Badwater 135 is an achievement.
Afterwards, everyone heads over to Jake’s Saloon for celebratory drinks and to share stories with the other runners and crews.
By this point, everyone has a story.
Reflection
Matthew, James and Allan — thank you for giving up your time to help me achieve my running dreams.
You guys were absolutely amazing.
Chris — thank you for believing in me and inviting me back five years in a row. I am so honoured.
Thank you to Death Valley National Park and the United States Forest Service for allowing us the privilege of running through one of the most spectacular venues on Earth.
Badwater has given me so much.
Friendships.
Memories.
Pain.
Joy.
A lot of tears.
A lot of sweat.
And experiences I will never forget.
2027 — The 40th Anniversary
2027 will be a very special year for Badwater 135.
It will mark the 40th anniversary of the first Badwater race in 1987, when there were only four competitors and 50 years since Al Arnold made the solo crossing in 1977.
One of those original competitors, Eleanor Robinson from the UK, will be a guest at the race and will be inducted into the Badwater Hall of Fame.
It is going to be a very special year.
Will I Be Back for Number Six?
Who knows?
Badwater 135 is part of me. I absolutely love the race in every way.
I would love to be back at the race in some capacity — whether that’s on a crew, working on the race staff or perhaps, just perhaps, applying once again.
Watch this space.
My Badwater 135 History
5 x Badwater 135 Finishes:
2022 40:52:06 20th Female and 55th overall.
2023 36:44 12th Female and 34th overall.
2024 38:04:58 11th Female and 35th overall.
2025 33:49:45 7th Female and 27th overall.
2026 29:09:02 5th Female and 19th overall
Five Badwater finishes.
Five invitations.
One very big dream.
And now I’m a member of the Sub-30 Club.
Laura has written about every Badwater 135 she has run for RunUltra; you won’t find a more comprehensive source of information on the race!
