In 2025, writer Devin Kelly traveled to the Mojave Desert to report on the Badwater 135, the iconic ultramarathon that starts in Death Valley and finishes at the trailhead for Mount Whitney. But rather than focus on the athletes, Kelly turned his attention to the men and women who work as support crew. Kelly decided to report his story from the inside—he joined the support team for a runner named Kaylee Frederick. His feature story, What It Takes to Crew the Hardest Race on Earth, took readers behind the scenes of the race. The 2026 Badwater 135 started on Monday, July 27.