When the going gets tough in the searing desert often called “hell on Earth,” 66-year-old Danny Westergaard repeats calming mantras to himself: “Slow and steady” or “smooth as butter.”
For the past 18 years, Westergaard has taken on the brutal summer heat of California’s Death Valley in what’s widely considered the world’s most grueling ultramarathon. Last week, 99 athletes from around the world set out on the 135-mile (217 km) race, which starts at the lowest point in North America and ends near the base of the highest peak in the continental U.S.—all within a 48-hour time limit.
A retired aerospace project manager, Westergaard is among the few who’ve completed the race more times than most, though each attempt is a challenge in itself.
“It’s like a summer tradition and a reunion with my running family,” he said. “Being here just feels right—it’s where I belong.”
