“Be safe & have fun. That’s it. That’s all I said. Be safe & have fun.”

Michelle West does hard things. Things like finishing her 4th Badwater 135, one of the toughest foot races in the world. She dealt with 50 degree temperature swings, dust storms, wind, sleep deprivation and myriad other challenges to complete the race. She rejoined Explore The Space Podcast a few days after finishing to discuss her remarkable insights on doing hard things.

Check out Michelle’s previous appearances on Explore The Space Podcast here

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Key Learnings

1. Seeing the record breaking heat in Death Valley before the race

2. The incredibly difficult conditions at the start of the race

3. Carrying chaos forward and starting something hard

4. Finding enjoyment as an exercise in mental toughness

5. Compartmentalization as a tool to move through prolonged challenges

6. Dealing with physical discomfort while trying to maintain mental toughness

7. Why Michelle trusts her legs

8. Hallucinations in the desert

9. The sadness when it’s all over

10. Michelle’s incredible approach to building a high-functioning team

11. Relentless forward motion!

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