Frank McKinney at Badwater starting line.
Frank racing Badwater.
Frank crossing Badwater finish line.
DEATH VALLEY, CA, UNITED STATES, March 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- This July, modern day Renaissance man Frank McKinney will undertake the grueling Badwater Ultramarathon — an invitation-only, 135-mile non-stop race through California’s Death Valley.
This year’s race marks the 20th
anniversary of Frank’s first Badwater and 6 years since Frank last raced at Badwater. He clawed his way back from enduring Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (2020-2023) and four knee surgeries, including having both knees replaced simultaneously in 2024. Frank never lost hope or faith that, if it was God’s will, someday he’d qualify to be invited to return to race again at Badwater. That hope, faith, and lots of hard work has been rewarded.ABOUT BADWATER 135
The Badwater 135-mile ultramarathon is the toughest footrace in the world according to National Geographic. This July, 100 invited racers from 23 countries will have 48 hours to run 135 non-stop miles in temperatures that can exceed 130°, with pavement temps of 200°, hot enough to fry an egg and melt the wrong running shoes.
To put Badwater’s degree of difficulty into perspective, since Badwater’s inception in 1987, 1,090 people have finished the race. In that same span, approximately 6,100 people have summited Mt. Everest. That’s 5,000 more people who have summited Mt. Everest than finished Badwater.
Frank has chosen to selectively suffer a little at Badwater for those who suffer a lot in Haiti. He will be racing to benefit his Caring House Project Foundation, the entity that has built 32 self-sustaining Haiti villages in 27 Haitian cities over the last 22 years, creating a better life for 14,400+ desperately poor children and their families.
His maniacal training involves running through the night during 50-mile runs, dragging an SUV tire over and back on a steep bridge dressed in a bulky canvas jumpsuit, baking in a hot sauna for hours, travelling to Death Valley to train on the course, and more unusual methods.
This year, McKinney will be attempting to:
-Become the 29th person to finish Badwater 8 times or more. (Frank has failed to finish on 5 occasions)
-Be one of only 54 out of the 1,090 runners (5%) who have completed the race at Frank’s age (62) or older.
-Complete the 2025 Badwater race faster than he did 20 years ago. The race cutoff has been significantly reduced. His 2005 finish time was nearly 49 hours. This year he must finish in under 48 hours or be disqualified.
Frank McKinney is a modern-day Renaissance man:
-Philanthro-Capitalist: created 32 self-sustaining Haiti villages in 22 years benefitting 14,400+ desperately poor children and their families
-Real Estate Artist: designed/built/sold 44 oceanfront mansions on spec w/ average selling price of $14MM
-9x Bestselling Author in 8 genres: Philosophy, Young Reader Fantasy, Mindset, Spirituality, Real Estate 2x, Inspirational Memoir, Christian Romance, Motivation/Photography
-Ultramarathoner: finished the Badwater 135-mile Ultramarathon 7x, the toughest footrace in the world according to Nat Geo
-Actor and Stuntman
-Keynote Speaker
-Married 35 years to his loving wife (and Badwater Crew Chief) Nilsa. Their 26 year-old ultra-runner daughter Laura will be on Dad’s crew as well!
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