Hi, I’m Kelsy Stromski—a creative, traveler, mama, foodie n' founder of Favor the Brave. What you might not know is that for the past year, I’ve been training for the 2026 Mongol Derby — the world’s longest and hardest horse race. That’s 1,000 grueling kilometers (the distance from Newburyport, MA to Cleveland, OH!) across the wild Mongolian steppe on semi-feral horses, retracing the ancient postal route of Genghis Khan. After being interviewed and accepted into the Academy I leave for Mongolia this July for more intensive training.

Why? 

As my son puts it "There's nothing a mama can't do!" Honestly, while hard to put into words, I came across the term ‘Misogi’ – a Japanese concept that has stuck with me. At its core, Misogi is about pushing yourself once a year to do something so challenging, so uncomfortable, that it redefines what you think you’re capable of. It’s not about physical fitness or ticking off a goal – it’s about cleansing the mind through hardship. A kind of reset.

In a world full of comfort and shortcuts, Misogi is a reminder that growth only happens when you’re willing to step far outside what’s easy. Nothing extraordinary lives inside of your comfort zone: no growth, no fire, no big wins, no reward.

This ride is proof that motherhood isn’t the end of adventure. That boldness and being brave doesn’t have an expiration date. Life is short. I believe that by living fully and fearlessly, we give others permission to do the same. Do the thing, do it nervous, do it excited and turning 40 this year feels like the perfect time to stop chasing what society expects—and start feeding my soul instead. Favor the Brave isn’t just the name of my studio—it’s the ethos that drives how I want to live.

Where Your Support Goes:

This expedition comes with serious costs. While I've completely self funded the Academy this July (training in Mongolia in preparation for the Derby) I’m now fundraising $20,000 to cover the costs of the race which will only be possible with your help:

This year alone, I’ve invested over 10k toward this goal:

$6,000 – Academy (which will qualify me for the Mongol Derby)

$2,000 – Endurance riding Morocco to Maine

$2,000 – My kit: ultralight gear, tack, strategic clothing, backcountry tools (I’m allowed just 11 pounds of gear for the full 10-day race)

What You Get in Return:

Sponsor My Miles

I’m asking my friends, family and community to help sponsor the miles I'll need to ride to make it to the finish (620 total!)

If you believe in making BIG goals—help me ride. Please Donate. Share. Share. Share. Cheer from the sidelines. Every bit helps.

With dust, gratitude, and fire,

Kelsy

A race like no other: Mongol Derby is part marathon, part rodeo. part extreme sports experience. A 10 day, 1,000 km horseback race across the Mongolian Steppe, modeled after Genghis Khan’s 13th-century postal system (600 years before our American West’s Pony Express). Riders switch horses every 35–40 km at horse stations (called urtuus)—each leg is on a semi-wild Mongolian horse. Riders navigate using GPS, without marked trails, relying on their own orientation skills. Hazards including falls, illness, bad weather, severe chafing and blisters and — oh yes — the occasional pack of angry dogs or wild camel. Fewer than half the riders who start typically complete the race.