<div>Hi, I’m Kelsy Stromski—a creative, traveler, mama, foodie n' founder of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/favorthebrave.co/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Favor the Brave</a>. What you might not know is that for the past year, I’ve been training for the 2026 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mongolderby/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mongol Derby</a> — <strong>the world’s longest and hardest horse race. </strong>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 last summer I leave for Mongolia again this July for the real thing!
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<div><strong>Why? </strong>
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<div>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.
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<div>In a world full of comfort and shortcuts, <em>Misogi</em> 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.
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<div>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. <em>Favor the Brave</em> isn’t just the name of my studio—it’s the ethos that drives how I want to live.
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<div><strong>Where Your Support Goes:</strong>
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<div>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:
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<li><strong>Entry to the Mongol Derby ($18,000)</strong> The shear logistics of this race is staggering and the number of support, 1000+ horses, safety crew, vets, medics, translators, drivers and 250+ Mongolian families who aid in the success of this derby. A significant portion supports the horse welfare, Mongolian herders and their traditional nomadic lifestyle. This money also goes to help fund Steppe &amp; Hoof (a non-profit organization which has been set up to help herders and their animals.)
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<li><strong>2k to cover travel expenses</strong>
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<div><strong>What You Get in Return:</strong>
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<li>A front-row seat to the entire journey. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/favorthebrave.co/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Follow me on the gram</a> for the highs and the heartbreaks.
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<li>Live Race Tracking — Yup, I'll have a tracking map linked to a satellite tracker so you can track me live throughout the race.
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<li>Behind-the-scenes updates and storytelling from the saddle
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<li>A reminder that it’s never too late to do something bold n' wild
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<div><strong>Sponsor My Miles </strong>
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<div>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!)
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<li><strong><em>1 mile</em></strong><em> = $30 </em>Little by little one goes far
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<li><strong><em>5 miles</em></strong><em> = $150 Yee-haw </em>— Thank you!
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<li><strong><em>10 miles</em></strong><em> = $300 Giddy up!</em>
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<li><strong><em>60 miles</em></strong><em> = $1,800 (That's a full days ride!) </em>
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<div>If you believe in making BIG goals—help me ride. Please Donate. Share. Share. Share. Cheer from the sidelines. Every bit helps.
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<div><em>With dust, gratitude, and fire,</em>
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<div>Kelsy
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<div class="youtube-replace"><strong>Timeline: </strong>
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<div class="youtube-replace">2023 December — Academy Application Submitted
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<div class="youtube-replace">2024 May — Derby Academy Interview
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<div class="youtube-replace">2024 June — Accepted into the Academy, training begins
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<div class="youtube-replace">2025 January — Endurance riding in Morocco
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<div class="youtube-replace">2025 May — Training in Maine with Jessie Dowling
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<div class="youtube-replace">2025 June — Mt. Washington Road race &amp; 50mile Horseback Race
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<div class="youtube-replace">2025 July — Derby Academy training camp in Mongolia
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<div class="youtube-replace">2026 April — Training in Bend, Oregon
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<div class="youtube-replace">2026 May — Remainder Due (less than 1 year to fundraise)
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<div class="youtube-replace">2026 July — Leaves for Mongolia again
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<div class="youtube-replace">2026 August 5 — *<strong>Official Mongol Derby Race*</strong>
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<div class="youtube-replace"><strong>What is The Mongol Derby? </strong>
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<div>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.
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<div class="youtube-replace"><a href="https://youtu.be/pFUb6YpbWx4?si=5pI2ObXbEoF-AqUC" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://youtu.be/pFUb6YpbWx4?si=5pI2ObXbEoF-AqUC</a>
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<div class="youtube-replace">"No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe"
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Favor the Brave—Help Me Ride the World’s Toughest Horse Race

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