Reality

To try to put this past weekend into words is next to impossible.  In a million years I would never have thought that the Death Race and the people we encountered would change us, but it has.  We arrived in the tiny town of Pittsfield, Vermont on Thursday afternoon and I fell in complete love with it.  Then we started meeting the other racers and we were changed.  The people that we came across over the 4 days were the strongest I have ever met.  And when I say people, I am not referring to athletes only.  I don't know how to adequately describe the role of "support person" at the Peak Death Race.  There were people up for nearly 45 hours chasing down their racer to feed them and give them dry clothes.  They didn't sign up for the Death Race, yet they were in it right along with their racer.  It takes a unique individual to want to be involved in this sort of thing.  I love it.  I am hooked.  I am inspired by my new friends.

 A great example of the type of person I am describing is this - Joe Decker, declared Fittest Man Alive, was in the lead at about 8 pm on Saturday night.  He was in the process of a lot of wood chopping in the parking lot; the ABC crew needed to get their car out so he stops what he is doing (RACING!) to move logs and direct them out of their spot.  Are you kidding me?  This guy is amazing.  And humble.  You couldn't help, but to cheer him on as he sent logs flying with the swing of an ax.  The man is remarkable.  When we saw him at 11 am Sunday morning after he had finished every challenge/obstacle handed to him, he looked good.  Sure, his legs were cut from the knee to the ankle in nearly every visible place, but he was smiling and being so encouraging to those around him still on the course.  That's a class act.  We can all learn from that.

Today it's back to reality though I long to be sitting on the huge porch at Amee Farm overlooking Amee Barn and being caught up in the energy that is the Death Race.  Conversations have started.  We feel that fire beneath us telling us this is the time to make a change.  The Death Race is clearly more than a race.  It is a way of life.