There are millions of running races, thousands of marathons, hundreds of triathlons and dozens of ultramarathons, but there is only one Spartan Death Race. Held annually since 2005 in the small town of Pittsfield, VT, the 2012 Death Race, scheduled for June 27-29, offers less than 300 competitors the chance to test their mental and physical prowess like no other event on earth. Amy Palmiero-Winters is now a veteran of the Death Race and – having lived to tell about it – is going back for more.
The hurdle and challenge-driven race requires competitors to complete a series of grueling mental and physical challenges throughout a 40-mile course that runs through the Vermont woods. During the Death Race, competitors may be asked to chop wood for two hours, carry a 20-lb stump around for hours, build a fire, cut a bushel of onions, crawl through mud under barbed wire, or after 15-hours of racing, memorize the names of the first 10 U.S. Presidents or a Bible verse, hike to the top of a mountain and recite them back in order.
Unlike other endurance races that offer a detailed map, Death Racers have no idea what to expect next as the course map and list of challenges are kept secret. This provides competitors with one of their biggest challenges as the length of the race can range from 24-48 hours. For an endurance athlete, not knowing where the light is at the end of the tunnel can be sheer torture. For an amputee like Amy, the Death Race also presents unique challenges like selecting the right prosthesis for the race and dealing with the socket becoming repeatedly filled with mud and rocks.
For more on the Death Race, visit www.youmaydie.com
