The Spartan Death Race is often called “the world’s toughest race”, and the winter version takes this even further. In addition to the punishing tasks racers must complete (hauling firewood up a mountain, lapping a field while throwing 75 lb sandbags, chopping a hole in an icy pond until they fall in), they repeatedly push their bodies to the brink of hypothermia…all on no sleep, and very little food and water, for up to 60 hours. This race truly puts the ‘endure’ in endurance events. As a photographer, capturing the emotional and physical suffering these contestants are going through was one of the most surreal assignments I’ve covered.