On Nov. 1, 2014, I participated in my first Spartan Race event. The event in question was the last major race of the year. The Beast- the longest and toughest race in the Spartan Series- spans on average 12+ miles and has over 25 different obstacles for racers to conquer. Average time to complete the course runs 4 hours to as long as 8. As a volunteer manning an obstacle and checkpoint, I witnessed some amazing things over the course of the day. What I took away from that experience is that looks are definitely deceiving. Regardless of how a person looks on the outside, it's what's inside that gets them down the trail, over the walls, through the water, and across the finish line. I saw perfect examples of that perseverance, dogged determination, and ultimately the human spirit in full display among the many souls that braved this race on a cold, windy day in Texas Hill Country. It has forever altered my perceptions of what humanity is capable of.
