On Christmas Eve last year, Jeff McBride of Elverson was getting breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts, and saw a 26.2 sticker on a car, referencing a marathon distance.
McBride wondered if he could complete the long-distance run, and while most athletes would go home and do a bit of research on upcoming marathons and training, McBride went home and about 30 minutes later set off for a 26.7 mile run.
"That's the kind of challenge that I like," said McBride. "You don't physically really prepare for it but even when it just absolutely sucks, you just keep going. Just do what you started, and then you'll be happy at the end."
That kind of attitude bodes well for McBride as he will compete in the Spartan Death Race in Pittsfield, Vt. tomorrow. While he has been training, he doesn't really know what he is training for.
"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;" according to the description on the Death Race website.
Within 45 hours, only 35 contestants finished the race last year out of 185 at the start -- four were females. The time, distance and challenges presented to participants have varied every year since the first Death Race in 2005, but it is held at the same venue annually.
The theme of this year's race is betrayal, and in addition to a fear of the unknown, contestants are subjected to pre-race mind games. McBride said that the competitors get an email update almost every day that contradicts a previous email.
"So everything they send us, I don't know if it's true, if it's false or what's going on," said McBride. "They purposefully try to just break you down mentally."
McBride read that one year everyone had to carry $50 worth of pennies in their bag, and at one checkpoint if anyone was missing one penny, they had to eat a raw onion.
"It pushes everybody to their physical limits, definitely, and then also their emotional limits, mental limits, spiritual limits."
Since McBride doesn't know what he is training for, he hasn't deviated from his usual routine. With the outdoor and obstacle course training he learned during his year in the Army and the lifting routines he used as a trainer, his workouts are a hybrid between the two. He lifts every morning at about 5 a.m. and does outdoor training in his backyard once or twice a week - and includes hiking and trail running at French Creek when he can.
For diet, McBride knows what he should eat since he was a nutritionist, but he has neglected that aspect of preparation.
"I used to eat very well," said McBride, but "I did this to myself, so if it's hurting during the race, it's my own fault and I just accept that."
The only thing provided to the contestants on race day(s) will be water. McBride plans on bringing some nutritional bars for food and other items he may need like clean socks and shoes.
"The only issue is I have to be smart about it, because they said whatever we bring; we have to carry with us the entire time," said McBride.
They will have to bring a few required items, but those items have changed several times in the email updates that contestants have received.
A friend suggested the Death Race to McBride a few years ago, and he decided to do it this year because he said has to get open heart surgery in September - his doctor OKed the Death Race.
"So I want to get this done before I'm in 6-months recovery," and McBride said he just found out he will be a father for the first time, so "I want to get all the dumb stuff out of my way."