Adorning my freshly-made “buckskin”garb I gathered my gear, and after meticulously crafting the aforementioned buckskin outfit with 108 stitches and completing the tedious task of sliding a porcupine quill through my log, my load was lightened considerably. I no longer needed the log, so I was allowed to toss it in the fire near the … Read More
Author: Tony Matesi
Legend of the Death Race Year 3: Part 5 – Pocahontas and Porcupine Quills
The time had come to depart from the top of Bloodroot Mountain Trail. After a long and tedious process thanks in part to Don’s desire to break me by angering my soul, I successfully finished crafting my cup of water in a log holder project. With the remains of my creation packed tightly away, I … Read More
Legend of the Death Race Year 3: Part 4 – Bloodroot Water Giver
At approximately eight hours into the Year of the Explorer we left the comfort zone of Riverside Farm to head toward a destination known by many to be a zone of danger, a climb that has broken many a person: the notorious Bloodroot Mountain. Bloodroot came early at this Death Race, seeking to claim as … Read More
Legend of the Death Race Year 3: Part 3 – Return of the Stone Stairs
In the middle of the Death Race, I was pulled from the action to give a quick interview for the new Spartan podcast that they were recording. They asked me simple questions with complex answers, “Why was I out there? Why return to the Death Race?” Those answers are not the easiest to answer on … Read More
Legend of the Death Race Year 3: Part 2 – Another Beginning
In what was the most race-like start of all my experiences at the Peak Races Death Race, we were off in an instant. What remained the same is not knowing when it starts (officially, it’s seriously complicated), and you don’t know when it will end. Andy and Joe had just finished telling us the race … Read More
Legend of the Death Race Year 3: Part 1 – Here We Go Again
As the end of June approached it became ever apparent that my favorite kind of painful pleasure was coming into focus, The Peak Death Race. It loomed over my head like a dark cloud following a cartoon character around, just waiting to blast them with lightning. In the weeks leading up to the race I … Read More
10 Lessons From My First 100 Mile Ultra Marathon – Peak Races
Originally, I had planned on running the 50 mile option for the Peak Races Ultra Marathon up in the beautiful Green Mountain Trails. When I signed up this past winter for the race, I believe it was around the middle of November while visiting Joe De Sena, Miguel Medina and Andy Weinberg up in their … Read More
Press Release: OCR Warrior Reality Show
First-Ever Mud Run Reality Show Filming in Phoenix May 2, 2014, Phoenix, AZ – Competitors will clash this Friday night in a head-to-head challenge at Wild Horse Pass on a specially designed 1 mile obstacle course – complete with walls, mud, barbed wire, cargo nets, and even fire – competing for cash, prizes, & fame. Each battle will … Read More
Review: Trail Toes
For the past few months I have been experimenting with a new anti chaffing cream known as Trail Toes. It’s a fairly new brand that I was introduced to by friend and Ultra Runner, John Sharp, who if you don’t know just recently completed the Texas Independence 200 Mile Relay, solo. Yes, it’s quite the … Read More
Legend of the Death Race Year 2: Part 10 – Swim to Death
There I was just standing there, at the water’s edge, second guessing whether or not I could complete the swim challenge when a fellow racer entered the water behind me. It was Death Race veteran, Keith Glass. He walked up next to me and said, “Come on, Tony you can do this.” I looked to … Read More