With an extensive background in Spartan and OCR (obstacle course racing), Kevin Donoghue couldn’t agree more with the fact that the World’s Toughest Race was its own beast. 

As an assistant camera operator/producer on the show, Kevin’s personal struggles physically, mentally, and emotionally were just as brutal as what the athletes had experienced during the race. 

Here are a few takeaways that Kevin brought home from the EcoChallenge:

A True Test of Endurance and Display of Character

Kevin particularly mentioned athletes Ryan Atkins and Rea Kolbl who were both fellow OCR athletes who were part of the Canada team that finished second on the EcoChallenge. A week after, Ryan and Rea joined the Spartan World Championships in Lake Tahoe. Ryan finished second and Rea in the Top 10. What Kevin saw in them was their ability to accept their role, do what they had to do, and take the direction from their captain – and that really speaks to their character. 

An Awesome Sense of Adventure

For these athletes, it’s almost like an adventure sightseeing tour with a clock on it. Athletes are just trying to enjoy the experience, not just with the scenery, but with the locals, and with each other. 

Having Organic Conversations

Use your moral compass. When you're talking to anyone, you’ve got to see them as a person first. You have to sympathize and empathize with what they're feeling and have that personal connection before asking those deep questions.  

Approach it as a person and ask a real question from a point of understanding and concern. Just open a conversation, and let go of anything that was negative in your world from that point on so that you're just living so purely in that moment.  

You have to show up in the place of vulnerability. It was mentally and emotionally brutal. Kevin was brought to tears realizing how mentally brutal the experience was. He felt there was nothing left emotionally and mentally. And he couldn’t believe he held it together for that long. Although the race brought out more weaknesses than he thought he had, Kevin came out a lot stronger. 

If you want to learn more about Kevin Donoghue’s adventures, check out the Tales of Toughness Podcast on https://gosonja.com/podcast​ and get access to more resources on my community https://www.patreon.com/GoSonja.