257: Don Devany | What Does it Take to Survive the Most Gruelling Race?

The Death Race. Its name alone can be enough to undermine your confidence. An old friend of the podcast, Don Devany has taken the nickname of the Death Race “Taskmaster.” A decade long veteran of the infamous Death Race, he has inspired legions while they perspired to heroic feats of greatness. Joe De Sena sat down to talk with Don days after he cycled cross country east to west & back again! 9145.5 miles of riding to raise funds for DECA Journey for the One Step Ahead Foundation for kids with mobility issues. What is it that makes one athlete complete the Death Race and another fail? Did those lessons influence Don in his cross country journey? He shares lessons learned from not quitting and falling into the proverbial ditch. Is there a secret to success? Is it “burning the boats”?. To Joe Don is a “testament to what resilience is all about and understands what makes people tick & what makes them break!” There are some people that are simply from another era. Don oozes from every pore the archetype of a medieval knight / renaissance henchman with the mind of a grand philosopher. As Don is famous for saying: GET IT DONE!

LESSONS
Feed the engine
Food / shelter/ water is what truly matters
Maintain your “machine”
Reduce your options- don’t have a plan B
Burn the obstacles in your mind before you begin
Reframe your points of reference
Don't go into challenges with preconceived notions
Pedal On!

LINKS
https://onestepaheadfoundation.wordpress.com/2019/02/04/deca-journey/
The Death Race https://life.spartan.com/post/worlds-toughest-race

 

This episode of Spartan Up is brought to you by Shady Rays Polarized shades you can afford to lose or break - because they’ll replace them for free. Go to www.Shadyrays.com and use code SPARTAN for 50% off 2 or more pairs.

TIME STAMPS
0:00 Joe De Sena introducing the one and only Don Devany
0:57 Shadyrays.com intro “Built for Adventure”
1:20 Interview begins as Death Race is about to start
3:25 “Feeding the engine” to be on the bike 12+ hours a day
4:30 A thousand reasons to fall in the “ditch”
6:15 Being grateful and appreciative for “anything more”
7:15 The bottom of Maslow’s pyramid
8:25 Biking across America… both ways! “tasting & drifting the Country”
10:15 An I-Beam in the icy river- just move forward!
13:00 Masonry and getting it DONe.
14:30 Teaching kids to earn their dollars & “learn life”
15:47 Shadyrays.com break “Built for Adventure”
17:08 Interview continues with “maintaining your machine”
18:05 Lessons from a decade as a Taskmaster
20:00 Challenges to overcome on the road
22:00 Perspective and frame of reference of the struggle
27:00 Taking away the option of a Plan B
28:50 Survive the here & now: “pedal on
29:30 Joe De Sena reflects on the interview with Don the Taskmaster
33:55 Shadyrays.com close “Built for Adventure” - special offer for Spartans!

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CREDITS:
Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc.
Host: Joe De Sena
Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra | Seed Huntress
Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty

© 2019 Spartan