view issue - Adventure World Magazine

ace director profileDon Mannwww.ecoprimalquest.comAWM: How long have you beenputting on adventure races?DM: Since 1998 - Primal Quest,The BEAST of the East, the MegaDose, The Endorphin FIX, theOdyssey One Day Adventure Race,Expedition BVI, Saphire SprintSeries, Jeep Kentucky AdventureRace, Odyssey Off Road Iron Triathlon,Odyssey Double Iron Triathlonand Odyssey Triple Iron Triathlon,SEAL Adventure Challenge, SEALTraining Academy, Sea Cadets Training(all SEAL training was in supportof the Navy Recruiting Command)and back in 1980 I produced the firstDuathlon in Rhode Island, the Race-Trax Duathlon.AWM: What made you want tostart hosting your own events?DM: In 1995, I competed in the RaidGauloises – Patagonia, Argentina.I was team captain and also responsiblefor coordinating team trainingfor our team – TEAM Odyssey.After air fare, a $16,500 applicationfee, additional insurance, lodging,gear purchase and traveling in USfor training sessions the event costover $50,000. The event also took3 weeks out of our schedule. It occurredto me that I could produce asimilar event on US soil, for a lotless money, just as challenging andcould do it in 5 days. That is whythe BEAST of the EAST emerged.AWM: What is your favorite eventthat you host and why?DM: I now only produce one event– Primal Quest, although I still instructat the SEAL events. I willalso be producing a series of sprintraces (3 in 2008 with more comingin 2009).AWM: What in your opinionmakes your events unique?DM: I think our events are uniquein that we do not look at our work(AR race production/management)as a business. We look atour events as an adventure and achance to change people’s lives. Ifeel that if we are able to producea challenging competition, in absoluteremote, scenic and ruggedenvironments, establish rules onlyfor safety and fairness, to treatevery competitor with respect anddignity, to applaud each athlete andeach team with the same amount ofenthusiasm, and regardless of whatplace they finish is very important.AWM: Do you still participate inadventure races? What was the lastadventure race you participated in?What was your first adventure racethat you participated in? How welldid you do?DM: No, since I have been producingso many, designing courses,doing time trials, etc. This hastaken up my extra time. Raid Himalayaswas the last event in whichI competed. My first AR was RaidPatagonia and we were the first USteam to finish.AWM: If you could participatein one of your adventure races,which one would you choose andwhy? What about another race inNorth America? The world? Why?DM: PQ MontanaI would also like to compete inTim Holstrums’ Coastal Challengeand to climb many (if not all) ofthe 14,000 footers in CO, GrandTetons, Ama Dablam in the Himalayas,Aconcagua in Argentina, andmy wife and I climbed Kilimanajaroin January 2008.Adventure World Magazine June 2008 12