The Georgia Death Race: The Ultimate Test of Endurance, Faith, and Resilience
The Georgia Death Race.
The name kind of sums it up.
The ultimate test of endurance, faith, and resilience.
According to their website, it is a 74ish mile race. Yes, you read that right.
74 . . . ish.
Over 25 hours. And with over 35,000 feet of elevation change through the mountains of North Georgia. On top of that, you must carry a 1lb railroad spike with you for the entirety of the race. As the site says, “This is their burden. It weighs on them, growing even heavier as they progress through the course. If they finish (only 70% do) they throw the nail in a coffin and are given a new engraved nail.”
Again, you read that right . . . a coffin.
The site continues: “Unlike other races, the Georgia Death Race discourages you from finishing. We tell you that you’re not gonna finish and that you’re gonna die. It’s all part of it . . . This race grabs you by the soul and won’t let you go.” (https://www.runbumtours.com/georgiadeathrace)
Matthew, my brother-in-law, is the one who introduced me to this race. Not because I was going to run it. I’m not crazy. Also, I’m not a runner. But Matthew is . . . he loves the mental and physical challenge of pushing himself past what he thinks is possible. (I won’t go into too much about him . . . you will meet him soon enough in a future post).
What has always intrigued me is the railroad spike. Each participant is given a 1lb spike that he must carry with him for the whole race. At first this doesn’t seem like such a big deal. Most runners wear a slimline vest or backpack that they carry their gels, chews, sleeve warmers, socks, fluids, and other necessities, so just slide this spike in a pocket and go. Easy enough.
I am sure that for the first part of the race the spike is hardly noticeable. A quick check at each aid station just to be assured it is still on your person is the only thought given to it.
The latter half of the race, though, is a different story. As your body fatigues and your pace slows, even the vest you are wearing begins to make you feel like Atlas holding up the world. Your negative thoughts weigh you down (and after that many miles, how can you not have them?). You can’t ingest enough calories to close the gap from what your body is burning. Even your shoes feel like concrete blocks.
And then there is that pesky little spike. Though the weight is minimal, it slowly becomes noticeable. What was once an afterthought has become an issue about which you have no choice but to endure. And endure it you must. Getting rid of it disqualifies you. So, you either face the burden and handle it or you give up. The choice is up to you.
I wonder if the creators of the death race intended this requirement to be a life lesson. (If so, well played.)
What Is Your Spike?
We all have spikes in our lives that cause us grief, pain, and sorrow. They start out simple enough. Nothing big. A small lie here. An inappropriate text there. A grudge that you keep silent. Situations that are easy enough to cover up.
What happens, though, when that small lie requires another lie to cover it up, and then that lie requires an even bigger lie . . . one lie begets another until you can’t remember the actual truth.
Or that text snowballs into a conversation that is improper that eventually leads into physical touch . . . and you are so entangled in the web of your own doing that you can’t find a way out.
Or that grudge that festers under the surface only to slowly cost you a relationship or a friendship.
A small act, however innocent your intentions, is always the source of a greater sin. When you create lie after lie to cover up your previous deceits, then what you find is that the whole process becomes easier. The guilt you felt after the first untruth dims on the second one until you can create a falsehood with no remorse at all.
The same for the inappropriate text message. Or the grudge. Or any act you know to be a sin. That feeling of guilt we have when we know we are acting in a way that is at odds with God’s desires for us can slowly fade until we can’t feel it, nor can we hear Him when He speaks.
As Christian men, it is imperative that we hold ourselves to a higher standard. Our intentions may not be immoral, but we must realize that playing and living on the outskirts of temptation and sin is a slippery slope that we can find ourselves sliding down long before we ever realize what is happening.
James even warns us when he says, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” (James 4:17, NLT).
When you trust God and live daily in His Word, then you are better able to notice these moments before they occur. He will reach out and speak to you, leading you away from sin and temptation. We even pray for this in the Lord’s Prayer: “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 9:13).
Living in His Word is the only way to cultivate a relationship with Him. How can you hope to hear God when you don’t spend time in His Word and speak with Him every day? Without a daily quiet time, how will you know what He sounds like? How can you recognize Him?
Men of faith must spend time with the scripture. It should be such a part of us that all our decisions are filtered through its truths. This is the only way to prevent the “spikes” of life from ever becoming that burden we must carry.
Not only does the spike symbolize those seeds in our life that we left unattended only to become consumed by their weeds, how the runner deals with the spike is also important. Does he give in to the weight? Does he quit the race? Or does he walk in the shadow of Jesus as He struggled under the burden His own spike-the cross He was forced to carry to the top of the hill? Does he accept it, face it, embrace it, and put one foot in front of the other until he overcomes and finishes the race?
How do you handle the struggles and difficulties that life throws your way? How do you deal with the burdens of regret, anger, jealousy, guilt, shame, and bitterness? As we discussed, these start out small, barely noticeable. But over time, they can fester and grow without us being aware of them. Like a pressure cooker, they will eventually boil over and ignoring them will not be an option.
When faced with hopelessness, loneliness, fear, and despair, you can either run and hide or you can stand and fight. This “fight or flight” has been ingrained in our DNA since we were cave men having to defend ourselves and our families from sabretooth tigers. I can promise you, though, if you decide to run and hide, the problem will not magically go away. Isn’t that what you have been doing all along? Want to tell me how that has worked out for you?
There comes a time when our only option is to face the problem and fight. It is in these moments that a man’s character is either challenged and strengthened or found to be wanting and non-existent. When you are confronted with your sins, do you admit them and fight to rectify the situation and relationships, or do you crack under the pressure? Can you finish the race and throw your spike in the coffin?
at the finish line of the GDR
Thomas Paine expressed the same sentiment: “Reputation is what men and women think of us. Character is what God and the angels know of us.”
And for those who have faced such situations and cracked under the pressure, there is good news! You are a simple prayer of repentance away from being right with God. Fall on your knees and admit you are weak without Him. He will lift you up and help you put the pieces back together.
So, when faced with difficult situations, how will you respond? Are you ready? Is your identity and character so entrenched with God and His Word that you can rest assured your decisions will mirror his desires? If not, what can you do to fix it? Reach out to a Christian brother . . . your pastor . . . to God. No one has to go through this alone.
So, looking back, that railroad spike carries with it some important life lessons. May we all remember that we don’t have to carry the spike alone.
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”-Footprints in the Sand, Author Unknown
For more information on the Georgia Death Race, visit their website: