Adventure
If you look up adventure racing in Wikipedia you will find this definition: Adventure racing (also called expedition racing) is typically a multidisciplinary team sport involving navigation over an unmarked wilderness course with races extending anywhere from two hours up to two weeks in length. The principal disciplines in adventure racing include trekking, mountain biking, and paddling although races can incorporate a multitude of other disciplines including climbing, abseiling, horse riding, skiing and white-water rafting. The premier format is mixed gender teams of four racers. There is typically no suspension of the clock during races, irrespective of length; elapsed competition time runs concurrently with real time, and competitors must choose if or when to rest.
But for me doing a 10 day 400+ mile race in the wilderness with just three (3) teammates and a map and compass is a micro-cosmos of life. The significance of hard work, the process of making tough decisions, learning how to manage relationships and the importance helping each other were just some of the lessons I learn while racing.
I had the great privilege and opportunity to race across the globe, including Australia, Mexico, Canada and throughout the United States in races known as the XPD, the Baja Travisa, Raid the North, Untamed New England, Gold Rush Motherload and Primal Quest. I also competed, and sometimes won, smaller races like Big Blue and NorCal Adventure. For well over a decade I competed with various teammates, pitting our endurance and skills against other teams.
Being a competitive adventure racer helped mold me into the person I am today.