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Tj Di Donato

Monday, June 18, 2012

Mentor Firefighter Finishes Spartan Death Race

Antonio "T.J." DiDonato joins the proud few that have ever finished the death race

Mentor Firefighter Antonio "T.J." DiDonato did not die during the Spartan Death Race, nor did he quit. In fact, DiDonato joined a rare fraternity of people who have finished the death race. Of the 200-plus people who compete in this 3-day gauntlet of physical and psychological torment each year, only eight percent finish. "Not bad for a normal guy from Cleveland!" DiDonato wrote on his wife's Facebook page after the race. "Aaand... it was the longest race to date, over 57 hours." Competitors are disqualified if they sleep during the competition, but that's just the beginning of this meatgrinder. They had to split trees, swim laps in a cold retention pond and -- who can say why? -- sew their race numbers onto their black compression shirts…

Phyllis Stager

11:02 am on Monday, June 18, 2012

Impressive for sure! My family and I went to Idaho to support my son in an IronMan...I thought that was extreme. This takes the cake. Cheers for Mr. DiDonato.   more ›

Friday, June 15, 2012

Mentor Firefighter Set To Begin Spartan Death Race

Antonio DiDonato will face physical, mental challenges in 3-day challenge where anything is possible

Mentor Firefighter Antonio "T.J." DiDonato has spent the last nine months training for a 3-day challenge that is designed specifically to stretch (and possibly snap) the limits of the toughest people in the country. And this is what he does for fun. It's called the Spartan Death Race and it began this morning in Pittsfield, VT, while most us were still asleep. The competitors aren't allowed to sleep during this 3-day span and they have no idea what obstacles they will face before they reach them. The race is so tough that the organizers warn "you may die." No, seriously, the web site for the Spartan Death Race is www.youmaydie.com. So what was DiDonato thinking the night before it began? "How do I feel?" he wrote Thursday night. (Phone …

Friday, January 20, 2012

Mentor Firefighter Taking On Spartan Death Race

Antonio DiDonato will face physical, mental challenges in 3-day challenge where anything is possible

Mentor Firefighter Antonio DiDonato is competing in a race so tough that the organizers warn "you may die." No, seriously, the web site for the Spartan Death Race is www.youmaydie.com. Three hundred of the toughest people around the world, including DiDonato, will gather for the race June 15 in Pittsfield, VT. They have no idea what physical and mental obstacles they will face -- only the race's theme, which is betrayal. They don't know what to expect, just that they won't be able to sleep for more than 48 hours while they complete progressively more ridiculous challenges. And why is DiDonato doing it? "It's a lot more fun than sitting in a gym and working out," he said. Tackling the Tower It's easy to gain weight when you join a fire …

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Jason Lea

7:23 am on Saturday, January 21, 2012

Thank you for the kind words, Dennis. Antonio DiDonato is going to set up a web site where people can donate to the charities he is competing for. When that happens, I will certainly write a followup.   more ›

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