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During the six-day Beast of the East adventure race, competitors will test their strength and endurance in the rugged wilderness of the Allegheny Mountains and New River Valley in southwest Virginia. Beginning at midnight on Saturday, May 22, athletes will set out on the 300+ mile-long course, challenging themselves in disciplines such as whitewater canoeing, mountain biking, hiking and climbing.

The Beast of the East is produced by Odyssey Adventure Racing. Don Mann, one of the founders, says it has been their goal to make it a "true racer's race" in which competitors set their own pace and are truly responsible for their own survival. According to Mann, Beast organizers used what they learned from competing in expedition-style events, such as the Raid Gauloises and Eco-Challenge, to design the Beast.

For instance, there are no dark zones or mandatory stops, which means that racers must use their own judgement, rather than that of the race organization, to determine when they will rest and sleep. This will prove to be challenging even for the most experienced athletes.

Competitors will race in one of the following categories: two person or four person, all male, all female, coed or solo. The solo category was first introduced in last year's Beast, setting a precedent and thus raising the question: is the sport of adventure racing a team sport or not?

"You never do anything that hard all by yourself, ever," says Mann. "We wanted to put that into the sport so if somebody wanted to add another dimension, that extra dimension is there."

The rugged terrain of southwest Virginia will prove to be demanding for the racers. Most peaks are in the 5,000 foot range and competitors will cover 60,000 feet of elevation gain and loss over the 300+ mile course during a five to six day period. Racers will journey through the rolling hills of the Allegheny Mountains without using any form of mechanized movement or GPS, navigate Class III rapids on the New River through one of the oldest river gorges in the world, and travel on historic trails and roads from the Civil War era.

The 2000 race will take place from August 4-17. Stay tuned for coverage!