It's kind of a neat concept. Instead of worrying about how fast you can go or how hard you can go, you're just trying to take a certain pace and do the most of something in a certain time period. It's got a lot of appeal.

In the solo category, there's going to be a race, and it's going to be fun to watch. The good people will probably be neck and neck.

[Mountaineering] is what I do. I'm not a ski racer. I'm a 53-year-old man who is all broken down, but it seemed like a fun thing to do. With these types of things, there's a lot of camaraderie and they can be a lot of fun. It's interesting when you put yourself in a structure like that and see what kind of personal best you can accomplish.

And when life throws its worst at you, throw your best at life

I used to sell furniture for a living. The trouble was, it was my own.

Just like Santa Claus, a farmer works all year on a commodity, and at the end of the year he gives it all away.