Marydeth "Olivia" Mann

“I race because it has changed my life, it taught me how to save my own. I have a neuromuscular disorder – part of my muscular dystrophy. My life is not my own, this body does not belong to me. It belongs to the disorder. I am on a slow progression, but anything could trigger a rapid descent. I’m a ticking time bomb, my doctors are always reminding me that anything can change, all of my treatment is preventative maintenance and none of it is guaranteed to help. I could end up immobile, but more importantly I’m not right now. And that’s all I can focus on. I have always been into fitness and athletics but more so to punish my body. I have battled with anorexia and used fitness as an escape. If I was thinner I’d be prettier, I’d be loved more, I’d be happier. That all changed when my dad took me out to Tough Mudder, he knew my life needed to change direction or I was going to be too far gone to be able to be saved. A year later we both needed a bigger physical challenge to test ourselves; my health and his injury rehab; this is what brought us to Spartan. Bigger course, more challenging obstacles. It got me training for a purpose. Somewhere along the way I traded skinny for strong. I started to spend less time at war with myself, and started to fall in love with my body. Fitness wasn’t about how much I could accomplish, how much farther I could grow. Now it’s two years later, and I am up almost 10 lbs. It’s a complete turn around.

I love this life I’m building and won’t dim my light for anyone. Never again will I shrink or soften myself to make anyone else feel bigger. I am coming for everything they said I couldn’t have. Tell me no, I dare you, it only fuels my fire.” – the incredible badass woman Olivia Mann 2018

Olivia will be missed dearly. Rest easy racing buddy.