"I will follow the right side even to the fire, but excluding the fire if I can." ~ Michel de Montaigne

“Boys will be boys…and so will a lot of middle-aged men." ~ Kin Hubbard

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle” ~ Ian Maclaren

“Everything in moderation, including moderation.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“Maybe you are seaching among the branches for what only appears in the roots.” ~ Rumi

“Men who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people.” ~ Montesquieu

"If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito." ~ Betty Reese

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less." ~ CS Lewis

"Are you not ashamed of heaping up the greatest amount of money and honour and reputation, and caring so little about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of the soul?" ~ Socrates

“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” ~ Malcolm S. Forbes

"I will follow the right side even to the fire, but excluding the fire if I can." ~ Michel de Montaigne “Boys will be boys…and so will a lot of middle-aged men." ~ Kin Hubbard “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle” ~ Ian Maclaren “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” ~ Oscar Wilde “Maybe you are seaching among the branches for what only appears in the roots.” ~ Rumi “Men who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people.” ~ Montesquieu "If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito." ~ Betty Reese "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less." ~ CS Lewis "Are you not ashamed of heaping up the greatest amount of money and honour and reputation, and caring so little about wisdom and truth and the greatest improvement of the soul?" ~ Socrates “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” ~ Malcolm S. Forbes

"James Orlando may appear bat s$%^ f^%$*^$ crazy at times, but he is incredibly thoughtful, genuine, intentional, and has a unique ability to walk you right up to (and then nudge you over) your comfort line, wherever that line is for you." David, 43

"Manventure essentially ruined every weekend I will have for the rest of my life. Nothing will come close to the combined emotions of exhilaration, fear, joy, and discomfort, all wrapped up in 3 days of endless laughter. My life now feels empty by co

Just a calm paddle across a lake. What could go wrong?

The rapid learning capabilities of a motivated middle-age man can't be understated.

What are MAD Decathlons?

MAD Decathlons aren’t just a test of endurance, strength, or skill — they’re a test of everything that makes a modern man. Through ten unforgettable events over multiple days, MAD Decathlons challenge it all: strategy, problem-solving, and character. Co-founded by two friends who knew manhood needed a new measuring stick, MAD Decathlons test the "whole man”, all while forging unbreakable bonds through teamwork, communication, and camaraderie. It's not about competition; it’s about facing adversity, seeing yourself in the men beside you and getting beyond ourselves.

Ten Unique Events

Multi-day Experience

Self Assessment

Natural Setting

Campfire Camaraderie

Reviews of MAD Decathlons

"MAD essentially ruined every weekend I will have for the rest of my life. Nothing will come close to the combined emotions of exhilaration, fear, joy, and discomfort, all wrapped up in 3 days of endless laughter. My life now feels empty by comparison, and I regret nothing."

David, Climate Change Strategist, 43
"When that last paintball hit me, I fell from the slackline into waist-high mud. As I listened to the other guys hollerin' "nice shot" and "you got this", in that moment I knew three things for sure: (1) Dang! This is fun. (2) I am getting back up there cause they must be low on ammo by now, and (3) ... my inbox can wait."

-Dr. Ryan, Pediatrician, 49
"Why are we racing through the woods at night? You want me to eat what? How was this event conceived? All that matters is your old comfort zone no longer exists and you’re all the better for it."

- Paul K, Immigration Program Director, 52
"I’ve done endurance events, company leadership retreats, and bachelor parties. Sure they’re “fun”, but none of them stack up to the excitement, challenge, and story-telling-worthiness of MAD Decathlon. It’s weird for a man to talk about dreams. But in the days and weeks after MAD Decathlon, instead of having work dreams, I was having epic Viking-level dreams - like MAD awakened a part of me that doesn’t get touched in normal life."

Adam, Wastewater Engineer, 45
“In our world, it’s easy to float through life in a semi-digital haze. One day can easily meld into another fed by emails, content, and other responsibilities. Then all of a sudden, the days, weeks, months go by and we’re left wondering where did it go and was it time well spent. MAD Decathlons are a visceral experience that shakes you out of that routine, challenges you, and helps foster fellowship and community. You’ll think to yourself: What am I doing? How did I get here?, and, Why is there nowhere else I’d rather be? Go get some!”

Cameron B, Business Development Exec, 43
“Nothing builds teamwork like chasing a pig. You’ll fail, but you’ll learn about strategy and teamwork as you do.”

- Tyler, Energy Specialist, 43
"One of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. We were tested in ways I’ve never considered. Tested us athletically, mentally, emotionally and more …"

- Paul S, Solar Technician, 54
"There is this period in the lead-up where I'm like, "What have I signed myself up for? Why am I trusting this beautiful madman? Well, that's exactly why I keep coming back."

Jameel, Economist, 44
“Forget ordinary, and check your expectations at the door: This was an experience on a wholly different level. These few days were a gift of adventure, personal growth, challenge, and bonding - cannot wait for the next one.”

Bryan, Senior Manager & former US Special Operations, 45
"As the only gay man who signed up for my MAD Decathlon, I was a bit nervous about "being man enough" for all of the challenges. What I realized is that I wasn't alone. I think we're at a critical time in society where almost every man, gay or straight, is questioning what it means to be a man. If you're looking to do an intensive deep dive into that conversation, the MAD is a good place to start. Besides that, it was just a ridiculous amount of fun."

Brian R, Entrepreneur, 44
"Making guy friends, real guy friends, not just dudes you meet who are kinda cool, is insanely hard as we get older. Getting to make 18 new ones (ok, let's be realistic, let's say 6-7 real new friends who I'll actually stay in touch with) is such an amazing gift. Of course, the challenges were awesome and bring a smile to my face whenever I've thought about them (which is every 60-90 seconds), but meeting the other guys and getting to bond with them was the once in a lifetime part."

Lee, Educator, 43

Ground Rules

This is a competition but. . .

This is a competition, but the point is not to be overly competitive. The goal is to make some serious, unforgettable memories while in the company of the best men I know. Compete hard for yourselves and your team, but stop short of being a competitive jerk. I trust you all understand that and know where to draw the line.

This will test you.

The events will test you in a multitude of ways, as I suspect a true apocalypse would. Likewise, as in an actual apocalypse, fairness, equity of resources, and common ground are not certainties. Don’t expect them.

Nothing is for certain.

Each event will feature a new combination of team members. For overall balance in MAD, I’ve compiled the teams at the end of each event, and each team will be given a score. That score will be attributed to each member on the team. For example, if Team A—Ryan, Brian, Jeff, Rich—earns five points, then each of those guys gets five points towards their individual total. At the end of every round, the leaderboard will be adjusted to reflect the leaders.