This summer I had the opportunity of photographing the Reebok Spartan Race at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut for Hink Creations. This was an awesome experience for me because I was able to be active and creative, spending the day in the sunshine surrounded by athletes eager to be photographed and perform.

I had never been to a Spartan Race before and I can definitely say it was a totally new experience for me! Everyone was so happy and excited to participate in the race. There were families, teams of friends and co-workers and individuals that came from far and wide to race for a medal.

I was photographing the finish line, capturing that final moment of accomplishment and success that every participant experiences right when they cross the finish line and are handed a medal. I also photographed the sponsors of the race and the photo wall, which people lined up for with their medals in hand, eager to appear on the Spartan Race Facebook page for over four million fans to see.

It was a great and inspiring day... to see all those people accomplish their goals and push their limits physically and mentally was definitely motivating. I ended up with over 1,000 photos of raw emotion, action and fun. Definitely a day I will never forget!

- Katii Tornick, Photographer at Hink Creations