Why the Beast Challenge?

Swinging double 40 kg. bells.

I've been asked this more than a few times. What's the point of training for the Beast Challenge? Why bother with the TSC elite division snatch test? Why put myself through that? What does it really mean if I accomplish these things? I have opted to compete in two events put on by a fitness sub-culture that no one knows about, so it can't be glory.
In August of 2008 I was standing on the field at UCLA during my own RKC watching the Beast Challenge. Mike Davis and Max Shank were two of the candidates who stepped up to the plate. The two of them weren't really much bigger than me.
"I bet if I could do that I would be pretty strong." I thought to myself.
It's really that simple. It's not that I'm trying to live up to some perceived RKC hall of fame. I just figure if I can pistol, press, and pull up a 106 pound kettlebell, then I've built a pretty good base of strength. A foundation, if you will, to further build upon. You see... I want to do it with the 52 kg. as well. That's probably a fairly bold statement from someone who ain't even close to the 48 kg., but why not? You're in no danger from setting your goals too high, only too low.
Same thing with steel bending. When I saw Adam Glass bending nails, bolts, and horse shoes I thought the same thing. Turned out it was true. My steel bending efforts boosted everything else.
Being very strong is a pretty unique thing, but it only really lets you know how far you have to go. It's easy to feel like you can't go further and to make excuses when the passageway is triple locked in front of you, but when you get your foot in the door you see just how far you really have to go. I hear people make excuses and I know it's a reflection of our fast food 'Now' culture. You just thought it would happen too fast, it's not that you can't make it. This applies not just to training but to everything in life. I see people launch a business venture and then bail on it almost immediately because they wanted instant gratification.
I've been training for the Beast Challenge for 18 months now. I recognize that previously my problem was not having a narrow enough focus. I have fixed that now.