Just hours after winning the ARWS 2024 World Championship, thank you to ARWS 2024 World Champions Team400 - Sébastien Raichon, Sandrine Berange, Adrien Lhermet, and Benjamin Fayety - along with Race Director Santiago Lopez for coming onto this special flash episode of The Dark Zone. Hear as they overcame adversity, worked together, and ultimately captured the world championship.

Thank you for being a listener. If you like what you hear, please like, click, and subscribe on your streaming platform of choice. This helps spread the word about Adventure Racing and TDZ's role in helping elevate the sport.

Remember - You Keep Racing, and we'll Keep Talking!

Shownotes:

https://arworldseries.com/

https://live.enabledtracking.com/ARWC2024/

https://proyectoaventura.com/site/13/livearwc24

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Thank you to Race Director Santiago Lopez for coming onto the show to reveal and discuss the 2024 ARWS World Championship Race Course. This conversation is being released at the very start of the race so that fans, dotwatchers, and at-home teammates can get a sense of this challenging and rugged race course. See the tracking link below.

Thank you for listening. If you like what you hear, please like, click, and subscribe on your streaming platform of choice. This helps spread the word about Adventure Racing and TDZ's role in elevating the sport.

Remember - You Keep Racing, and we'll Keep Talking!

Shownotes:

TRACKING LINK - https://live.enabledtracking.com/ARWC2024/

https://www.arworldseries.com/races/huairasinchi-arwc-2024-ecuador

https://proyectoaventura.com/public/site/13/home_arwc24

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Thank you to Luis Becdach for coming onto the show. Luis is the perfect guest when discussing the upcoming ARWS World Championships in Ecuador. A longtime racer, Luis has raced Worlds multiple times and knows Ecuador like the back of his mano. Having raced alongside him in Huairasinchi in 2021, TDZ can attest to the accuracy of that last sentence. A wild, rugged place, Ecuador is a true adventure racing destination and this episode goes deep on how to prepare for what the teams will face in November.

Thank you for being a listener. If you like what you hear, please like, click, and subscribe on your streaming platform of choice. This helps spread the word about Adventure Racing and TDZ's role in helping elevate the sport.

Remember - You Keep Racing, and we'll Keep Talking!

Shownotes:

https://www.proyectoaventura.com/site/13/home_arwc24

https://ardarkzone.com/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Rootstock Racing's Abby Perkiss and Brent Freedland join The Dark Zone to talk about their new 5-day adventure race - The Endless Mountains - an ARWS Demonstration Race for 2022, partnering with Bend Racing and Expedition Canada, and how communicating and working together helps to grow the sport.

Show notes:

Check out Expedition Alaska - https://www.amazon.com/Expedition-Alaska-Hyperion-XIII-Productions/dp/B07QY95QMT

The Endless Mountains Adventure Race - www.endlessmountainsar.com

Search many a race start list and you'll be sure to see Mari's name. One of America's most prolific racers, Mari brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to The Dark Zone. Mari tells us about her introduction to Adventure Racing, her training, nutrition, and how to be a solid teammate. With her years of experience, her thoughts about the future of the sport are powerful and insightful. Thank you, Mari, for joining us for lucky episode #13.

Wilo Nater - Father, U.S. Army Veteran, Educator, and Adventure Racer - of Team Onyx tells us all about his recent experiences at the recent USARA National Championships, his introduction to the sport, and the steep learning curve that he is enjoying as a newcomer to AR. Listen along as his infectious spirit, love of all things outdoors, and his joy in being part of a team just pours out of him. Thank you, WIlo, for sharing your experience and enthusiasm with us.

Links:

Team Onyx - https://www.usara.com/tales-from-ta-the-usara-blog/get-to-knowteam-onyx

Darren Steinbach, with just a few days notice, jumps on a flight to Spain and competes in the Adventure Racing World Championships as a member of Oregon's Bend Racing . Join The Dark Zone as Darren walks us through his race, the challenges of the course, and the incredible support offered by his teammates. Plus how a bungee cord became a shin-saving lifeline.

Richard Sparks recently competed at the Adventure Racing World Championships in A Coruna, Spain in October 2021. The 600km race consisting of Mountain Biking, Trekking, Sea and River Kayaking, Coasteering, Ropes and Navigation hosted close to 100 teams. The race that Richard thought he was going to have and the race that he had were two completely separate things. Thank you to Richard for joining The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast.

Justin 'Biz' Bakken and Brian Mayer join The dARk Zone to tell all about their recent victory at the USARA National Championships, the ups and downs of the race (broken bike shoe bolt, anyone?), and how teammate Mari Chandler (currently racing at the World Championships in Spain) saved their race 3 minutes after the start. Stick around for the bonus content.

Thank you to episode sponsor The New York Adventure Racing Association - www.nyara.org - and visit their website to learn more about The Longest Day 24-hour race coming in May 2022.

Tim Buchholz of Rib Mountain Racing recounts his team's USARA Nationals experience, talks about his growth as a racer, speaks about his best and not-so-best races (Who needs to bring all the maps anyway?), and reminds us that people from Wisconsin are just the nicest people. He's so nice that when he passes you during a race he offers a bright smile and really hopes you have a great race. Yep, one of those guys. Sit back, relax, and enjoy Tim and his tales of racing greatness.

USARA Executive Director Michael Garrison, TDZ's first repeat guest, joins Brian to talk all things 2021 nationals. From the race structure, the teams that amazed him, and all the lessons learned, join Garrison as he shares his thoughts about the current state of and future growth of USARA.

And get ready for some jet lag, East Coasters, when the 2022 Nationals comes around.

2021 USARA National Championships Race Director Paula Waite of 180Adventure joins The Dark Zone to talk about the recent championships, the course, the experience of various teams, and her own adventure racing career. A longtime racer, RD, and advocate for the sport, Paula and her team brought the ar community a very successful national championship. Join us to learn more and hear directly from her.

Stephanie Ross, USARA's nationals coordinator, competed in her first adventure race Odyssey's twelve-hour Jeep Kentucky AR at Carter Caves State Resort Park in 2002. She raced it solo and was completely demoralized by the course - and also completely hooked on the sport. A year later, she designed her first race, the Red River Gorge American Classic, aka the Fig, now the longest-running adventure race in Kentucky. She continued to organize races under the Flying Squirrel Adventure banner until 2015, when she turned over the Unbridled AR series and the Fig to 361 Adventures. Her efforts now focus on bringing more women (and youth) into the sport, through the Women of AR campaign. She has directed two USARA National Championships and has assisted with planning and vetting courses for Nationals since 2010.

Our conversation is expansive and wide-ranging - from her background in AR, how to be an aspiring race director, and her important and vital work with the Women of AR initiative.

This was a fun one to record, and I hope that you find Steph. Sit back and enjoy Episode 5 of the Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast.

TDZ is happy to support The Checkpoint presented by the United States Adventure Racing Association through this crosspost of their Episode #6. Thank you for being a listener and thank you for supporting USARA.

Episode Details Below:

Welcome to Episode 6 of USARA's The Checkpoint Podcast.

In this episode, Brent speaks with Allen Wagner of Broad Run Off Road Racing about his upcoming Fall Foliage Adventure Race. An increasingly popular race, the Fall Foliage is a great race for beginners and veterans alike. Our second segment is a deep dive into past USARA National Championships with Stephanie Ross and Tray Farrar. Packed with stories, adventures, and the challenges of presenting a national championship, this episode is a great way to prepare for next month's USARA National Championship Race in Snowshoe, West Virginia.

Thanks to Brian Gatens of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast for his assistance.

Be sure to visit the United States Adventure Racing Association at www.usara.com

Thank you for stopping by The Checkpoint. Don't stay here too long. There's training and racing to get to!

Shownotes:

https://www.usara.com/

www.ardarkzone.com

Join us as TDZ interviews John Farless and Brian Fribley of No Sleep Adventures. Friends, Adventurers, and Co-Race Directors John and Brian share their love of adventure racing, their introduction to the sport, and how much they enjoy bringing AR to new racers. They also confirm the sport stranglehold that basketball has on the state of Indiana. Welcome to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast!

Brian Reiss - The Dark Zone's Original Recording Guinea Pig - joins The Dark Zone to tell us how he jumped into adventure racing with two feet, the things he's learned along the way, and how to be a great teammate. Brian is always up for an adventure and he's always great for a story or five.

Join us as we hear from Michael Garrison, Executive Director of the United States Adventure Racing Association. Garrison/Mike/Michael (we call him all three during the podcast) is a longtime racer and not only offers an overview of adventure racing for the new person, but also speaks to what AR means to him and why he is so passionate about the community.

TDZ helps the United States Adventure Racing Association with 'The Checkpoint' Podcast. In editing Episode #6, Steph Ross and Troy Farrar were asked by Host Brent Freedland about their favorite USARA National Championship memories.

Their answers were so interesting, fun, and poignant that we pulled them out for Episode 100.5 of TDZ. Call it a 'TDZ Short.' Not a full episode but a small taste of the stories that underpin TDZ's love of AR, and we're happy to share it here. Be sure to follow the links below for more information:

Shownotes:

https://www.usara.com/2024-national-championships

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Thank you to Grant Killian for joining us for our 100th episode. Untamed New England holds a special place in the AR World as well as for The Dark Zone as it was the first expedition race that we tackled. A legendary race, UTNE was known not only for its challenging terrain and navigation, but for the ethic of exploration and discovery brought to the event by Grant. Even though the UTNE was last held in 2018, the DNA of his race lived on in many of today's most popular races (and we hope that this episode will help bring UTNE back!).

Shownotes:

http://untamedne.com/_/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Thank you to Nathalie Long, Race Director for Raid The Rockies, for joining TDZ to talk about her newest stage race in the Canadian Rockies, her own racing career, and a little race called UTMB. Natalie runs the well-named Adventure Immersion Lab and her racers got their fair share of immersion at the inaugural Raid the Rockies.

Shownotes:

https://www.adventureimmersionlab.ca/

https://arworldseries.com/races/raid-the-rockies-canada

https://utmb.world/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Thomas Ogander, Race Director for the One Water Race, for joining TDZ to talk about One Water, the limits of human capacity, and how the Swedish Archipelago provides a challenging backdrop for his race. An increasingly popular event, racers swim/run for sixty hours and navigate among the coastal islands. Adventure Racers will see echoes of our sport in One Water.

Shownotes:

https://onewaterrace.com/

https://otilloswimrun.com/

https://www.gih.se/english

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7gbIVNCvG_4mSYKREpyU1g

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Expedition Canada's Ben Kwiatkowski for joining TDZ to talk about his big goals and his big races. In the past several years he has competed in some of the most challenging races on multiple continents including Eco-Challenge Fiji and the AR World Championships in South Africa. A firefighter by training with many years of outdoor experience, Ben has applied all that he knows to his racing. He loves being an adventure racer and it pours out of him during the interview.

Shownotes:

https://arworldseries.com/

https://ecochallenge.com/

https://arc.remarkable.events/

https://arworldseries.com/races/vulcania-chile

https://larutamadre.mx/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.adventureenablers.com/

These may be the smartest guests that we'll ever have on The Dark Zone.

Thank you to Dr. Barton and Dr. Sutcliffe for joining TDZ to discuss the findings in their paper, "Enacting Resilience: Adventure Racing as a Microcosm of Resilience Organizing." Published in March 2023, they go deep on their onsite research at races and what AR teamwork teaches other organizations and professions. The team dynamic is vital in AR and everyone will leave with a greater understanding of how to function. Plus they are a lot of fun.

Shownotes:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1468-5973.12459?domain=p2p_domain&token=QMRHA2TXVIUWBMYBPHCM

Sponsor Links:

https://raceroster.com/events/2024/85413/hike-for-her-2024

Here comes the course beta!

Thank you to USARA National Championship Race Directors Michelle and Liz Faucher for coming onto the show to preview the course, discuss the logistics, and otherwise turn the Race Stoke Meter up to 11 for this year's nationals. We go deep on all parts of the race and offer training advice for all racers.

TDZ will be onsite for this year's nationals helping to bring updates, information, and analysis. It'll be here before you know it this September, and we can't wait to see who is crowned the national champion.

Shownotes:

https://www.usara.com/2024-national-championships

https://www.adventureaddictsracing.com/

https://www.usara.com/2024-national-championships

Music Intro:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7xxNc2lJSTr77HfacfOLUl?si=Q3HuT2Y2TYyrxlRoy5HQFw

Sponsor Links:

https://raceroster.com/events/2024/85413/hike-for-her-2024

https://chimneysweepva.com/

Thank you to Mari Chandler and Brennan Schoenherr for coming onto the show to discuss Arthur the King. Listeners know Mari well as she is most definitely a Friend of the Pod. Brennan is a new name for TDZ Nation. A personal friend and (currently) a non-racer, Brennan brings a new and insightful perspective to our sport. Aside from the dog, he's the real hero of this podcast. This episode is much more than a discussion of the film and we go deep on the lessons learned from the film and how they apply to AR. And, as usual, Mari regales us with story after story from her illustrious career. Special thanks to previous TDZ guest Mikael Lindnord, the real-life inspiration for Mark Wahlberg's character, for bringing his story of Arthur to the big screen.

Shownotes:

https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/arthur-the-king

https://raceroster.com/events/2024/85413/hike-for-her-2024

https://wondery.com/shows/alternate-routes/

Vermont Adventure Racer Megan Moir, known for her hard work, effort, and positive attitude, is one of the more frequently requested "Hey, can you bring her on the show?" guests that TDZ hears about. In Episode 107, Megan shares her athletic background, entry into the sport, and how she has grown as an adventure racer. We were delighted to have her on the show. Enjoy!

Megan's Palmeres:

1st Place - 2-Person Coed - The Longest Day

1st Place (Tie) - Solo - Tug Hill

4th Place - 2-Person Coed - The Hard Fall

2024: Completed Five Races (and lived to tell about it) - Tug Hill, The Longest Day, The Hard Fall, USARA Nationals, and Two Rivers AR.

Expedition Race Experiences:

Endless Mountains 2022 - Finished

Endless Mountains 2023 - All mandatories and some optional checkpoints

Endless Mountains 2025 - Returning for another go at it!

Remember - You Keep Racing, and we'll Keep Talking!

Shownotes:

www.endlessmountainsar.com

https://tughilloutfitters.com/tug-hill-extreme-adventure/

https://www.rootstockracing.com/two-rivers-adventure-race.html

https://www.usara.com/national-championships-2024

https://www.gmara.org/races/hardfall/

https://ardarkzone.com/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Thank you to Nick Hurff for coming onto the show. Whether as an Adventure Racer, Coach, Race Director, or Sports Performance Expert, Nick is a font of knowledge, experience, and wisdom. From his training to the intricacies of nutrition and recovery, Nick has much to share with the listener. Special shoutout for his Adaptive AR coming this year. This is another good one for both the newer and experienced racer.

Shownotes:

https://www.rev3endurance.com/

https://auwolves.com/staff-directory/nicholas-hurff-cscs/393

https://jessetubb.com/

Thank you to Polish Adventure Racer and Ultra-endurance Athlete Rafael Adametz for coming onto the show. An accomplished racer, Raf recounts his entry to the sport, his growth as a racer, and his recent experience racing La Routa Adventure Race (the Philippine one, not the Mexice one). He's a great guest so settle in and enjoy this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast.

Shownotes:

https://www.ra-sportsmentor.com/

https://arworldseries.com/races/la-routa-adventure-race-philippines

Thank you to Team MDWW - Mountain Designs Wild Women - for coming onto the show. As the first all-female team to win an ARWS Expedition Race, they have secured their spot in AR lore, and also provide a cracking good episode filled with guidance, advice, and the keys to their longevity. With 78 combined years of adventure racing between them, they are the best of the best and when they speak, AR class is in session.

Shownotes:

https://www.wldnco.com/24-hour-to-6-day-events/legend-expd

https://www.blogger.com/profile/11710981965297924946

https://sportzhub.com/article/historic-win-for-mountain-designs-wild-women-team-at-legend-xpd-australia.html

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dark-zone-84-adventure-racer-and-race-director-chris/id1578529221?i=1000636511297

Episode Sponsors:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast is delighted to collaborate with the United States Adventure Racing Association on their new podcast: The Checkpoint. Join Brent Freedland and Brian Gatens as they interview regional race directors and a wide variety of voices from the world of Adventure Racing.

Shownotes:

The Checkpoint on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-checkpoint/id1730696441

https://www.adventuresignup.com/Race/MO/Eminence/TheBerrymanAdventure

https://www.dinoseries.com/

www.usara.com

Thank you to Team NAWWAL - Not All Who Wander Are Lost - for coming onto the show. This is a true-blue AR story. Four (somewhat) strangers decide to join forces and take on the 2023 edition Malacara Expedition Race in Florianopolis, Brazil. What follows is a bonkers story of struggle, teamwork, triumph and finishing with leftover food. This is a great listen to kill an hour or so while training. Thank you, NAWWAL, for coming onto TDZ.

Shownotes:

https://www.malacararace.com.br/

Episode Sponsors:

https://thewealthgardenfs.com/

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Jason Bettis and Danny Collins for returning to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. Expedition Ozark 2024 is their sophomore effort as RD's and are coming into this year's race following the great success and positive feedback from EO 2023. This episode touches upon their growth as RD's, their own successful adventure racing careers, and the appeal of Northwest Arkansas as a racing destination.

Shownotes:

https://www.expeditionozark.com/

https://www.visitbentonville.com/

Episode Sponsors:

https://thewealthgardenfs.com/

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Santiago Lopez for coming onto the show. One of the longest-serving and most successful race directors in the sport, Santiago talks about his experiences as both racer and race director, the upcoming ARWS World Championship in Ecuador, and his thoughts about the future of the sport. Huairasinchi, the race for which he is best known, is the adventure race with more editions in the history of the sport (19). 

Santiago is a great guest in which to kick off 2024. This is going to be a wonderful year for our sport and there's no better way to start than by focusing on the World Championship, but have no fear, there is a lot of content in here for racers of all distances and abilities.

Shownotes:

https://www.proyectoaventura.com/site/13/home_arwc24

https://www.arworldseries.com/races/huairasinchi-arwc-2024-ecuador

Episode Sponsors:

https://thewealthgardenfs.com/

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Alyssa Godesky for coming onto the show. One of our more accomplished guests, Alyssa has placed on the podium at the 2022 USARA National Championship, has eight top-5 professional finishes at the Ironman distance, and holds multiple Fastest Known Times (FKT's) including on the New Hampshire 48 High Peaks, Adirondack 46 High Peaks and Vermont's Long Trail (273 miles). Alyssa competed in the One Water Race in Sweden this past year, and she goes deep on that experience. Along the way we discuss her work as a coach, her "Ironwomen" podcast, and how the role of women in endurance sports has evolved.

Shownotes:

https://www.alyssagodesky.com/

https://biscaycoaching.com/alyssa-godesky/

https://livefeisty.com/ironwomen/

https://onewaterrace.com/athletes/alyssa-godesky/

One Water Race Full Video - https://youtu.be/Yam_dvoVp6U?si=lnWGz_4MmTNJdcQu

https://www.rootstockracing.com/

Episode Sponsors:

https://thewealthgardenfs.com/

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Amanda Bohley for coming onto the show. Originally recorded in December 2022, Amanda drops timeproof stories, pearls of wisdom, and overall stoke for this sport of ours. From having the world's greatest co-workers to being the adventure race equivalent of a human "Break Glass In Case A Great Teammate is Needed" emergency box, Amanda loves AR and we love the enthusiasm, attitude, and support that she brings to her teammates. Thank you for coming onto the show AND for your patience while waiting for TDZ to get this one out into the world.

Shownotes:

https://www.rootstockracing.com/

https://www.facebook.com/BRF.Podcast/

https://www.bendracing.com/

Episode Sponsors:

https://thewealthgardenfs.com/

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Mikael Lindnord - Adventure Racer, Author, and Executive Producer of the upcoming film 'Arthur the King' for coming onto the show. Not only does Mikael share his experience with Arthur, the dog he rescued in Ecuador in 2014, but he also shares his vast racing experience and what it was like to be an Executive Producer for the upcoming film. Our longest episode yet, Mikael goes deep on all his experiences and we are grateful for his time.

Shownotes:

https://greystonebooks.com/products/arthur

https://www.arthurtheking.movie/synopsis/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjDJNEPghNY

https://www.arworldseries.com/

Episode Sponsors:

https://thewealthgardenfs.com/

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Mary Foster, Alyssa Godesky, Wayne Leek, Greg Prouty, and Race Directors Brent Freedland and Abby Perkiss for joining TDZ for an in-race flash episode live from the race course. It's been a great, fast race and their analysis/thoughts help everyone at home get a sense of the race so far.

Thank you for being a listener. If you like what you hear, please like, click, and subscribe on your streaming platform of choice. This helps spread the word about Adventure Racing and TDZ's role in helping elevate the sport.

Remember - You Keep Racing, and we'll Keep Talking!

Shownotes:

TRACKING LINK - https://live.enabledtracking.com/rivers2024/

www.usara.com

https://www.rootstockracing.com

https://ardarkzone.com/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Thank you to Adventure Racer and Race Director Chris Dixon for coming onto the show. Chris's outfit, Wild&Co., offers AR's all over Australia and his organization likes to think big and offer expansive and challenging races. First and foremost, Chris loves to be an adventure racer and he makes sure that his events honor the sport, the efforts of the racers, and focuses on getting people to the finish line. Chris is a a human stoke machine and you're going to want to go get your gear and head off on an adventure following this one.

Shownotes:

https://www.wldnco.com/

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

Thank you to Per Vestling and Oskar Svärd of The Swedish Armed Forces Adventure Team (SAFAT) for coming onto the show. The 2023 Adventure Racing World Champions Per and Oskar, alongside their teammates Malin Hjalmarsson and Team Captain John Karlsson, captured their 2nd championship in the last three years at the ARWS World Championship held in Kouga, South Africa in October 2023.

Shownotes:

https://www.facebook.com/swedisharmedforcesadventureteam/

https://arworldseries.com/

https://orienteer.co/

Thank you to repeat guest Mari Chandler of Team Vidaraid for joining the show. She is fresh from the ARWS Championship Race Course and walks us through the race, the ups and downs, and how Vidaraid stormed back from a long overnight dark zone to capture 2nd place. Full of wisdom and experience, Mari is not to be missed.

Thank you to The New York Adventure Racing Association - www.nyara.org - for sponsoring this episode of The Dark Zone. Reach out to us at Brian@ardarkzone.com if you'd like to explore possible episode sponsorships. Rates are beyond reasonable.

Welcome to Flash Podcast Episode #2 of The Dark Zone. Once again we have assembled an excellent team of analysts to share their thoughts and wisdom with the legions of at-home dotwatchers. This episode was recorded on Facebook Live during the ARWS World Championships held in South Africa October 2023.

Thank you to Stephanie Ross from Flying Squirrel Racing, Jason Magness from Bend Racing, and Brent Freedland from Rootstock Racing for coming onto today’s show. Special thanks to Jeff O’Connor of Adventure Racing Insider for helping to produce the episode.

Shownotes:

https://arworldseries.com/

https://www.adventureracinginsider.com/

https://www.unbridledwomenar.com/

https://www.rootstockracing.com/

https://www.bendracing.com/

The next best thing to adventure racing is talking about adventure racing and welcome to this Flash Podcast Episode of The Dark Zone. We have assembled a crack team of analysts to offer in-race updates, analysis, and predictions from the ARWS World Championship Race happening RIGHT NOW in South Africa!

Thank you to Ashley Eaton from Strong Machine, Jason Magness from Bend Racing, and Abby Perkiss and Brent Freedland from Rootstock Racing for coming onto today's show. Special thanks to Jeff O'Connor of Adventure Racing Insider for helping to produce the episode.

Shownotes:

https://arworldseries.com/

https://www.adventureracinginsider.com/

https://www.rootstockracing.com/

https://www.bendracing.com/

https://www.strongmachinear.com/

Thank you to ARWS World Championships Race Director Stephan Muller for coming onto the show. This episode is a full course preview of the 2023 World Championships being held in Kouga, South Africa. 800 KM, 10 stages, and over 8 days of racing is just waiting out there for the racers and this episode goes deep on the entire course. Thank you to Stephan for making time for us during the busy days leading up to the race.

Shownotes:

https://arworldseries.com/races/expedition-africa-kouga-eastern-cape-south-africa

https://arworldseries.com/

Thank you to Nationals Race Director Chris Yager and Team Grit Adventure members Jesse Spangler and Jesse Tubb for coming onto the show. This episode recounts their 2nd place finish at the 2023 USARA National Championships. All three guests have been on TDZ previously and they do a great job recounting the race, discussing their nutritional and navigational strategy, and sharing their training in advance of such a strong performance. Their teammate Amanda Bohley was missed but she'll be on soon enough to share her experience as well.

Shownotes:

https://www.grit-adventures.com/

www.rootstockracing.com

www.orienteer.co

www.mcdonalds.com

www.snickers.com

Thank you to Sachiko for coming onto the show. This episode recounts Team East Wind's experience at the Nordic Islands Adventure Race on the Faroe Islands from August 2023. A legendary team, East Wind lived up to its reputation of relentless racing, strong competition, and making solid strategic decisions. Sachiko, a well-established long-distance trail runner before she joined East Wind, speaks at length about not only the race and the team's experience, but also her personal race strategies. She was a delightful guest and congratulations on her upcoming wedding (a fact that she just casually dropped during the interview to my great delight).

Shownotes:

https://www.east-wind.jp/team/

https://www.niar.io/races/niar-faroe-islands-2023/

Thank you to Abby and Brent of Rootstock Racing for coming onto the show. This episode is the culmination of a six-episode arc in which TDZ was embedded into The Endless Mountains Adventure Race. In this episode, Abby and Brent unpack the planning, preparation and experience of presenting a 5-day race. It's a deep dive into all aspects of the race. Special mention is made about volunteers, their dedication, and the experience of many of the racers. This is a great listen for both the aspiring RD and also for racers considering making the jump into longer-distance adventure races.

Shownotes:

www.rootstockracing.com

www.endlessmountainsar.com

Thank you to La Ruta Madre Race Director Javier Barreda for coming onto the show. Billed as 'Mexico's Toughest Race," La Ruta Madre puts the natural beauty of Mexico on full display. Javier speaks about the challenging course, the high level of hospitality, and how he works hard for both a great race and to give those who travel a wonderful overall experience. Get your gear ready! Mexico is calling!

Shownotes:

https://larutamadre.mx/

Thank you to Abby Perkiss and Brent Freedland of Rootstock Racing for coming onto the show to reveal and discuss the 2024 USARA North American Championship Race Course. This conversation is being released at the very start of the race so that fans, dotwatchers, and at-home teammates can get a sense of this challenging and rugged race course. See the tracking link below.

Thank you for being a listener. If you like what you hear, please like, click, and subscribe on your streaming platform of choice. This helps spread the word about Adventure Racing and TDZ's role in helping elevate the sport.

Remember - You Keep Racing, and we'll Keep Talking!

Shownotes:

TRACKING LINK - https://live.enabledtracking.com/rivers2024/

www.usara.com

https://www.rootstockracing.com

https://ardarkzone.com/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thearschool.com/

Thank you to Team Bend Racing for joining TDZ to discuss their decisive victory at Rootstock Racing's Endless Mountains Adventure Race. Alongside their discussion of their race, Bend speaks about their approach to the sport, team dynamics, and the process they follow when it comes to race training and preparation.

Shownotes:

www.endlessmountainsar.com

www.rootstockracing.com

www.bendracing.com

www.orienteer.co