The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast

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/

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 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/