The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast

Thank you to Paul Steele and John Hardin for coming onto the show to talk about their newest endeavor. The CheNarr Adventure Race is coming to the Nashville, Tennessee area this coming August. Driven by a desire to share the natural beauty of the area and their love of adventure, John and Paul are excited for the first edition of the race. Shownotes:https://www.adventuresignup.com/Race/TN/Pegram/CheNarrhttps://hardwinadventures.com/

Thank you to Stephan Muller for coming onto the show. A longtime adventure racer, including the first Eco-Challenge, Stephan goes deep on his plans for the ARWS World Championship in South Africa this October. Along the way he shares his AR wisdom, talks about what the sport means to him, and how teams can prepare for a big race. Shownotes:https://arworldseries.com/world-championship

Thank you to Travis and Mark 'Mace' Macy for joining The Dark Zone to share their experience, strength, hope, and stories. Travis's new book A Mile at a Time recounts their family's dedication to endurance racing (including Mace's participation in the first Eco-Challenge), Mace's Alzheimer's diagnosis, Travis's successful adventure racing career, and their decision to race Eco-Challenge: Fiji together. Along the way, they both share their AR wisdom. A Mile at a Time - https://a.co/d/5r135yvTravis Macy - www.travismacy.comDanelle Ballengee - https://www.runnersworld.com/trail-running/a20808181/danelle-ballengee-five-years-later/Thank you to this episode's sponsor: VJ Shoes - https://vjshoesusa.com/the-dark-zone and use code: darkzone20 for a $20 discount. And please visit TDZ's Charity Partner - Ascend Athletics at https://www.ascendathletics.org/ and learn more about their work with young women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. TDZ is happy to promote its work at no cost to Ascend.

Thank you to Adrian Crane for joining The Dark Zone to share his adventure racing stories and wisdom. Adrian has competed in every Eco-Challenge, among many other events, and shares not only his stories from back in the day, but what he sees today as an Adventure Racing World Series referee. We are fortunate to have Adrian on the show and the TDZ community is grateful for his time. Thank you to this episode's sponsor: VJ Shoes - https://vjshoesusa.com/the-dark-zone and use code: darkzone20 for a $20 discount. And please visit TDZ's Charity Partner - Ascend Athletics at https://www.ascendathletics.org/ and learn more about their work with young women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. TDZ is happy to promote its work at no cost to Ascend.

Thank you to Jennifer Strong McConachie for joining The Dark Zone to discuss her book Go Far: How Endurance Sports Help You Win at Life. An accomplished ultrarunner, climber, and endurance sports competitor, she doesn't hold back in sharing her many life lessons and personal adventures. And, yes, rollerblading finally makes its way onto an episode of TDZ. My apologies in advance. https://jenniferstrongmccon.com/https://www.amazon.com/Go-Far-Endurance-Sports-Help/dp/157826913XThank you to this episode's sponsor: VJ Shoes - https://vjshoesusa.com/the-dark-zone and use code: darkzone20 for a $20 discount. And please visit TDZ's Charity Partner - Ascend Athletics at https://www.ascendathletics.org/ and learn more about their work with young women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. TDZ is happy to promote its work at no cost to Ascend.

Thank you to Team Bend Racing/Skin Doctor for joining The Dark Zone. Only a few hours from their resounding win at Expedition Ozark, Bend Racing recounts their journey, the challenges along the way, and how they held it together at the front of the race for so long. This is a must listen for racers of all speeds as Bend shares so many of their strategies and techniques. Special thanks to Rob Howard of www.sleepmonsters.com for helping to arrange the interview so quickly. Thank you to this episode's sponsor: VJ Shoes - https://vjshoesusa.com/the-dark-zone and use code: darkzone20 for a $20 discount. And please visit TDZ's Charity Partner - Ascend Athletics at https://www.ascendathletics.org/ and learn more about their work with young women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. TDZ is happy to promote its work at no cost to Ascend. Shownotes - Be sure to check out: https://arworldseries.com/www.expeditionozark.comwww.bendracing.comWant to give an expedition race a go? Be sure to check out www.endlessmountainsar.com

Flash Podcast alert - This is a special episode of TDZ. No music! No intro! Nothing! We get right into Expedition Ozark. Welcome to the show! Thank you to Brent Freedland, Emily Korsch and Jason Magness for joining The Dark Zone for this Expedition Ozark Flash Episode. Recorded halfway through the race, our panel discusses the race so far, the strategies being used by the teams, the mid-pack and back-of-the-pack teams that are still slugging it out, and the race to the finish. https://www.expeditionozark.com/www.rootstockracing.comhttps://www.bendracing.com/Thank you to this episode's sponsor: VJ Shoes - https://vjshoesusa.com/the-dark-zone and use code: darkzone20 for a $20 discount. And please visit TDZ's Charity Partner - Ascend Athletics at https://www.ascendathletics.org/ and learn more about their work with young women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. TDZ is happy to promote its work at no cost to Ascend.

Thank you to Travis Siehndel and Mike Chaney of Adventure Enablers for joining The Dark Zone. Their wide-ranging conversation covers their Adventure Racing, Self-Made Adventures, and their jump into Race Directing. Chock full of advice, this episode is valuable to both the beginner and the veteran racer. Thank you to this episode's sponsor: VJ Shoes - https://vjshoesusa.com/the-dark-zone and use code: darkzone20 for a $20 discount. And please visit TDZ's Charity Partner - Ascend Athletics at https://www.ascendathletics.org/ and learn more about their work with young women in Pakistan and Afghanistan. TDZ is happy to promote its work at no cost to Ascend. Shownotes - Be sure to check out: https://www.adventureenablers.com/almostheavenarwww.endlessmountainsar.comhttps://thedirtbag.libsyn.com/fun_divided_by_threehttps://www.adventurecycling.org/

Thank you to New Zealanders Fynn and Molly of Team Fear Youth for returning to The Dark Zone (Check them out on Episode #30) to recount their experience at Godzone, Chapter 11. They had a great race and do a fine job telling the world all about it. They offer a master class on how to level up from Year 1 to Year 2 and do it in the typically humble NZ sort of way. Be sure to check out:https://godzoneadventure.com/https://www.facebook.com/fearsocietynz/

Thank you to Vanessa Cummings for coming onto The Dark Zone. We connected with Vanessa well in advance of her first race and she was kind enough to track her preparation and overall approach to the event while balancing the other demands of day-to-day life. Special shoutout to her strategy of springboarding from volunteering at an event to racing it the next year. A tried and true method for many a new adventure racer.

Thank you to Marina LeGree of Ascend Leadership Through Athletics for joining The Dark Zone for a discussion of her group's work in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Along the way we draw the connection between her organization's work and what similarities it has to the attitude and ethics of AR. You can learn more about Ascend and support their work at the following link: https://www.ascendathletics.org/Also, we reference Rebecca Solnit's powerful book: A Paradise Built in Hell during the podcast and that link may be found here:https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/301070/a-paradise-built-in-hell-by-rebecca-solnit/

Thank you to Mary for joining The Dark Zone to talk about her entry into AR, her years as a solo racer, and her trajectory into becoming a multi-day racer. Along the way, we write down the Five "Foster Rules" that she has developed. Mary loves AR, the people that she meets, and what she has learned about herself. Warning - This one may cause you to strap a pack on your back and go walk through the night.

Thank you to John for joining The Dark Zone to talk about NYARA's premier event - The Longest Day 24-Hour Race - and his experience as a racer, race director, and student of the sport. John's enthusiasm for AR is contagious and you'll want to listen to this one when you're on the trainer, climbing a mountain or pounding out those road miles. Learn more at www.nyara.orgThank you to this episode's sponsor - The United States Adventure Racing Association. Now is the time to head over to their website to check out their resources, event calendar, and see all that they have to offer the community. Learn more at www.usara.com

Thank you to Jason and Danny for joining The Dark Zone to talk about Expedition Ozark, a new 5-day race coming up in April 2023. Set in the host city of Bentonville, Arkansas, EO sounds like it has all things for all racers. Jason and Danny talk about the course, the disciplines, and what the race has to offer. And, of course, there will be caves, but the fun type!Learn more at: www.expeditionozark.com

Thank you to Kate Geisen for coming on the show as she recounts her AR history, but more importantly her bikepacking adventure on the North-to-South route of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Kate walks us through her prep, those early hard days (including an unexpected zero-day), her need to commit breaking and entering (with permission), and how an automatic sprinkler was her partner's biggest nemesis. Be sure to check out Ride the Divide at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1530991/

Welcome to David Webster of Team ACDC AR. Not only did he jump into the deep end of the pool at the 5-day ITERA Expedition Race this past August, but he didn't even dip his toes in the water beforehand. Sit down, buckle up, and listen to how David jumped into an expedition race as his first AR. Special thanks to NYARA.org for sponsoring this episode of The Dark Zone. Head over to their website to learn about their premiere event The Longest Day coming up in August 2023. Thanks for being a listener and feel free to send any thoughts or ideas to [email protected]

The Eastern Mountain Wilderness Challenge, the brainchild of Eric Caravella of Packrafting Adventures, was held for the first time this past August in New York State's Adirondack Park. A wilderness area larger than the State of Massachusetts, the Adirondacks offer a true backcountry experience for the teams that took on this 30-hour, four-checkpoint race. That's right. No bins. No TA's. Nothing. Just a set of maps and an expansive wilderness. Follow this link to see the race maps and the route choices of each of the teams:https://www.packraftingadventures.com/emwc-2022Those maps will come in handy while listening to this episode. Thank you for being a listener. Please leave a review on your preferred streaming platform of choice. That's the best way to spread the word about The Dark Zone.

Thank you to Nathan Fa'avae for coming onto the show. In many ways, Nathan is in no need of an introduction as his 20+ year adventure racing career, with multiple wins and 7 AR World Championships, does all the talking for him, but Nathan is plentiful in his thoughts and gracious with his time as he speaks about his personal growth as a racer. Alongside that, he walks us through the challenges and successes of his team's recent World Championship win in Paraguay.

Whether solo or with a team, Jesse Spangler brings his best, fast self to every adventure race that he enters. Thank you to him for coming on the show to talk about his entry to the sport, how his solo racing has helped him to be a better teammate, and defining all those navigation terms that bedevil those of us who are more human.

Thank you to Craig Cook of AR Live Coverage, Brent Freedland of Rootstock Racing and Jason Magness of Bend Racing for coming onto the show for instant/flash analysis of the ARWS World Championships in Paraguay. The top ten are still coming across the line (after almost 130 hours of racing) and teams are scattered all over this monster of a course. They talk about Avaya's convincing win, the teams left in their wake, and what this course (and sport) does to people. www.arworldseries.comwww.facebook.com/arlivecoveragewww.rootstockracing.comwww.bendracing.com

Thanks to the hard work of Dave Gedney and the magic of tracking devices, we were able to track down four teams while on the course at USARA Nationals. We made good use of their mandatory 5-minute media time to chat about the race and how it's going so far. Thank you to the following teams: Team Psyched, Cherubini Brothers, Thisability Racing, and Only Mostly Lost for sharing their experience so far. The Dark Zone is grateful to USARA for helping to make this unique episode happenGo to www.usara.com for all race updates and information.

Thank you to Brent Freedland as we spend 10 minutes breaking down the action found in the first two stages (and little bit of the rest of the race) of the 2022 USARA Nationals. Head over www.usara.com for all their media coverage.

Thank you to the hardest working AR analyst in the business Brent Freedland of Rootstock Racing for sticking around AFTER our Worlds episode to offer his thoughts on the upcoming USARA National Championship Race being held in Bishop, CA this weekend. The terrain, the teams, and the big race picture are all discussed. Sit back and enjoy this flash episode of The Dark Zone.Shownotes: www.usara.com

Thank you to Craig Cook of AR Live Coverage and Brent Freedland of Rootstock Racing for coming onto this Flash Edition of The Dark Zone. Craig and Brent offer their thoughts on the upcoming AR World Series World Championship Race in Paraguay. They go deep on the teams, what information can be gleaned from the race schematic, and who they think will be on the podium after almost 100 hours of racing. Shownoteswww.arworldseries.com https://www.facebook.com/arlivecoveragewww.rootstockracing.com

Thank you to Allen Wagner of Broad Run Off Road for coming onto the show. A growing race organization, Broad Run's events have increased in popularity and challenge over time. Allen talks about the start of Broad Run, how it has grown organically, and what he has learned as both a race director and as a racer.Thank you to Rootstock Racing's Endless Mountains 5-Day Adventure Race (www.endlessmountainsar.com) for sponsoring this episode of The Dark Zone. Be sure to join Rootstock Racing this June for the 2nd edition of The Endless Mountains. Shownotes:www.broadrunoffroad.org - Be sure to check out all the Broad Run has to offer.

Thank you to Liz and Michelle Faucher for coming onto the show to talk about their introduction to AR, their work as Adventure Addicts Racing and how they work hard to bring new racers into the sport. Veteran racers themselves, Liz and Michelle go deep into their base of knowledge and share all of it with our audience. Enjoy! Shownotes:Adventure Addicts Racing - https://www.adventureaddictsracing.com/

Thank you to Yishai Horowitz, Race Director for the 2022 USARA National Championships for coming onto the show to describe the course. He offers an overview of the terrain as well as the various disciplines just waiting out there for those fortunate enough to make it to California in September. Nationals is now in the open registration period so gather your team, plan your travel, and get yourself to Nationals. Now is the time to race alongside the best of the best (cue Top Gun theme music). Shownotes: USARA Website - https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Fresno/USARAAdventureRaceNationalChampionshipTop Gun Theme - https://youtu.be/zCTJmXrgsFg

Originally recorded in May 2022, Katie Ferrington of Never Summer Race Productions joins The Dark Zone to talk about her entry into the sport, the big and small races that she has competed in, her growth into becoming a race director, and how AR prepared her for a recent life challenge. In this episode, listeners will learn about being a good teammate, where the best food is usually found (hint: in your teammate's pack), and how challenges, both big and small, can be overcome. Shownotes:Never Summer Race Productions - https://rockymountainadventureseries.com/never-summer-24hr/Rocky Mountain Adventure Series - https://rockymountainadventureseries.com/

Through a collaboration between the United States Adventure Racing Association and The Dark Zone, we are proud to present this Facebook Live/Podcast Recording of Anna and Tim of Rib Mountain Racing. Alongside their two other teammates Jesse and Richard, they made it to the podium at Rootstock Racing's Endless Mountains Adventure Race in June 2022. Listeners can head over to USARA's Facebook page to watch the video of this podcast, but beware of Anna's post-race feet photos, or at least view them after dinner. Thank you to everyone for making this happen with special thanks to Dave Gedney, USARA's Media Director for pulling it all together.Shownotes:USARA Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/USadventureracingRib Mountain Racing - https://www.ribmountainadventurechallenge.com/Rootstock Racing's The Endless Mountains - www.endlessmountainsar.com

Originally recorded in May 2022, Igor Dorotic of AR Croatia (ARC) joins The Dark Zone to talk all things adventure racing. A well-known and respected race director, ARWS referee, and successful adventure racer in his own right, Igor tells us about AR Croatia, the course design (he hopes you like transitions), the ability for people to relive any ARC at their own pace, and what makes the best teams successful. Shownotes: AR Croatia and Relive Adventure - https://remarkable.events/AR Croatia Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adventureracecroatia/AR Croatia Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adventure.race.croatia/Untamed New England (here's hoping) - http://www.untamedne.com/_/

Today we are joined by Lars Bukkehave for an episode originally recorded in April 2022. A stalwart in the world of adventure racing, Lars has raced all over the world and has the stories to prove it. Today he regales us with his origin story, how he grew into being a world-class adventure racer, and his sleep and nutrition strategies. This is one of the longer episodes of TDZ, and we could have gone even longer. Following the initial recording, Lars sent an audio file with even more information on his upcoming race directing and other events that he's planning. Be sure to stick around for that. Since recording this episode, Lars was struck with a severe case of hypothermia at Expedition Oregon and had to withdraw from the race, but then came back as a member of Team Bend Racing to win the inaugural Endless Mountains Adventure Race with a winning time of just over 110 hours this past June. He's a human Weeble Wobble (Shout out to the 70's kids out there).Not only does he love the sport, but he cares deeply about newer racers and how best to bring new people to our races. He'll most certainly be a return guest to TDZ. Sit back and enjoy!

Today we are joined by Team Hunting Bigfoot. A team with a variety of AR experience and skills, Hunting Bigfoot took a gamble and used the Endless Mountains Adventure Race as their first race together. Listen in as they recount their five-day journey through the rigorous and unrelenting terrain of Western Pennsylvania. Their journey, teamwork, and how they overcame challenges along the way should serve as a blueprint for how a solid mid-pack team can do it right. Learn more about the Endless Mountains at www.endlessmountainsar.com

Today we are joined by Rachel Nolan. Rachel came to The Dark Zone's attention following this year's Expedition: Africa. Her experience, energy, and accent helped to carry her team throughout the long, tough course. Rachel shares that experience, her success as a bikepacking champion, and she eventually reminds us to get to her training. Thank you to Rachel for spending so much time with us. You can learn more about Rachel and her personal guide service at https://www.facebook.com/RachelsIrishAdventures/

Today we are joined by Zoe F. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A rising 3rd grader, it is safe to say that Zoe, alongside her little brother Simon, has attended more adventure races than any other child in the world. In this episode, she shares her thoughts on teamwork, adventure racing, and her upcoming school year. Thank you to Zoe for taking the time out of her preparation for Rootstock Racing's Endless Mountains to spend some time with the Dark Zone. www.endlessmountainsar.com

Today we are joined by Brent Freedland of Rootstock Racing. A previous guest on The Dark Zone, Brent shares his recent dotwatching experience from Expedition: Oregon and what the race taught him about long distance racing, how the teams did (or didn’t hold it together out there), and how Bend Racing is trying to bring the sport forward. This is all in advance of Rootstock Racing’s Inaugural Endless Mountains Adventure Race which is right around the corner. Special thanks to Strong Machine Racing for sponsoring today’s episode. Their premier event - the Maine Summer Adventure Race - is right around the corner and you can learn more about them and their races at www.strongmachinear.com. You’ll have a blast as they take you by foot, bike, and boat to the far corners of Maine. Enjoy today’s episode and thank you Brent for joining The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast.Rootstock Racing - www.rootstockracing.com Strong Machine - www.strongmachinear.com

Adventure Racer, Military Veteran, and Kidney Donor Dave Ashley joins the show to talk about his AR career, but more importantly his decision to donate a kidney to a colleague, and then use his ascent of The Seven Summits to show that kidney donors can go on to live lives of challenge and adventure. His journey wasn't easy and success wasn't guaranteed, and Dave walks us through the highs and lows both literally and figuratively. It was our honor to have him on as a guest. https://m.facebook.com/AdventureKidney/ - AdventureKidneyThe Himalyan Times -https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/kidney-donor-us-army-veteran-sets-record-scaling-mt-everestSeven Summits: Dave Ashley - Living Donor Gameshttps://www.livingdonorgames.org/athletes/sponsored-events-athletes/donor-athlete-profile-dave-ashley/Find out if you're qualified to donate a kidney: https://www.kidneyregistry.org/for-donors/am-i-qualified-to-donate-a-kidney/

Ben, Tom, and Jasper of Team Peak Pursuit join the show just hours after their finish at Expedition Oregon. In this Flash Episode, they recount their journey, how their preparation, teamwork, and communication helped along the way, and how much they have grown to love adventure racing. How did they do in the race? Give a listen to find out. Thank you to Adventure Addicts Racing (https://www.adventureaddictsracing.com/) for sponsoring this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. Adventure Addicts offers a wide variety of events in Maryland and Virginia. Keep an eye out for information about their next race, The Buff Betty, coming this September 24th.

New Zealanders Molly and Fynn join the show to talk about their recent GODZone experience, their preparation for such a long and ambitious course, and what they learned during the race. All of this is delivered in that wonderful and positive New Zealand way that will have you looking at flights to the island nation. Special thanks to Team Bend Racing's Jason Magness for joining the episode. Thank you to The New York Adventure Racing Association (www.nyara.org) for sponsoring today's episode. NYARA offers a variety of races and other events in and around the New York and New Jersey area. Special mention goes to their premier race "The Longest Day" - a 24-hour race and a USARA Regional Championship. Shownotes: https://godzoneadventure.com/www.nyara.org

Eric Caravella of Packrafting Adventures joins the show today to talk packrafts, their use in adventure racing, and the journey that brought him to be the founder of Packrafting Adventures. Thank you to the United States Adventure Racing Association for partnering with The Dark Zone to offer a playlist of companion videos. Link to the companion video playlist - USARA Packrafting Video - https://tinyurl.com/USARAPackraftShownotes:Packrafting Adventures - www.packraftingadventures.comThe United States Adventure Racing Association - www.usara.comEastern Mountain Wilderness Challenge - https://www.packraftingadventures.com/emwcAquabound paddles - https://aquabound.com/Werner Paddles - https://wernerpaddles.com/Alpacka Rafts - https://alnk.to/58k84XEHyperlite Mountain Gear - https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/Astral PFDs - https://astraldesigns.com/EEZYCUT Cutting Tools - https://eezycut.com/Northwest River Supplies (NRS) - https://www.nrs.com/American Canoe Association - https://americancanoe.org/Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Mountain_Wilderness_ClassicGrant Killian - http://www.untamedne.comDick Griffith - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AYLNETY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1Luc Mehl - https://thingstolucat.com/Roman Dial- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S1TFTRY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1For adventure mapping: - Caltopo.com

Today we are joined by Rootstock Racing's Karyn DuLaney, Joel Ford, and Paul Miller for a Flash Episode of the Dark Zone. They are fresh off their win at this past weekend's Shenandoah Epic 24-hour Adventure Race. Their highs, lows, strategy, nutrition, and accidentally paddle to the side of a teammate's head are all covered during this podcast. Thank you to them for joining us on short notice. Shownotes:www.rootstockracing.com

Today's guest is Jesse Tubb. Alongside being an experienced and well-traveled adventure racer (as well as a big fan of a Big Mac in transition), Jesse is also the founder of G.R.I.T. Adventures which strives to bring AR to younger racers. This is the longest TDZ to date, and be sure to stick around for the post-podcast bonus content.Visit G.R.I.T. here - https://www.grit-adventures.com/

Today's guest is South African Adventure Racer Donovan Sims. A longtime racer (and former rugby player), Don shares his experience and wisdom gleaned from his many races. Navigation, nutrition, sleep strategy and how to be a good teammate are discussed. Most importantly, he goes deep on his diagnosis and recovery from leukemia.

Today's guest is ARWS CEO Heidi Muller. Longtime Race Director, Adventure Racer, and now CEO of the ARWS, Heidi shares her journey from racer to RD, and how the ARWS is working to support aspiring race directors. Be sure to follow the 10th Anniversary of Expedition Africa: Lesotho coming April 2022Shownotes:Expedition Africa - http://www.expafrica.net/Events/Expedition-Africa-500-km-Lesotho-2022Adventure Racing World Series - https://arworldseries.com/

Today's guest is Jen 'Seegs" Segger. Longtime AR racer, coach, and all-around font of knowledge and wisdom. Today's episode goes deep on the finer points for the newer racer including training, foot care, sleep strategy, and how not to sleep in the jungle. (Spoiler Alert - Don't lay on the ground). TDZ listeners can visit https://www.jensegger.com/sprint-adventure-race-course and enter the code DARKZONE for a listener-only discount. Thank you to Jen for making that available to the fans of TDZ.

Today's guests are Jason Magness and Darren Steinbach of Team Bend RacingAs listeners will remember from episode #22, recorded just three days ago on February 22, 2022, Team Bend Racing's Darren Steinbach, who is providing support for the team, called in live from AR Panama to give a mid-race update. Today’s episode is a follow-up and has both Darren and Bend Racing’s Jason Magness. At the time of this recording, the team finished the race just a few hours early, but Jason is able to pull it all together and give us a great overview of the race and Bend’s experience. The race was a wild time for everyone and thank you to Darren and Jason for joining The Dark Zone.Shownotes:Darren Steinbach Instagram - @TravelingDarren

Today's guest is Darren Steinbach of Team Bend Racing live from Panama AR. Darren is providing race and media support for Team Bend Racing, and he spends some time sharing the team's experience so far, the unique events of the race, and an on-the-course overview of how it is going so far for all the competitors. You can follow Darren's updates via his Instagram feed - @TravelingDarren - as well as all the Team Bend Racing Social Media Channels. You can see the full podcast archive at www.ardarkzone.comThank you for being a listener!

Today’s guest is racer Barbara Phipps. A newer racer, Barbara shares with us her dive into adventure racing, how it has helped her to overcome her challenges, and how much she has grown as a person and a teammate. This is a deeply personal episode of The Dark Zone, and thank you to Barbara for her openness and honesty. You can see the full podcast archive at www.ardarkzone.comThank you for being a listener!

Today’s guest is the United States Adventure Racing Association Executive Director Michael Garrison. He joins The Dark Zone to walk our listeners through the revised entry process for USARA Nationals, the role of the team ranking system, and he shares some thoughts on the future of Adventure Racing. Shownotes: United States Adventure Racing Association - www.usara.com

Chelsey Magness joins The Dark Zone to talk about her introduction to adventure racing, the allure of free pizza and yoga and how it was too much to resist, her itinerant bicycle/yoga lifestyle and how it led her to champion adventure racing and mountain biking, and how her personal challenges around family and children have opened the door for her to help others. Show Notes:www.endurancemama.comwww.bendracing.com

Jay Petervary joins The Dark Zone to talk about his introduction to Adventure Racing, what he learned racing alongside his teammates, his transition into a champion bikepacking ultra-endurance cyclist, and how he finds more fulfillment today in helping others make it to the start and finish line than in his own racing. Show Notes:Website - www.jaypetervary.com