We'll delve into the state of AR as the 2024 season gets fully underway!

I woke up to see a strange sight on the leaderboard. Highpoint racing was no longer on the map or the list of lead teams. They'd had a commanding 4 hour lead when I'd gone to bed, and less than 16 hours or so of course left. The win was theirs. Or was it. But for a team to drop with that big of a buffer means that it was unlikely a mechanical, nav error or even stomach issues. 4 hours can solve a lot of problems. I went to the source to find out what happened.

Tu: The buddhist word for willful, stupid, but necessary suffering. Join us on a love story of sorts - a glimpse into heartbreak, friendship, risk, failure and introspection. There might be a poem in there too. A true story at the confluence of romantic dramedy, absolute loneliness, and self discovery.

Also known as PRD (post race depression) or PED (Post Expedition) it all amounts to the same thing. Ultra-endurance endeavors are "disruptive", and when you succeed (especially) when you succeed at self-selected disruptive events...well depression is a fairly common outcome. Seldom talked about - but here we go - a personal insight into my recent struggle and some of the tactics I used to get through it.

The MAGNIficent GodZone legacy (see what I did there?), the new IARC vs FISO, the return of the legendary GoldRush, the power of underwear, mental vs physical training, simple supplements for adventure racing and more.

I talk with esteemed ultra-endurance coach Heather Hart about her shift from Ultrarunning to Adventure racing. We get into training, risk, and way into the weeds with parenthood, funny stories etc. We even leave you with some sample training plans if you make it to the finish (or click here). Huge thanks to Heather for making me wake up way to early to hear her wisdom. You can follow her and her team at the upcoming Sea to Sea race Feb 22-25. I always love watching coaches suffer. After all they are so good at making their clients do it.

Heather's 16 week sprint AR training plan for beginners

My 3 week "Base-Ramp" for more experienced athletes shaking off the winter rust.

What if you could never put on a pair of padded bike shorts again, or skip a ride because you were worried about cold hands. Better yet, what if you could stop at that coffee shop on the way home from your long training ride without the wobbly awkward tap tap tap of bike cleats and tired post ride legs. Or what if you could save minutes on every transition in a race, increase ride comfort and never lose performance. Impossible you say? You are probably right. Best to just skip this podcast and wait for the next one.

Boom. Lets look at all things AR as we transition from 2023 to 2024. A Hollywood movie looms (and will finally educate the world about this sport, albeit with some questionable realities), ARWS looks at rule changes, and Kiwis come to race in America. We are joined by long time racer and Expedition Oregon 2024 course designer Darren Steinbech!

Fear, drama, effort, and lots of soul-searching. What does it feel like from the inside of a world championships race that asks athletes to fight against physical fatigue, and mental breakdowns for 24 hours non-stop. Pure speed, planning, execution and a little bit of luck as riders try to complete as many loops of a 14km single-track as they can in 24 hours. Join us as we follow 2022 world champion Chelsey Magness as she defends her title in Australia.

The final day of the race was just as exciting as the first finishers - with more heartbreak and celebration. Ozark takes a surprise Lantern Rouge! Bad feet suck (and are they good for the sport?). Post race depression sucks, but you can help your team avoid it. And can expedition racing really lead to HIV? Only one way to find out.