The calendar may say February, but on today's episode, it's September 2025, and the USARA National Championships is right around the corner. Thank you to USARA Executive Director Michael Garrison, Nationals Coordinator Stephanie Ross, and Ozark Foundation Director of Operations Brannon Pack for joining TDZ to offer an early peek into the 2025 USARA National Championships.

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!

Show notes:

USARA Nationals website - https://www.usara.com/2025-national-championships

Ozark Foundation - https://ozarkfoundation.org/

Visit Bentonville - https://www.visitbentonville.com/

Enabled Tracking - https://www.adventureenablers.com/

Ted King and Bentonville - https://www.instagram.com/iamtedking/p/DBUpjhfuiu8/?img_index=1

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

www.wildernesstraverse.com

We don’t track humor-based metrics at The Dark Zone, but if we did, this episode would be tough to beat. Barb Campbell is a fixture in the Canadian adventure racing community, and we’re delighted to finally have her on the show. She’s been a longtime reach guest on our episode planning whiteboard, and it was well worth the wait. Enjoy the conversation!

Programming Note - The 2010 UTNE video referenced by Barb is linked below and, yeah, they were awfully tired.

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!

Show notes:

www.wildernesstraverse.com

Untamed New England 2010 (credit to Randy Ericksen) - https://vimeo.com/29901661

The Dirtbag Diaries - What is Hardcore? - https://dirtbagdiaries.com/hardcore/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://chimneysweepva.com/

We’re thrilled to welcome Paul McGreal of Durty Adventures to TDZ! As the Race Director behind the legendary ITERA race, Paul dives into the exciting return of this epic 5-day adventure, the timeless allure of AR, and the life lessons we pick up while navigating through the wild. Paul’s been a longtime friend of TDZ, and having him on the show felt like sharing a warm, virtual cup of tea with a longtime mate. This mid-winter episode is the perfect boost to keep your training spirits high and get you dreaming about the season ahead!

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!

Show notes:

https://itera.co.uk/

https://arworldseries.com/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.wildernesstraverse.com/

TDZ is happy to support The Checkpoint, presented by the United States Adventure Racing Association, through this crosspost of Episode #9. Thank you for listening and for supporting USARA.

Episode Details Below:

Welcome to Episode 9 of USARA's The Checkpoint Podcast.

In this episode, Brent discusses doping, supplements, sleep, caffeine, and all the things that the adventure racer should consider around these topics. As a successful endurance athlete and coach, Alyssa offers perspective and consideration, and brings illumination to a complex topic. Thank you to her for stopping by The Checkpoint.

Guest Link:

Alyssa Godesky - https://www.alyssagodesky.com/

Featured USARA Races:

Mission Adventure Race 18 hrs.: https://www.dinoseries.com/mission-18-hour-race/

Chisholm Trail Adventure Race 24 hrs: https://www.texasprideracing.org/basic-01

Shownotes:

USARA: https://www.usara.com/anti-doping

USADA: https://www.usada.org/

Global Dro (medications): https://www.globaldro.com/Home

NSF: Certified for Sport (supplements): https://www.nsfsport.com/index.php

IV Infusions: https://www.usada.org/athlete-advisory/iv-infusions-explanatory-note/

Substance Profile-Inhaled Medications: https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/education/what-athletes-need-to-know-about-inhaled-medications/

TUE Exemption Policy: https://www.usada.org/wp-content/uploads/USADA_TUE_Policy.pdf

Thanks to Brian Gatens of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast (www.ardarkzone.com) 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!

Abby Perkiss and Brent Freedland of Rootstock Racing join TDZ to discuss the 3rd edition of The Endless Mountains Adventure Race: Les Verd Monts. Shifting from Pennsylvania to Vermont for this edition, Abby and Brent discuss the course, race travel logistics, training, teamwork, and just enough beta to whet a racer's appetite. Great training fuel for the Northern Hemisphere winter, listeners will be treated to a strong introduction to Expedition-distance races and how teams can succeed.

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!

Show notes:

www.endlessmountainsar.com

https://arworldseries.com/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thecerberusrace.com/

www.thearschool.com

Kim and Joel Ford recount their 40+ days and 700+ miles on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail in the Northeast United States. Preparation, gear, teamwork, and battling the bugs were all part of the adventure, and they brought it to us in vivid detail. We'll let them tell you the story about their new/borrowed tent, but suffice it to say that people are kind and wonderful. This episode is adventure fuel if there ever was one. Enjoy!

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:

https://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org

https://www.mississippispeedrecord.com/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thecerberusrace.com/

www.thearschool.com

Australian adventure racer Scott Balhatchet recounts his first race experience at Chris Dixon's Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48-hour Adventure Race. Scott was on his couch minding his own business when a friend's phone call came in, and it was time to give AR a go. Thank you to Scott as he walks us through his (lack of) formal preparation, communication with his teammates, overcoming in-race adversity, and what he learned from the race.

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:

https://www.geoquest.com.au/

Sponsor Links:

https://www.ascendathletics.org/

https://www.thecerberusrace.com/

www.thearschool.com

TDZ is happy to support The Checkpoint, presented by the United States Adventure Racing Association, through this crosspost of Episode #8. Thank you for listening and for supporting USARA.

Episode Details Below:

Welcome to Episode 8 of USARA's The Checkpoint Podcast.

In this episode, Brent interviews Andrea Larson of Ironbull and Rib Mountain Racing about cold-weather racing and training. They discuss various strategies, and Brent closes out the episode by emphasizing cold-weather safety strategies. This is a must-listen episode for all racers entering the winter months.

Rib Mountain Adventure Challenge - https://www.ribmountainadventurechallenge.com/

Ironbull - https://www.ironbull.org/

Rootstock Racing - www.rootstockracing.com

Upcoming USARA races featured in this episode:

Raid The Rock - https://www.raidtherock.com/

Shenandoah Epic - https://www.adventureenablers.com/

Thanks to Brian Gatens of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast (www.ardarkzone.com) 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!

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/