The thisABILITY Adventures Podcast

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Forget bears, freezing rivers and hypothermia. In this episode we unpack a satire script about the 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship in Corsica, where the biggest threat to racers is a 63-page government addendum, and the woman behind it: Madame Regine Toussaint Blanchard, a bureaucrat who sees wilderness survival as an administrative vulnerability and believes compliance is the true extreme sport.

Her rules: a PDF is "just a rumor about a document." Packrafts in one hyper-specific Pantone blue. Helmets that become planters once the CE sticker wears off. Life jackets that must float a 12-bottle case of champagne in its original wooden crate. 30 meters of climbing rope on a course with no climbing. Teammates reduced to GDPR reference numbers, and a union translator who hikes the whole course and judges your trail mix.

Then it gets serious: pre-permitted toilet holes, "theft of coziness," "unauthorized slipperiness," a mandatory 90-minute seated lunch with a wine pairing, liquid fuel banned in favor of the baguette, walking down mountains backwards, existential debates at checkpoint 14, and compasses declinated to the Eiffel Tower.

It's an affectionate comedy about red tape. We finish by asking: what if we adopted Regine's "enforced luxury" in our own lives?

📲 Follow Team thisABILITY Racing:

• Instagram: @thisabilityracing
• Facebook: Team thisABILITY Racing
• YouTube: thisABILITY Racing
• Website: thisabilityracing.com

#AdventureRacing #ARWC2026 #Corsica

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🎙️ In this episode, Team thisABILITY takes us behind the scenes of the 26-hour Teton Ogre Adventure Race in Idaho.

Andrea Anderson, Eric Smith, Kenny Sheffler, and Chip Dodd raced as hard and fast as they could, finishing 2nd overall and just one checkpoint short of clearing the entire course.

The team covered more than 84 miles and climbed over 15,000 feet, pushing through a course that truly lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest adventure races around.

Team thisABILITY shares the race strategy, teamwork, challenges, and those final moments when every minute on the clock matters.

And, of course, there's the part of adventure racing that makes it so special—the camaraderie between teams and racers.

#AdventureRacing #TetonOgre #TeamThisABILITY #AdventureRacingPodcast #RaceRecap #ExpeditionRace #Idaho 

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In this episode, Andrea Anderson sits down with Em Panietz, Sara Boyer, and Melissa Dupke-Bourgeois to talk about their incredible experience racing solo at Cowboy Tough, a grueling 50-hour adventure race.

What does it take to navigate, trek, bike, paddle, and push through the mental and physical challenges of an expedition-style race—all on your own?

Em Panietz took the challenge to another level, finishing as the 2nd overall winner! 🥈

Hear the stories, strategies, struggles, and lessons from three incredible women who took on Cowboy Tough solo. 🎧

Melissa is directing this race!  ↓ 
https://adventuregirlsracing.org/team/

#AdventureRacing #CowboyTough #TeamThisABILITY #WomenInAdventureRacing  #WomeninAR #USARA

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After a season filled with solo efforts, Team thisABILITY was finally back together. In this episode, Chip Dodd, Andrea Anderson, David Grabiner, and Kevin Keck recap their experience at the 27-Hour Brake the Habit Adventure Race in Marlinton, West Virginia.

What looked straightforward on paper quickly turned into a race of constant decision-making. Throughout the night and into the final hours, the team found themselves analyzing route choices, adjusting plans, and balancing risk versus reward as they fought to stay competitive and make every checkpoint count.

Their strategy paid off. Team thisABILITY crossed the finish line as the 1st Place 4-Person Coed Team and 2nd Overall.

A major storyline throughout the race was their battle with the incredible Women of AR team—Britt Mason, Karen Dulaney, Susan Aldeman, and Michelle Hobson. Time and again, both teams seemed to arrive at checkpoints together despite taking different routes. Their presence kept the pressure on from start to finish and pushed Team thisABILITY to stay sharp throughout the race.

The episode also covers the highs and lows of racing as a team again, the route choices that made the difference, and how they managed to hold on until the very last miles—ultimately becoming the final team to reach the finish line.

📲 Follow Team thisABILITY Racing:
Instagram: @thisabilityracing
Facebook: Team thisABILITY Racing
YouTube: Team thisABILITY Racing


Kica Air Pump:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kica+jet+fan&crid=3LCGFFWNT9KVB&sprefix=kica%2Caps%2C165&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_ci_hl-bn-left_1_4

https://www.backcountry.com/b/aire-k-mini-pump?

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Andrea and Chip break down their experience racing the Cerberus Adventure Stage Race in Newcastle, Virginia — a unique three-day stage race hosted by Adventure Source that mixed long race days with camp life, good food, and time to actually sleep and socialize between stages.

The episode also dives into race strategy, cutoff pressure, navigation lessons, and the mental gears racers find when time starts running out. Andrea finished as the 2nd soloist and 12th overall, while Chip placed 1st as solo and 3rd overall despite a time penalty.

Pack raft inflator (Kica Jet Fan – often misheard as “Kiva”):

•Camping Hiking Adventures: https://campinghikingadventures.com/products/electric-pump-for-inflating-packrafts
•MRS official site: https://www.mrsraft.com/
Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing (New Castle, VA):
•https://www.wilderness-adventure.com (linked via Virginia.org listing)
•Address: 11176 Peaceful Valley Rd, New Castle, VA — https://maps.google.com/?q=11176+Peaceful+Valley+Rd,+New+Castle,+VA+24127

Out There USA Packs:
•https://outthereusa.com/
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Packs:
•https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/
ROCKBROS Pants:
•Amazon.com: ROCKBROS Men and Womens Cycling Bike Pants Quick-Dry Outdoor Mountain Running Hiking Gear Black'' } : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry
BRONAX Shoes:
•Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P43J5LN?ref=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apan_dp_5BDRZCSV408MAA4XBRHT&ref_

Seneca Rocks Climbing School (WV):
•https://www.climbseneca.com
Sterling HollowBlock2 (friction hitch):
•https://sterlingrope.com/hollowblock2/

Rappel How-tos:
https://youtube.com/shorts/A_vsn145ROM?si=G39bidskgeV-rSLF
https://youtu.be/ar-ueF57BFc?si=7sF3WVRvP2tqCzfm

Follow us on our social media accounts
Instagram: @thisabilityracing
Facebook: Team thisABILITY Adventure Racing
YouTube: ThisABILITY Racing

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In this episode, Chip and Andrea share their experience racing at the Shenandoah Epic 24 Hour Adventure Race, organized by Adventure Enablers in the mountains of Shenandoah Valley.

Racing solo for 24 hours is never easy, but both racers had an incredible day on the course. Chip Dodd and Andrea Anderson each took 1st place in their respective solo divisions, earning a spot on the podium after a full day of trekking, biking, navigating, and pushing through the challenges of this ever-changing race.

They also share highlights from the course, lessons learned from racing solo, and appreciation for the adventure racing community that makes events like this so special.

🎧 Tune in for stories from the race, reflections from the course, and a celebration of another unforgettable day in the Shenandoah mountains.

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Chip, Andrea, Nick, and David take on The MAGNIficent 2026, tackling a course packed with challenging navigation, demanding terrain, and nonstop decision-making. In this episode, they share their experience racing together—breaking down key route choices, the toughest sections of the course, and the moments that made the race memorable.

From teamwork and strategy to the unpredictable twists that come with adventure racing, tune in to hear how the team navigated their way through another unforgettable 7 days on the course.

The MAGNIficent Adventure Race 2026 is a multi-day expedition adventure race held on the South Island of New Zealand, specifically across the Southland Region and Otago Region, with the town of Gore serving as the race headquarters. 

• Dates: February 28 – March 8, 2026 
• Race start: March 1, 2026 
• Course closes: March 7, 2026 
• Total distance: about 500 km 

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Andrea and Chip take the mic to recap the Winter Warmup Adventure Race, a 5-hour race organized by GRIT Adventure Racing in Maryland. From cold-weather challenges to smart navigation and nonstop movement, they break down what made this race tough—and fun.

The episode also includes practical winter gear tips for racing in cold conditions. Chip shares his experience winning overall and being the only racer to clear the entire course, while Andrea talks about racing solo, finishing 1st in the Masters Female division, 1st solo female, and 13th overall.

A mix of race strategy, lessons learned, and winter racing insights you can take into your next adventure.

Chip's preferred glove for this race: https://www.amazon.com/Windproof-Adjustable-Suitable-Outdoor-Running-Cycling/dp/B07JHP9SDG/ref=sr_1_7?crid=1550KKIDM7GYM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qCSjTrNw1gQE3lDHEY4Lx_LtgYIancFZYq4UeBctsjZffXYdwFVj8qYsWmGhAI1AIjjnxSo0qCAJ9sNoytiy6kQUOgLOHOVQT-lTDgfnngKHHMjlseRnTU6ZELM2P36Faxr4Vit6Zz2_jZASEHEDLVw4SLLrWNLPlll51bpMidLSCrhjwNMXxvISCkOo7xth33d3NN4xMBYXXXIFXVdQAh2TLnAWYxB5axC9GAiQd6RQqcxtR7_EibphSaZE3KHFnw6BpcnoguLJDifJhdmFhnUEIpyTd9tMrZepdEzhrog.XB5CtP-0pD9roT8unnBV-HghGa2q0mAij9kiV1Set2c&dib_tag=se&keywords=warm%2Bgloves%2Bwith%2Bzipper&qid=1768273832&sprefix=warm%2Bgloves%2Bwith%2Bzipper%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-7&th=1

Andrea's preferred glove for this race: https://www.montbell.com/us/en/products/detail/1118256?fo=0&color=BK

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In this episode, Doug Silk of ARDotWatch sits down with Team thisABILITY members — Chip Dodd, Caitlin Stark, David Grabiner, and Nick Hurff — for an inside look at their journey through Adventure Racing World Championship: Expedition Canada 2025.

From high-alpine trekking to cold-water paddling and complex navigation across British Columbia’s wild terrain.  Get an inside look at how they pushed through the elements in one of the world’s toughest expedition race. 

Note: There are a few audio hiccups at the start, but hang in there, the quality improves, and the stories are absolutely worth it.

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In this episode, Team thisABILITY takes on the 2025 Mint Springs 8-Hour Adventure Race in Crozet, Virginia. Chip delivers a stellar performance, finishing first overall in 4 hours and 37 minutes, while Andrea marks a major milestone — her first adventure race since recovering from injury. 

Huge thanks to John and the Crozet Racing crew for hosting such a well-designed and scenic course — and for keeping racers fueled with post-race hotdogs and snacks 🌭

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