In adventure racing, a “dark zone” is a pause in the action—when darkness or safety concerns require teams to stop, regroup, and prepare for what lies ahead. It’s a time for swapping stories, building friendships, and renewing energy. Here at The Dark Zone, we aim to recreate that spirit through compelling stories and shared experiences. We’re thrilled to have you with us.
The Dark Zone Podcast exists to celebrate the sport and its community through three key goals:
- Support new racers by connecting them with the wisdom of seasoned adventurers.
- Preserve the sport’s history through conversations that capture its essence and evolution.
- Showcase events by giving race directors a platform to share their stories with the world.
Dive in, enjoy the journey, and make the most of your time in The Dark Zone. We’re glad you’re here.
TDZ 156 – Adam Rose: Bimbache Morocco: A Rough Race, A Grand Adventure
Episode Link Here Adam Rose joins The Dark Zone for a full debrief on the 2025 Bimbache adventure race in Morocco. Racing with Team Beacon, Adam has a lot to say about five days in the Atlas Mountains — the terrain, the race design, the decisions that cost them, and the moments that made it…
TDZ 155 – Adventure Racer Marina LeGree of Ascend Athletics and Her 134 Teammates
Episode Link Here Returning guest Marina LeGree, Executive Director of Ascend Athletics, is always a delight to have on The Dark Zone. In this episode, we discuss her introduction to adventure racing, the parallels between Ascend and AR, and how her family is again returning to The Maine Summer Adventure Race. LeGree founded Ascend Athletics…
TDZ 154.5 – Remembering Shelley Johannesen, Race and Event Updates, and a Podcast Takeover in June
Episode Link Here Before we get into the race and event updates, we take a moment to remember TDZ Guest #2 Shelley Johannesson. Her loss has been a tremendous blow for our community, and TDZ wanted to join the community in honoring her and who she was. We then turn to Jason’s Adventure Bash, June 13th in Columbia, South Carolina, a race that Jason Schmidt designed himself before he passed away this past winter. His wife Liz made sure it’s happening. Two formats, beginner to advanced, and 50% of proceeds go directly to a college fund for Jason’s three kids. If you want a race that means something, this is the one. Ascend Athletics’ Hike For Her goes global May 30th, one day, one trail, one mission connecting women and girls from Afghanistan and Pakistan to wherever you’re lacing up. Get involved at the link below And come late June, the keys to this feed are getting handed over to Rootstock Racing while we’re out racing the 5-day Endless Mountains. Rootstock is producing an in-race podcast, dropping episodes right here while we’re still on course. We’re happy to give RR this platform, and this episode captures the spirit of The Endless Mountains Adventure Race. Thanks for being here for this unique episode of TDZ. Shownotes: Remembering Shelley Johannesen – https://www.usara.com/news/community-loss-1 Shelley’s Dark Zone Episode #2 – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dark-zone-2-shelley-mclaughlin/id1578529221?i=1000530189736 Jason’s Adventure Bash – https://www.gritadventureracing.com/races Ascend Athletics Hike for Her – https://www.ascendathletics.org/event Endless Mountains Adventure Race – https://www.endlessmountainsar.com/ Endless Mountains Lite – https://www.rootstockracing.com/endless-mountains-adventure-race-lite.html#/
TDZ 154 – Welcome to the Other Pitt: 3ROC’s Pay What You Want AR in Pittsburgh
Link Kevin Tucker didn’t find adventure racing through a slick marketing campaign or a friend with a team slot. He found it because famed RD Grant Killian left the door open to Untamed New England. Now, fourteen years later, Tucker is doing the same thing for Pittsburgh — and his team is taking the philosophy…
TDZ 153 – Same DNA, Different Discipline: Ultra Cycling Comes to The Dark Zone
Episode Link Here What do adventure racing and ultra cycling have in common? More than you think. This week on The Dark Zone, Brian sits down with David Ayre of Lost Dot — the organization behind some of the world’s most demanding ultra cycling events. What starts as a conversation about bikes across continents quickly…
TDZ 152 – Greg Callas: A California AR Gold Rush and Growing the Sport Out West
Episode Link Here Adventure racing has always depended on people who love the sport enough to build it. Greg Callas is one of those people. Greg is the new president of Gold Rush Adventure Racing, a nonprofit based in the foothills of the Sierras with a two-decade history on the West Coast. He inherited a…
Course Reveal: Back to the Berg — The 2026 Expedition Africa Course Reveal
Episode Link Here This episode of The Course Reveal Podcast drops on race morning — which means that as you listen, the teams are already moving. Expedition Africa: Back to the Berg is an expedition-length adventure race set in and around the Drakensberg of South Africa — one of the most dramatic and unforgiving landscapes…
TDZ 151 – Kate and Cliff White: Building an AR Strong Machine in New England
Show Link Here Kate and Cliff White of Strong Machine Adventure Racing have been a fixture in the adventure racing community for over a decade — first as racers stumbling toward the back of the pack at a winter race in Wisconsin, and eventually as two respected race directors on the East Coast. The path…
TDZ 150 – Dan Brannen: Endurance Legend and The Best First Teammate A Guy Could Ask For
Episode Link Here Episode 150 of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast honors a milestone with someone who embodies the long arc of endurance sport — Dan Brannen. Dan was my first adventure racing teammate back in 2011, when I was just breaking into the sport. But long before that, he had already built…
TDZ & The 2026 Katie Cookie Ride to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital
Episode Link Here For almost 150 episodes, The Dark Zone has been free — stories of grit, uncertainty, partnership, and the long road through the unknown. Now we’re turning those miles into something bigger. From March 19-22, 2026, Bob Mina and Brian Gatens of TDZ will attempt to ride 400 miles from West Chester, Pennsylvania…
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