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 165 – Allison Marinucci: Racing, Loss, and the Work of Recovery
Episode Link Here Therapist, ultra runner, and race director Allison Marinucci joins the show for a conversation that starts with endurance and goes somewhere deeper. Allison traces her path from Couch to 5K, through COVID-era backyard ultras, to a double hip replacement that forced the question every athlete eventually faces: who are you when the…
TDZ 164 – The Endless Mountains Podcast, Episode 4: Journey to the Crossroads
Episode Link Here For the next two weeks, Rootstock Racing is taking over the Dark Zone feed, offering a limited series podcast chronicling the 2026 Endless Mountains Adventure Race. Shownotes: The Endless Mountains Adventure Race – www.endlessmountainsar.com Rootstock Racing – www.rootstockracing.com
TDZ 163 – Nathan Fa’avae Returns, Bound for the Yukon 1000
Episode Link Here Nathan Fa’avae returns to the Dark Zone — over 100 episodes after his first appearance as guest #50. A seven-time adventure racing world champion with Seagate and Avaya, Nathan officially stepped back from traditional AR in 2023, not to slow down but to redirect: growing youth and women’s adventure racing in New…
TDZ 162 – The Endless Mountains Podcast, Episode 3: Out of the Frying-Pan, Into the Fire
Episode Link Here For the next two weeks, Rootstock Racing is taking over the Dark Zone feed, offering a limited series podcast chronicling the 2026 Endless Mountains Adventure Race. In case you missed it, this is a rebroadcast of the teaser. Listen here for Episode 0.5 of the Endless Mountains Podcast, produced by Rootstock Racing.…
TDZ 161 – The Endless Mountains Podcast, Episode 2: The Ring Goes South
Episode Link Here For the next two weeks, Rootstock Racing is taking over the Dark Zone feed, offering a limited series podcast chronicling the 2026 Endless Mountains Adventure Race. In case you missed it, this is a rebroadcast of the teaser. Listen here for Episode 0.5 of the Endless Mountains Podcast, produced by Rootstock Racing.…
TDZ 160 – The Endless Mountains Podcast, Episode 1: A Long Expected Party
Episode Link Here For the next two weeks, Rootstock Racing is taking over the Dark Zone feed, offering a limited series podcast chronicling the 2026 Endless Mountains Adventure Race. In case you missed it, this is a rebroadcast of the teaser. Listen here for Episode 0.5 of the Endless Mountains Podcast, produced by Rootstock Racing.…
TDZ 159 – Introducing: The Endless Mountains Podcast
Episode Link Here For the next two weeks, Rootstock Racing is taking over the Dark Zone feed, offering a limited series podcast chronicling the 2026 Endless Mountains Adventure Race. In case you missed it, this is a rebroadcast of the teaser. Listen here for Episode 0.5 of the Endless Mountains Podcast, produced by Rootstock Racing.…
TDZ 158 – One Degree Racing — Adventure Racing, Friendship, and The Cerberus
Episode Link Here We love it when race directors send teams our way, and that’s what RD Mark Lattanzi did in 2025 following his three-day The Cerberus Expedition Stage Race. Three-person team, One Degree Racing, tackled the course and stood out for their enthusiasm, high spirits, and teamwork. This conversation is a clinic for newer…
TDZ 157 – Team Overconfident and Undertrained: Overdelivering on Fun
Episode Link Here Twin sisters Jennifer Robertson and Jamie Miller of Team Overconfident and Undertrained join TDZ to talk about the greatest team name in adventure racing. Based in Oklahoma, Jennifer and Jamie discovered adventure racing two and a half years ago and never looked back. In this episode, they talk with TDZ about the…
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…
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The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast 