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 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…
Episode 149.5 – Crafting Adventure @ Mechukha — India’s ARWS Expedition
Episode Link Here In this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, we sit down with the team behind a new and exciting expedition-length race — Ajita Madan and Sayeesha Kirani, founders of NthAdventure, alongside Heidi Muller and Stephan Muller, veteran adventure race directors. Together they unpack the story, strategy, and heart behind…
Episode 149 – When It Clicked: The Wonky Donkeys and The Legend Adventure Race
Episode Link Here You’re listening to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, where we try to understand how adventure races really play out—over long distances, under fatigue, and within the relationships that make or break a team. Today’s episode is a conversation with Emily Panietz and Becca Lunnon, racing as The Wonky Donkeys, about their strong showing at The Legend Adventure Race in Tasmania. That result didn’t come out of nowhere. In earlier races, Emily and Becca struggled at times with communication and teamwork—misaligned expectations, moments of frustration, and the normal growing pains that come with learning how to race together. Those experiences didn’t end in easy results, but they did give them a clearer sense of what needed to change. At The Legend, that work showed. Over the course of a long, technical race, they communicated more clearly, managed decisions together, and stayed connected when things got difficult. Rather than trying to force the race, they settled into a rhythm that allowed them to move steadily and efficiently through the course. In this episode, we talk about that progression—what didn’t work early on, how they adjusted, and why The Legend felt like a genuinely strong race for them as teammates. It’s a conversation about learning, adapting, and how growth over time can turn into a result that feels earned. Shownotes: The Legend – https://www.legendexpd.com.au/ Sponsor Links: Nuataaq Carabiner Hydration Bottle – www.nuataaq.com Shenandoah Epic Adventure Race – https://www.adventureenablers.com/
Episode 148 – Slade Combs: Fear, Performance, and Adventure Racing
Episode Link Here In this episode of The Dark Zone, we sit down with Slade Combs, a performance coach who helps people understand, confront, and work through fear — not by eliminating it, but by learning how to carry it well. Whether you’re standing on a start line, staring down a scary race section, preparing…
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The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast 