The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast

On this extended episode of The Dark Zone, we head into the rugged heart of Monterrey, Mexico, home of La Ruta Madre—a race that blends blistering heat, steep technical terrain, cultural immersion, and the kind of...

In this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, we shift gears—literally and figuratively—to explore a different kind of endurance adventure. Our guest is Tyler Stancill, a passionate bikepacker who...

In this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, host Brian Gatens welcomes John Karlsson, captain of Team SAFAT, the reigning Adventure Racing World Champions. Known for their precision, discipline, and...

Happy October, TDZ Nation Here is a quick 5-minute update following the Adventure Racing World Series AR World Championship in Penticton, British Columbia. TDZ was onsite to help with media, and the race was quite the...

Welcome to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. From time to time, we like to support our companion podcast, The Course Reveal, by crossposting special episodes. ———————————————————– Welcome to a special episode...

Welcome to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. From time to time, we like to support our companion podcast, The Course Reveal, by crossposting special episodes...

Welcome to a special edition of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. Our sister show, The Course Reveal Podcast, is your spot for adventure racing course breakdowns and interviews with race directors, but for...

In this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, we welcome Olga Huber of Team Fragile Flowers. A well-known racer, Olga has taken on a growing number of events, both with teammates and solo. She loves AR...

The mountains, midges, and lochs of Scotland are putting racers to the test at ITERA and ITERA-Lite. In this Flash Episode, Race Director Paul McGreal joins The Dark Zone to share not just the leaderboard highlights...

Welcome to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. Today’s episode takes us north to the wild, water-rich terrain of Finland, where host Brian Gatens is joined by Lauri Hollo —longtime racer, passionate advocate for...

Today’s episode is a special one — it’s a course reveal for the 2025 Wilderness Traverse, the iconic Canadian adventure race and this year's ARWS North American championship. This event has long been a staple in the...

In this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, we welcome Ashley Cheney and Greg Schmidt of Team NYARA/Trek or Treat, a pairing whose journey through adventure racing has been marked by determination...

In this episode, we speak with the new leadership team behind Expedition Africa as they carry forward the legacy of one of the world’s most iconic expedition races. With roots in Heidi and Stephan Muller’s multi-year...

Adventure reporter Jim Clash of Forbes Magazine joins The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the intersection of storytelling and high-stakes adventure. With a passport...

In this freewheeling and reflective wrap-up to the 2025 Endless Mountains Adventure Race, TDZ hands the mic to Zoe Freedland and Mary Foster for an end-of-race coda soon after the final team crosses the line. As racers...

Welcome to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, and this special Flash Episode from the 2025 Endless Mountains Adventure Race. Abby Perkiss joins us with a timely update from deep inside the race experience. From...

Welcome to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. In this special Voices of the Racers episode, we bring you directly into Transition Area 1, where we spent an entire day capturing the thoughts, experiences, and...

Welcome to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. Today’s episode marks a special moment on the AR calendar: the official course reveal for the 2025 Endless Mountains Adventure Race presented by Rootstock Racing...

On this episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, we shift gears—literally—with ultra-distance cyclist and adventure writer Meaghan Hackinen. From solo rides across continents to podium finishes at grueling...

TDZ is happy to support The Checkpoint, presented by the United States Adventure Racing Association, through this crosspost of Episode #12. Thank you for listening and for supporting USARA. Episode Details Below...

On this episode, TDZ steps off the course and into the heart of the Copper Canyons with the Korima Health Initiative. Founded with a mission to bring essential healthcare and education to the Indigenous Rarámuri people...

TDZ is happy to support The Checkpoint, presented by the United States Adventure Racing Association, through this crosspost of Episode #11. Thank you for listening and for supporting USARA. Episode Details Below...

Adventure racing thrives on passion, and nowhere is that clearer than in the story of Frank Johnson and The Wild Driftless Adventure Race. A longtime racer turned first-time Race Director, Frank is stepping up to give...

This episode of The Dark Zone explores a creative partnership between a college classroom and the course. Students from Washington and Lee University’s Leading Public Relations Campaigns class teamed up with Adventure...

A big thank-you to teacher and adventure racer Jeremy Johnson for connecting The Dark Zone with the student racers of Full Steam Ahead Adventure Racing. Based at Brunswick High School in Maryland, FSA is a thriving...