The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast

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 this episode, final gear preparations, race fuel, and packing your fears.Shownotes:The Endless Mountains Adventure Race - www.endlessmountainsar.comRootstock Racing - www.rootstockracing.comMusic credits:Mountain Sun, Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive, CC BY.

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.Shownotes:The Endless Mountains Adventure Race - www.endlessmountainsar.comRootstock Racing - www.rootstockracing.comBones Adventure - https://bonesadventure.com/

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 navigational complexity that defines true expedition racing.Our guests—Una, Joel, and Zach—join TDZ to unpack the story of their team’s experience on this iconic course. But rather than spotlighting individual accomplishments, this episode explores how the team operated as a single unit: how decisions were made under fatigue, how pacing and strategy evolved across the Sierra Madre, and how communication and trust became just as critical as solid navigation or a strong climb.Together, they paint a vivid picture of what it means for a team to hold form across long hours, hard miles, and constantly shifting conditions. From their brief pre-race meeting to the moments deep in the mountains when teamwork mattered most, listeners get a rare inside look at how a successful team thinks, reacts, and stays connected.La Ruta Madre isn’t just a race—it’s a test of cohesion, resilience, and collective problem-solving. Settle in for an immersive conversation that brings you right into the heartbeat of the team as they took on one of the world's most striking and demanding adventure races.Shownotes: La Ruta Madre ARWS Page - https://arworldseries.com/races/319La Ruta Madre Event Website - https://larutamadre.mx/Bend Racing's LRM Report - https://www.bendracing.com/post/racing-la-ruta-madre-a-journey-of-teamwork-terrain-and-top-gearSponsor Links:Nuataaq Carabiner Hydration Bottle - www.nuataaq.comShenandoah Epic Adventure Race - https://www.adventureenablers.com/Adventureware Shop - https://adventureware.shop/

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 calm under pressure, SAFAT has come to define the standard of excellence in expedition racing.John shares his introduction to the sport, his growth as a racer, and the lessons learned on the journey from first-time competitor to world champion. He offers an inside look at the team’s mindset, their approach to success, and the chemistry that fueled their dominance. But with whispers that SAFAT’s future may be uncertain, this conversation carries an undercurrent of reflection—about legacy, leadership, and what comes next.As always, you keep racing—and we’ll keep talking.Shownotes: Team SAFAT - https://www.facebook.com/swedisharmedforcesadventureteam/Sponsor Links:Nuataaq Carabiner Hydration Bottle - www.nuataaq.comShenandoah Epic Adventure Race - https://www.adventureenablers.com/

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 of The Course Reveal Podcast, a companion show to The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast. Today, we turn our attention to the 2025 Subaru Canada Adventure Racing World Championship, where the best teams on the planet will converge in Penticton, British Columbia, to chase the ultimate prize in the sport.This year’s race features an epic 799-kilometer course, with teams racing for up to 9 days across glaciers, mountain ranges, whitewater rivers, and backcountry roads while visiting remote villages along the way. Expect rugged mountains, complex navigation, and the dramatic landscapes of British Columbia as athletes push through a relentless test of strategy, endurance, and teamwork.We’re joined by three key voices behind the event: Lyndie Hill of Hoodoo Adventures, Race Director John Ford, and Course Designer Alex Man. They go deep into the course, the challenges faced by the racers, and their pride and joy in bringing the ARWC to British Columbia. Together, they’ll guide us through the vision for this year’s championship, the details of the course design, and why British Columbia is the perfect stage for the world’s toughest teams.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, like, and share. TCR is designed to give at-home fans and dotwatchers another opportunity to connect with and enjoy the world of adventure racing.You Keep Watching, and We’ll Keep Talking.Shownotes:Race Website - https://www.expeditionracecanada.ca/Tracking Website - https://www.expeditionracecanada.ca/livetrackmedia

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 championship races we like to crosspost those episodes to what we call The Big Feed. See below for this show's highlighted race. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Course Reveal Podcast. Join Course Director Lauri Hollo as he breaks down each stage of Endurance Quest Saimaa.As the Adventure Racing European Championship, this race will bring 60 teams from 12 countries to the Savonlinna region of Finland, and winners will earn a coveted spot at the ARWS World Championships. The course includes more than 70 km of trekking, 125 km of mountain biking, 44 km of paddling, and 2 km of swimming – plus climbing and rope challenges. Competitors have up to 30 hours to complete the race course.This demanding course will be the highlight of the European adventure racing season.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, like, and share. TCR is designed to offer the at-home fan/dotwatcher another opportunity to enjoy and engage with their favorite races. You Keep Watching, and We'll Keep Talking.Shownotes:Race Website - https://www.endurancequest.org/Tracking Link - https://www.tulospalvelu.fi/gps/2025eq/