October 10th, 2009 by admin

There are a couple of big endurance events this weekend that are worth mentioning, as both garner plenty of attention and are popular amongst outdoor athletes and arm chair racers alike.

First up, we have the 24 Hours of Moab, taking place in Moab, Utah of course. This year, this iconic mountain bike race will host more than 4000 riders from around the world in an endurance biking event that will test even the strongest of athletes. As the name implies, solo and team riders will be peddling for 24 hours straight, starting tomorrow, Oct. 10th, at 11 AM local time. The course will wind through the remote and rugged backcountry near Moab, and will continue through the night. The object is to complete as many laps of the 15 mile course as you can within the 24-hour period, weighing in any sleep strategies, pacing, and so on.

The other major endurance event taking place tomorrow is of course the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. This is, of course, one of the most demanding triathlons on the planet, with the top athletes from around the globe swimming, biking, and running their way through a tremendously challenging course. The competitors will face a 2.4 mile swim to get things started, and once they’re out of the water, they’ll proceed to their bikes, where they’ll tackle 112 miles of riding. When they’re done on the bike, if they’re still standing, they’ll then go on a full marathon, 26.2 miles.

There are 1800 participants in this year’s race, and they’ve either earned their way in by winning qualifying events around the planet, or they were lucky enough to get a spot through a special lottery. Tomorrow, few of them will actually feel “lucky” at all. Should be another great race.

Good luck to the competitors in both events. Race strong and race safe, but don’t forget to have some fun along the way.

June 19th, 2009 by admin

Adventure Sports Week 2009 came to an end on Sunday, concluding a busy week that included 25 races and various clinics, spread out over two weekends and held at Farragut State Park near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

The event was capped with a two day adventure race dubbed The Crux and The Crucible which was won by Team Nike Beaver Creek. Captained by adventure racing legend Mike Kloser, who was joined by Gretchen Reeves and Jay Henry, Nike was considered the favorite heading into the weekend, but according to a race report over at BestHike.com, it was far from easy for trio. Apparently, anything and everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, and in spite of that, the team still managed to win, although they were pushed to the brink by Team Life Cycle, made up of Jared Hanly, Roger Viollette and Ian Hoag. In the end, Nike edged Live Cycle by just one point to claim the victory.

Curious as to what went down in ASW 2009 but weren’t able to attend? You’re in luck, as Best Hike’s Rick McCharles has put together a nice little video montage of some of the events and action. Check it out below. Looks like it was a great event from start to finish, and I hope it was a huge success for everyone involved.

June 11th, 2009 by admin

This past weekend the 2009 Adventure Sports Week kicked off at Farragut State Park near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where hundreds of outdoor endurance athletes hit the trails for clinics, triathlons, duathlons, orienteering competitions, and clinics.

By all accounts, the inaugural ASW has already made a big splash, with the XTERRA Northwest Cup garnering plenty of attention, as Melanie McQuaid remained undefeated for 2009, taking top honors in the women’s category, while, Dan Hugo claimed the top podium spot in the men’s bracket. You can read more about the the race at XTERRA Planet by clicking here.

Things are just getting started at ASW 2009, as the adventure racers take center stage next weekend. Legendary athletes like Mike Kloser, Robyn Benincasa, and Ian Adamson will be on hand to take part in the Crux and the Crucible races, as well as hosting an AR clinic and taking part in the festivities.

If you’re looking for something to do next weekend, it isn’t too late to register for a race. Get some friends together and head out to Farragut State Park and join the fun.

May 29th, 2009 by admin

As part of the many events that will be taking place at Adventure Sports Week 2009, World champions Melanie McQuaid and Conrad Stoltz will be hosting a free triathlon clinic called the “Paul Mitchell XTERRA University”.

ASW begins June 5th, a week from this Friday in Farragut State Park near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Over the course of the next ten days, the event will be host to a number of great races from trail runs, mountain bike rides, and several adventure races, with top endurance athletes such as Mike Kloser, Robyn Benincasa, and Danelle Ballengee on hand to share in the fun.

XTERRA University is being offered for beginners and experienced triathletes alike, as we can all learn something from Melanie and Conrad. Mel has won the XTERRA World Championship three times, and has been a consistent performer in athletic events for the past several years. She competes not only in running events, but mountain biking and road cycling as well.

Conrad is a two time Olympian who has also won the Xterra three times, and has won the All Africa Triathlon five times as well. A native of Africa, he competes in many events there, and has also been the South African Triathlon Champion five times too. He is widely considered one of the top triathletes in the world, both on or off the pavement.

This is just one of many great events that will be taking place at Adventure Sports Week. If you haven’t seen something to draw you in by now, you probably never will. But it’s not too late to register to race in one of the many events. Join the fun and have a blast in the process. Sounds like it’s going to be quite the party!

April 17th, 2009 by admin

Adventure Sports Week is still on track to be one of the top events of the year in terms of endurance events, adventure racing, and just plain fun! Running from June 5-14, in Farragut State Park, near Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, ASW will offer 24 unique races and other competitive events over the course if one very busy week.

In the latest press release from even organizers, it was announced that have reduced the entry fees for the adventure races and orienteering course in an effort to make them more affordable for the competitors. Race Director David Adlard says “We wanted to do something so that folks can come and race even in this tough economy, so we lowered the price of the Adventure Races and the Orienteering meet to make them more affordable.”

This is good news for the AR community, which is having a tough year, with a number of events being put on hold until 2010, and some dropping off the schedule altogether. The economic climate has been challenging for all of us, and it’s a nice gesture by the ASW crew to make their event more accessible to those who want to compete.

In addition, they’ve also announced that adventure racing legend Robyn Benincasa will be on hand to promote Project Athena, a non-profit organization she helped start that offers women with breast cancer, or other medical conditions, the opportunity to pursue their athletic and adventure dreams. Robyn, along with one of the recipients of an “Athenaship” will be racing, alongside two members of the media, in the event. If you’re a member of the media, and would like to join the team, drop David an e-mail at dave@adventuresportsweek.com to submit your application. Hmm… am I considered a member of the media?

In addition to Robyn, Adventure Sports Week has an outstanding list of endurance athletes who will be on hand. Dean Karnazes is in, as is Team Nike captain Mike Kloser and former teammate Ian Adamson. The “Queen of Pain” Rebecca Rusch will put in an appearance as well, rounding out the all-star cast.

To check out all the events, and register for a race or three, click here. There really is something for everyone, and it promises to be a great time.