TDZ 166 - The Endless Mountains Podcast, Episode 5: A Warm Welcome

This is a special Course Reveal episode of The Dark Zone: An Adventure Racing Podcast, released just as the 2026 Adventure Racing World Championships get underway in Corsica. Nancy Bahuaud of Raid in France joins us to walk through the course she and her husband Pascal built: 505 kilometers and twelve stages across an island often called the mountain in the sea. From the start in Corte to the finish on the northwest coast, teams will face nearly every discipline the sport has to offer, and terrain that will test the best in the world. In this conversation, we explore: How Raid in France thinks about building a race as a journey The river and sea sections, and why this dry year has everyone watching water levels The stage Nancy expects to be the hardest, and how long it may take even the fastest teams Why compulsory rest remains non-negotiable A prologue that brings the town of Corte into the race

Racing as Black Diamond NZ, Luke Jansen and Silas Jones of New Zealand traveled to Canada and became the first Junior Adventure Racing World Champions. In this episode, they recount a childhood of hut trips, orienteering before their teens, and cycling the vertical height of Everest for the fun of it. All of it compounded, quietly, into a team that could go around the world and come home champions. What comes through most is how much fun they're having. These are two friends who race hard and laugh the whole way through it, still finishing high school and already eyeing the next mission, the next film, the next start line. Youth is definitely not wasted on these young people, and as we like to say, the kids are alright. Shownotes: Instagram: Team: @Turbo.platypus.squadron.ss Luke: @luke_jansen101 Silas: @prodbysilas Chasing Seconds - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW8fmwFFxnY Black Diamond - https://blackdiamondequipment.com/ Inspire Foundation - @inspire_foundation_nz AXICO Financial Advisers - @axicoadvisers Pure Sports Nutrition - https://www.puresportsnutrition.com/ Canterbury Sports Foundation - https://www.sportcanterbury.org.nz/funding/canterbury-sports-foundation-1

Rachel Nolan is back on the show FOUR YEARS (We can't believe it either!) after her first visit on Episode #35, and it's great to have her join us. In July 2026 she won PC12 in Colombia with Vidaraid, her first race with the team. Rachel and Brian also get into how she got there: solo bikepacking across the Atlas Mountains and the Pan Celtic, a training week built on hill repeats and packrafting off the west coast of Ireland, and a racing style she calls steady rather than fast. They also talk meat-free fueling in a meat-heavy country, sleeping (or not sleeping) through a five-day race, running her own tour company, and why she thinks waiting to feel ready is a mistake. Next stop for her is the world championship in Corsica. Shownotes: Rachel on TDZ #35 - https://ardarkzone.com/2022/06/27/the-dark-zone-35-rachel-nolan-irish-adventure-racer-bikepacking-champion-and-african-donkey-whisperer/ Jen Segger - https://jensegger.com/ Jill Mooney - https://barrultra.com/about-us/jill/ Northwave - https://www.northwave.com/en/bike/shoes Infinity Bike Seat - https://infinitybikeseat.com/ Albion Cycling - https://www.albioncycling.com/ Orbea Bikes - https://www.orbea.com/es-es Columbia Sportswear - https://www.columbia.com/ TransAtlanticWay - https://www.transatlanticway.com/ Montenegro Mountain Madness - https://www.montenegromountainmadness.com/ Super Jay - https://www.instagram.com/jay_jantaraboon/

Just days before the ARWS European Championship Montane Adventure Race, race director Lars Bukkehave sits down with TDZ to explain the 48-hour course that he built. Showcasing the beauty and challenge of Denmark, the race runs 19 stages including a sea cliff where you can still see the black clay layer left by the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, underwater checkpoints, a Cold War nuclear bunker turned checkpoint, a vertical orienteering stage that sends racers climbing into the trees, and a maze set in a public park so spectators can watch. Lars also gets into what holds it all together: 70+ volunteers, and the bonfires, stick bread, and shared meals that turn 50 teams from 17 countries into a reunion before the gun even goes off. His 22-year career as an adventure racer, race director, and championship-winning teammate has led to this moment, and he looks forward to sharing it with the world. Shownotes: Race Social Media - https://www.facebook.com/MontaneAdventureRace Atlas Explorers Expeditions - https://www.atlas-explorers.com/

New Zealand's Louie Burger is 18. He's also four expedition races deep, including a run at the iconic Godzone. He got there by way of one of the country's strongest school adventure racing programs, a last-minute addition to a team at The Magnificient, dedicated training and teamwork, and a lot of very long days in the bush. We talk about what it takes to trust people you've known for 24 hours versus teammates you've raced with since school, what actually goes wrong on a six-day expedition race, and the moments both fun and not-so-fun that always come along during a race. Along the way, Louie speaks about mentors, challenging moments, an unforgettable in-race surprise, and his own thoughts on how hard to push a young body built for a sport he wants to still be doing at 60. Shownotes: Facebook Page - Link Here Instagram Page - Link Here Godzone Report - Link Here Tasman Adventure Race - www.tasmanadventurerace.nz