Alix Shutello, CEO and Editor

Editor’s Letter

It’s time for a change.

I launched Endurance Racing Magazine back in 2010 with the thought of creating a publication that would cater to the “endurance lifestyle,” and designed content for those who venture beyond 26.2 miles or past the Ironman to ultra distances. I embraced the magazine like it was a new family member, and have given it a lot of love and dedication.

But something was off. This summer, I started pondering what this magazine means. I’ve met and talked with some of the most prolific endurance athletes in the world, and even more of the regular Joes and Josettes who have ventured in to the “endurance” distance world. In my conversations with people who are NOT at the point of going ultra distances, I discovered that there is a romantic notion about going the extra mile – but for many, the journey to get there can take years. Others simply go for it, without a lot of thinking, planning or training; they set their minds to running 100 miles and they make it happen.

The dichotomy of these two types of athletes is minimal. Those who jump into the ultra world (fast adopters) do so because they are compelled to. These athletes are motivated not by the journey so much as they are by setting quick, obtainable goals and accomplishing them. Those who need more time, or the “thorough trainers,” enjoy the journey. The training becomes a way a life; a never ending quest to commit to steady change over time. These are athletes who evolve, who hunger for information, products, services and other things to keep them informed as they move up on miles run, swum, cycled, canoed, hiked or walked.

And then it hit me – after interviewing hundreds of people over the years, I realized what endurance really means and who this publication is ultimately for.

Fast adopters and thorough trainers encompass the embodiment of athletes from around the world. Anyone who is driven to get outside and work on their fitness is working on one thing: Building endurance and ultimately sustaining it.

Endurance is a word synonymous with that “thing” inside of us which drives us to achieve our goals. I don’t care if you are a training to run your first 5k or completing your first sprint triathlon or running your 75th 100-miler or finishing an Ironman, “endurance” is about working toward a goal – a common goal – to go farther and/or go faster and/or just get to the end of the distance you’ve decided to complete.

So we are turning the magazine in that direction.

So is this publication for you?

The athletes I’ve talked with run the gamut of the human race: they are single, or divorced, or married without kids or married with kids. I’ve interviewed single parents with young kids who compete regularly and juggle parenthood. I’ve seen cancer patients shake off their disease and complete some of the world’s toughest races. I’ve seen paraplegics complete Ironmans. I’ve seen the blind run with a companion and complete ultra marathons. I’ve interviewed recovering alcoholics, ex-smokers and ex-obese athletes who have overcome great challenges. I’ve listened to spouses who “don’t get it,” and spouses who do. I’ve interviewed couples who compete either together or separately. I’ve interviewed people who’ve had to drop out of epic races they spent months training for, only to come back and persevere. I’ve talked to folks who’ve run through the roughest terrain on the planet in the extreme cold, or the extreme heat, over extreme distances, locations and altitudes. I’ve talked to people with past addictions, or folks who are or were depressed, or even people like me – adopted, and carrying the emotional baggage of that. I’ve interviewed the mentally strong and the mentally weak, the challenged, the motivated, and the occasional person who just wants someone to run with.

I’ve talked to pregnant moms who had to stop training because they were bleeding and couldn’t go on or risk the health of the baby. I’ve talked to people who have run and fallen with serious injury, or who’ve been hit while training on their bikes (way too many to count, unfortunately). I’ve seen athletes recover from many months off from broken backs, torn ligaments and broken collarbones, and I even know a person or two who completed ultra races with broken bones! I’ve been asked to cover races and have watched people – really watched people – compete. I’ve taken their pictures, talked with them before and after the race. I’ve seen people stuff bananas in their socks, chug Coke, and drink beer while completing. We all have distinctive, quirky habits that make us unique and fun.

This mishmash of experience is the endurance experience. It is the endurance community. From those of you who got off the couch after putting on 100 pounds and who now exercise and complete regularly to those athletes who are getting excited about the 560-mile Uberman race I posted on Facebook, we are all part of the same ilk.

Stay tuned for changes this January.

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Jennifer Chaudoir has overcome more obstacles than most of us do in a lifetime – finding the strength to leave two abusive men, raise five daughters on her own, overcome bankruptcy, as well as manage Lyme’s disease, stress fractures and other challenges. Chaudoir is the epitome of strength, courage, faith in God, athletic stamina and a mindset that nothing can bring you down.

By Alix Shutello

 Jennifer Chaudoir, of Green Bay, Wis., was 30 when she decided to leave her first marriage. After being both physically and emotionally abused for 10 years, Chaudoir, then a mother of four, had turned to walking, then running, just to escape her husband. After she left her husband, however, Chaudoir used running to help her cope; and through time, her endurance blossomed into a strong running career.

“One day, I drove the route I had been jogging and realized I ran two miles; and so from that day on, I focused on increasing how far I ran. Soon, I was running 5 miles, sometimes in boots, then sandals and jean shorts, completely naive to what running apparel was after being isolated and avoiding people so long,” Chaudoir said.

Within six months, Chaudoir was running over an hour and signed up to run the Green Bay Cellcom half marathon. “I ran in cotton shorts, hair down and makeup carefully applied,” she said. “I attended the awards ceremony with lack of anything better to do, and was surprised when my name was called and I placed third in my age division! I walked up to receive my medal looking at the ground and ran home to my duplex where I had just moved, proudly wearing the medal as well as the tears that ran from my eyes. My life just begun…I had finally found Me.”

Running was a boon to Chaudoir. She was running well and taking age group awards in many races. Both the competitive and social aspects of running became addicting. She gained confidence, freedom, friends, and her self – whom she says she had lost a long time before. Chaudoir found training schedules in running magazines, set goals, and decided to make a career out of fitness by getting a job at a local fitness club selling memberships. Soon, Chaudoir joined the Personal Training Program and became a fitness trainer.

Chaudoir remarried in 2008 and had child Jay the same year. She now had two boys and three girls; but unfortunately, her second marriage also ended in divorce.   

“It was another bad marriage, this time worse than the first; my ex-husband abused both of my dogs (who later died as a result), and broke our infant daughter’s ribs and ankles. I again drew my strength from my running,” she said.

In an effort to get through the bad times, Chaudoir focused on her running goals in order to “stay sane in this turmoil [she] lived in.” Now with five children, ages 11 years to 3 months, Chaudoir found herself alone and scraping by waitressing, cleaning houses and working as a bus aide for the Head Start program she managed – often operating around the clock and going many nights without sleep.

Those sleepless nights, however, would only aid Chaudoir’s endurance. After waitressing until 2:30 a.m., she’d be up by 6:30 a.m. to run before the kids were shuffled off to school each day, or she’d run while they were in school. Sometimes, she’d run up and down the road where they lived while they slept.

To Marathons, Overcoming Chronic Illness and Beyond

In 2010, Chaudoir ran her first marathon, finishing in 3:02. Motivated by her success and the fact that she felt marathon training was easy for her, she trained to run the same marathon the following year and hit a PR with a 2:57.

Prone to goal setting, Chaudoir wondered if she could qualify for the Olympics and set herself on obtaining a 2:46 marathon. To accomplish her training goals, she was going to hire a trainer. During this time, however, Chaudoir was often feeling fatigued and sore. “My heart was weak and my injection infraction rate was that of a 55-year-old male, and I could barely run a mile and get off the couch some mornings,” Chaudoir explained. “I was unable to work and was ultimately going to lose my home. My children were taking care of me much of the time.”

Chaudoir was informed that she had fibromyalgia and rheumatory arthritis; but after working a few years with a naturopath, Chaudoir discovered she was misdiagnosed. In fact, Lyme’s Disease, coupled with mold toxification and histoblasmosis, were most likely the root of her fatigue and pain.

“This is something I still struggle with; I will never be completely relieved of the symptoms of Chronic Lyme’s Disease, but I have learned how to manage them for the most part with diet and proper supplements and sleep,” she said. “Some days are just difficult days and it goes in streaks, but I am so much better!”

Becoming a Snowshoe Champion

Jennifer with her daughter, Kaylee

While Chaudoir said she “missed the boat on the Marathon qualifying time” because never gained back that speed at the marathon distance, she quickly found another athletic outlet she could focus on.

Chaudoir got into snowshoe racing in an unexpected way. In 2011, as a personal fitness trainer, one of her clients – an autistic athlete who was preparing to compete in a snowshoe race for the Special Olympics in Korea 2012 – asked Chaudoir to train with him.

Chaudoir signed up for a local race herself and borrowed a pair of big clunky snowshoes. She finished second female overall and fell in love with the sport. Even then, she set her sights on making the US National Snow Shoe team in an effort to compete at a higher level.

“I Googled snowshoe racing and found more races, and information on what I needed to do to make the US Team: and so I persisted,” Chaudoir said.

And as if by fate, a pair a snowshoes was in her future.

“I looked online at snowshoe prices, and the next day got a card in the mail from a friend with a $200 gift certificate.” Struck by the irony of it all and feeling God was making her a new path forward, Chaudoir simply bought the snowshoes – and the rest, as they say, is history.

Chaudoir qualified early in 2012 for the US Snow Shoe Nationals in the 10K. In order to qualify, the athlete had to place first female and win the whole thing.

The race proved to be quite difficult. She not only had to fight pain, but suffered frostbite on her ankles, totally naive as to how to dress for the qualifying race and ultimately ending up in the ER with severe frostbite on her ankles. Despite all that, she still managed to come in first place in her age group.

Chaudoir would suffer complications after the race, however. Her ankles had swollen so large and the sores from the frostbite were so deep she couldn’t wear shoes. Further, she had a tibial stress fracture in her left leg. She had trained by jogging on a trampoline with ankle weights; now, she continued training with taped-up ankles and even competed in some races with her ankles taped and her shoes untied.

“I guess what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger; and I believe this was all a part of a bigger plan,” Chaudoir said.

Chaudoir competed in Oregon Snowshoe Nationals in 2012, in an effort to qualify for the US National Snow Shoe Team – still dealing with Lyme’s symptoms, which left her with achy muscles, early fatigue, stiffness, vertigo and asthma.

“Snowshoeing to me is so much more than just a winter sport; it’s where I come alive.”

2014 Was a Signature Year

Things for Chaudoir certainly have not been easy; but in 2014, things turned around in all aspects of her life.

In terms of family, her oldest is almost 18, so she can run when the kids are in school.

She currently owns her own businesses, cleaning houses (Jen’s Cleaning Service) and doing personal training (Simple 2B Fit). Her kids are very supportive, and her girls attend many of her races. The youngest two, Kaylee and Jaide, often compete; Kaylee ran her first half marathon at age 9.

“I work my housecleaning jobs and personal training clients around the kids’ schedules and my training,” Chaudoir said. “I was recently engaged a couple months ago and have a very supportive fiancé who attends all my races, toting and spending time with my youngest.” Chaudoir’s exfiancé provided leg rubs, kid watching, cheering, photographing and taking trips to cold-weather places to be there for her.

Chaudoir also went undefeated in the women’s division in Wisconsin for the 2014 snowshoe season. At the last minute, she decided she wanted to compete in Vermont for Snow Shoe Nationals but didn’t have enough money. After a night of prayer, she happened to take a sick day and ultimately worked on her income taxes. Again, her prayers were answered: her tax return just so happened to be the exact amount of money she needed to complete in Vermont. So she went, competed and made the US Team Masters division.

Snowshoers are most often runners in the off-season, and in 2014, Chaudoir decided this year to try a 50- miler – The FALL 50.

“I chose this race simply because Sean Ryan was directing it and Roy Pirrung, on the US National Ultra Running Team, said I should! It was that easy to convince me. I did minimal training by running a marathon and then running a 30-mile training run. On race day, I stood at the start with a simply a goal to finish. This race is a US National event, and I placed sixth of all females. Unfortunately, I allowed the fourth and fifth pass me in the last leg simply because I didn’t know I was in fourth!” Chaudoir explained.

She was sponsored by Nicolet Water and Water Joe, both of whom pay Chaudoir’s race entry fees and shoe expenses. She also picked up a few local sponsors along the way that help out with the fees now that she’s increasing the number of races every year, having completed 63 races in 2014.

Working as an Advocate for Victims of Domestic Violence

Chaudoir supports the Domestic Violence Center and often runs in honor of victims and to raise awareness as well as money for the shelter. In January 2015, Chaudoir will compete in the snowshoe division for the 2015 Masters World Games in Quebec, ON. She will write the victims’ names on her arms.

“Somehow this makes my run seem so worthwhile and the tension of competing is lessened when the reason is something so heartfelt; in fact, I find such strength in running for the hope of others that it’s impossible not to be my best…I focus on God and I play songs in my head that I store there…I think little about the race while I am running, and my mind shifts from my personal heaven of a field of white lilies to songs like “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood, and “Dancing in the Moonlight”, and “Latch” – all relaxing, calming tunes to me.

“I remain simple; I don’t wear a Garmin, I don’t own the finest apparel, I don’t listen to music because I listen to my heart. I believe God gave me the gift of running, and that it is a part of a bigger plan. When I focus on what has gotten me through all the devastating times in my life, I find peace and indescribable inner strength. When I stand at the start of a race, while others set their Garmins, I look up to the only Garmin I need. He sets my pace and determines my finish, and I hand it over to God. It’s really not about me, it’s about how God works through me.”

Download the Jan/Feb 2015 Issue at:     http://www.magzter.com/US/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Business/114385

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Jack Cary

All About Jack Cary

There are some people whose list of accomplishments boggles the mind. John (Jack) Winfield Cary III is one of those people –  and his seemingly endless list of adventure and other types of races includes running up Mount Fuji in Japan. Jack Cary, age 39, of Burlington, Ver., is the co-owner of The Endurance Society, an organization he founded with fellow endurance athlete Andy Weinburg (also from Vermont).

The organization focuses on providing an excellent adventure experience for endurance athletes who are interested in pushing their limits. Cary, who had developed a keen sense for outdoor and adventure sports, became interested in designing and managing endurance hikes, which led to managing endurance races. Cary got hooked on adventure sports at the age of 27, having spent 6 months hiking 2,000+ miles from Georgia to Maine on the Appalachian Trail in 2003. He did not run his first 5k until his early 30s and quickly progressed into trail running, marathons, ultras and extreme multi-day adventures. Cary describes himself as a spontaneous wanderlust.

“I’ve always been a bit extreme, impulsive, walk to the beat of my own drum, all-or-nothing type. Part wanderlust, part risk-taker, part Attention Deficit. Like when I decided to hike the Appalachian trail; I had never really heard of it until 2002, when I stumbled upon a single page from a A.T. thru-hiker’s journal. At that exact moment, I said to myself: “I am going to hike the Appalachian Trail!”

Cary saved up money, quit his job, sold his car, and in March of 2003 started hiking south. After completing the hike, he moved to Burlington, and literally camped there for the first week or two before renting a small apartment. Vermont has a number of running groups, and in 2007 Cary joined one and immediately appreciated the support and camaraderie the group provided. “It didn’t take long before I was going on long 5- or 6-hour training runs,” he mused. “I don’t run fast, but I seemed to have developed a knack for gutting out the longer stuff. I am sure my time on the Appalachian Trail helped.” Cary regards being an endurance athlete as more of a lifestyle than something he spends time training for. He likes to hike and train with like-minded folks, such as adventure-seekers and outdoor enthusiasts.

To encourage his endurance practice, Cary has surrounded himself with people who are faster, stronger and smarter.

“I also like to take new adventurers under my wing, to expose them to the joys that I experience doing these types of events,” Cary said. In the last five years alone, Cary has competed in a few ultras – some of which he DNFd. But for the most part, Cary can boast that he’s finished a handful of ultra races and marathons and has led hundreds of sunrise/summit group hikes in Vermont. In terms of running, he’s run to the summit of Mt. Fuji, Japan (solo, before sunrise), run The Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim, finished the Spartan Death Race three times, skied a 50k Nordic Race, hiked in the Swiss Alps and climbed Mt. Rainier. Further, Cary has designed and administered physical and mental challenges for a number of adventure races – making him qualified to manage the race series that The Endurance Society is marketing to endurance athletes who are looking to push their limits.

Download the Jan/Feb 2015 Issue at:     http://www.magzter.com/US/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Business/114385

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Grant Maughan, age 50, has become well-known in the endurance and adventure racing circuits as of late, with a couple of second-place finishes at Badwater and top finishes in other top-tier endurance foot races like the Brazil 135. A newcomer to endurance racing, he’s had enormous success over the past few years and has built an impressive resume in a short period of time – and has bigger and better plans ahead.

Grant Maughan was chilling out in the home of Jay Batchen and Lisa Smith-Batchen when I caught up to him between training sessions. Maughan, a native of New Castle, Australia, decided to take a sabbatical from years at sea captaining private ships and yachts to train and compete in hard-core adventure and endurance-distance foot races. He moved into the Batchen residence to take refuge on land, as well as to take instruction directly from Smith-Batchen. As a long-term guest (he’s been there over six months), he performs a list of household chores – such as cooking dinner at least once a week as well as walking the dogs and other general chores – that help maintain the Batchen home.

Maughan is training for the Arrowhead 135, a difficult winter self-sustaining adventure race which is run from “Frostbite Falls” on the Canadian border across the Northern Region of Minnesota, USA. The race has gained in popularity over 11 years, boasting athletes from USA, Canada, India, Finland, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, and the UK.

“The race starts Monday, January 26, and you have 120 hours to complete it,” Maughan told me.  He chose the race based on its difficulty, and turned to Smith-Batchen (who he met 18 months ago) to provide a training schedule. At first, they worked long-distance while he was at sea or stationed in Florida. She sent a two-week training schedule for Maughan to follow.

“I’m a pretty good student. I followed it to a T. At the end of that, I sent in what I’d done. She asked me about my diet to make sure I was on track,” Maughan said.

When it came to training for Arrowhead, Smith-Batchen met with Maughan to discuss how to train for the challenging conditions.

“She sat down with me to talk about how things would be different running in the snow,” Maughan explained. “This race is a lot about gear; and since temperatures can plummet to -40 Fahrenheit, you need to be cognizant about the temperature extremes.”

Athletes are required to pull a sled with their gear for the duration of the 130 miles. Competitors run along a groomed snowmobile trail and must finish the race with all the gear they bring in – and there is a lot of it. Given the temperature extremes, athletes need to pack wet-weather gear, a stove, a sleeping bag, snow shoes, and other cold-weather gear.

“You don’t want to freeze to death,” Maughan added. “The checkpoints are only every 40 miles, so you are really out there on your own.”

From Sea Captain to Endurance Racer

Maughan has been a professional sea captain for 29 years, captaining on different boats, ships and yachts. When he turned 50, he wanted to take some time off and stay on land; his last job had kept him onboard for 7 years – a long stint for a captain. When I asked him about how he trained, he said, “[Training] Takes up so much time, and when I got into endurance sports and running ultras I had to get really creative.”

Maughan had always been athletic, but he didn’t become a runner until his forties. When he was 47, he ran the West Palm Beach Florida Marathon in December 2011 (his first marathon) and qualified for Boston. At the time, the boat he was captaining just so happened to docked for a while; the owner, who liked to sail around the world, wasn’t using it as often.

After completing the marathon, Maughan just skipped up the endurance, running a 50k, then a 100k, and then completing the Keys 100-miler five months later.

After that, he wanted to try another trail 100-miler and chose the Burning River in Ohio, which took place in August. In 2012, Maughan completed his first triathlon and competed in HURT in Hawaii. In 2013, he chose to run the Boston Marathon – the year of the bombing.

“It was bittersweet and a great experience; I gained another PR at that race,” Maughan said.

In 2014, Maughan did 15 ultras. By the time he settled in on running events in Vancouver, where he was living at the time with his wife of 19 years, the marriage had fallen apart. Maughan kept to himself and kept running, and focused on the Fat Dog 120-miler as one of his signature races.

“It’s one of the most beautiful races I’ve ever done,” he said. “Thirty people started it, and only 10 finished. The race has gained in popularity; there are already 120 entrants signed up for this year [2015].”

Focus on Badwater

Grant and Lisa Smith-Batchen

Early on, after Maughan ran his first 100-miler, he had in the back of his mind that he would compete at Badwater. In 2013, Maughan qualified and turned to fellow endurance racer and owner of Sky Dive Ultras, Eric Friedman, to be his pacer.

“I met Eric at the Keys 100-miler and we kept in touch. When I qualified for Badwater, he was one of the first guys I contacted. He’s just a solid guy,” Maughan said.

Maughan decided to enlist the help of a coach for the race, preferring a female coach. “I shopped around, found Lisa, and within one minute we clicked,” he said.

Friedman crewed Maughan in 2013 for Badwater. He got second place in both 2013 and 2014. He will go back again in 2015 to try for another win. He is, I observed, one of the first people I know to run Badwater three times on three different courses. In 2013, Maughan ran the original Badwater course through Death Valley; but in 2014, the National Park Service prohibited the race from being run on the original course, and competitors ran on an altered course which didn’t include Death Valley. In 2015, competitors will be allowed to start in Death Valley, but in the dark with an 11 PM start instead of the original 5 AM start.

Mental Toughness, Training and Diet

Maughan’s favorite distance is 100 miles or longer. “I’m a pretty little guy and I prefer a longer race and I can keep going. I do want to try some 100k trail races just to mix things up, but you’ll see me mainly doing the 100-miler plus,” he said.

I asked him what makes him tough; Maughan believes his work experience has a lot to do with it.

“I think I’ve learned to be tough by being at sea,” Maughan reflected. “I’ve done hard manual labor in difficult situations. I’ve had experience with staying up all night. I’ve stayed awake for days on end onboard a sea trawler.”

But Maughan is mentally tough for another reason: In 2004, he was in a boating accident and punctured his left eye, leaving him blind on that side. He has to be careful now, especially on the trails, and uses a very powerful headlamp for night running.

In addition to the toughness he built at sea, Maughan is driven – and that is something you are born with.

“If you do these races, everyone asks, ‘How do you get through it?’ It’s very difficult to learn, if not impossible. My thing is, I hate not getting things done; and I have such a desire to finish, I just push myself through it. And remember, I hurt just as much as everyone else. The mental fortitude comes from stubbornness!”

To compliment his training, Maughan allows 3-4 days off for recovery. During those days, he may swim or bike; after those days, he incorporates some easy short runs. About a week later, he will ramp up. Maughan explained that he is interested in the least amount of miles for the maximum benefit.

And that training philosophy has earned him some course records and first-place finishes.

When I asked Maughan what comes after Arrowhead, his answer was clear.

“I want to get back to Florida to run in the heat.”

About the Arrowhead 135
http://www.arrowheadultra.com/

The Arrowhead 135 is a human-powered ultra marathon taking place during the coldest part of winter in northern Minnesota. The average finish rate is less than 50%; the finish rate for new racers is much lower. In 2014, finish rate was only 35%.

The race is 135 miles long and takes place in the deep winter on rugged, scenic Arrowhead State Snowmobile Trail, from Frostbite I-Falls to Tower, Minn., Fortune Bay Casino. Athletes pick their mode of transport at the start: bicycle, ski or foot. The race is in its 11th year, beginning with 10 entrants in 2005 and growing to ~150 starters for 2014, featuring some of the best winter ultra-athletes in the world.

Download the Jan/Feb 2015 Issue at: http://www.magzter.com/US/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Business/114385

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“We want to build a great community of endurance and adventure enthusiasts, and provide one-of-a-kind experiences for them. We want to utilize this community to make the world a better place. And we want to play in the mountains with our friends.”

– Jack Cary, Co-owner

The Endurance Society is the brainchild of Jack Cary and Andy Weinburg. The pair met in 2009 via an endurance adventure race that Weinburg was directing and discovered that they shared many interests; and from 2011–2014, while Weinburg designed and directed some of his multi-day adventure races, such as the Spartan Death Race, the men were discussing doing something more epic – something tougher, mentally and physically. That led to ideas for a new organization; and in 2014, The Endurance Society was born.

The mission of The Endurance Society is twofold: To create unique, life-changing, mind-blowing experiences for adventure enthusiasts, and to utilize the members for community involvement. The broad focus of the organization is on developing and designing endurance events that challenge the mind and body. This includes not only the “normal” ultra-distance activities, such as trail running, but also new types adventure races that have never been done before.

Cary and Weinburg bring two sets of skills to their endeavor. Weinburg is more of an extrovert, a natural people-person and motivator, and works as a college professor. Cary, the creative arm of the organization, is a computer specialist and self-described introvert.

Cary and Weinburg are building more than just a business; they have acquired years of endurance and adventure experience, plus a solid trust in each other. In 2014, they roped crevasse travel during a Mt. Rainer adventure – an adventure that requires not only outdoor knowledge and experience, but also teamwork, as each athlete must rely on the other for survival. Cary and Weinburg have spent the last six months building the company from scratch, using good old-fashioned hard work, creativity and an investment of their own time and resources. They designed and marketed a handful of endurance events, which have proved attractive to the more than 2,000 athletes who have joined the organization to obtain discounts and information on the Society’s racing series.

Their first event, slated for January 2015, is a 60-mile winter group trek.

Download the Jan/Feb 2015 at: http://www.magzter.com/US/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Business/114385

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Not Yet on the Podium

An End-of-Year and Long Overdue Thank You
By Earl Furfine

Have you ever noticed how thankful other endurance racers are for their vast network of supporters while training and after finishing their events? I continue to be amazed at how many friends, friends of friends, family, and even strangers cheer madly, provide encouragement, scream incessantly and ensure that “you will NEVER quit!”

I have had over the years a group of people that would never let me quit an Ironman. The thought never crossed their minds. How could it have? They get it. Endurance racing is a way a life. A commitment that is enduring, lengthy and sometimes lonely. We race for ourselves and no one else. We don’t want to prove anything to anyone but ourselves. Every time I have crossed that finish line, even with a bad tactical and physical race, I put another deposit in my personal bank that makes me the person I am. Those who don’t push themselves to the limits, and then just a bit further, may never understand the long-term satisfaction that we get from multiple races under our belts.

I am the king of “I’ll never do another race” the day after race day. My friends and family roll their eyes and say, “Yeah, sure, talk to us in a month.” They are always right. Mental and physical challenges are what define us. Behind all the good-natured “oh my god, you are insane” comments is a drive and ability to commit to something that most individuals might not ever achieve. Endurance racing is not for commitment-phobes. Endurance racing is not for quitters. All that being said, we cannot do it alone. We need our partners, family, friends and all of those amazing volunteers at each race to keep us going. I have a crew of people that have followed me around the country, making sure I don’t stop. They wait for me until dark, they scream at me to keep moving, they tell me I look terrible and then they say, “But, you are supposed to, it’s Ironman!”

The importance of a network of people that support you during your training, don’t mind your complaining about body aches on a daily basis, call you frequently to make sure you got your training in, adjust family vacations around your training and racing, make you signs, get up at the crack of dawn just to see you get into the water, wait for hours as you pass by in 3 seconds on the bike, and most importantly for me, keep you running and never quitting on the marathon, are our only reason for going on. I know I’ll get hugs, high-fives, laughter and the greatest feeling of love one could ever have when I cross that finish line. I always know there will be a great text waiting for me from my parents and brother. (My brother is pretty good actually at sending one at each stage of the race.) Thinking of that in transition puts a smile on my face. Some friends have gone as far as to text my coach during the race to give me guidance (talk about thoughtful!!) and to get updates from me through her.

So, here’s to all of you, my parents and brother (Carolyn, Chuck and Eric), my racing partner (Wendy), my training partners (Bobby, Adham, Steve, Robin), my travelling Chicago contingent (Nanette, Kayhan, Avrille, Allanah), my coach (Pamela), my awesome travelling Reston Russian cheer group (Alex and Anya). You have all been at my races (usually in person, sometimes online), and you have always kept me going, even when I wanted to stop.

Thank you to all of the others who have been to a race in the past. My friends in Dallas, Houston and Arlington who withstood a long day in Texas and my staff from Cardinal Technologies, who rented an RV and embraced 96-degree heat and a 16-hour day just to greet me at the finish line. I won’t forget any of the joy it is to see you, even if only briefly. It takes a moment, but the mental energy lasts for hours. This special crew I feel deserves the additional recognition for the sheer number of races they have endured as supporters and spectators. You’ll never let us quit and you are willing to sacrifice your time – in some cases, quite a bit of time – to allow us to do so.

From every endurance racer on this earth, thank you all from the very bottom of our hearts. It is because of you that we finish. It is because of you that we can race again.

I am, Not yet on the Podium.

Download the Jan/Feb 2015 issue: http://www.magzter.com/US/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Endurance-Racing-Magazine/Business/114385

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Born to play hard, Andy Weinburg has built a career as an endurance athlete – as well as a race organizer of some of the world’s most difficult competitions. Once the owner of The Death Race and numerous endurance running and snow shoe races, Weinburg and his partner, Jack Cary, started The Endurance Society in 2014, an organization dedicated to those who are interested in difficult endurance races.

Andy Weinburg (44) of Pittsfield, Ver., was once very passionate about swimming. As a child, he competed as a long-distance swimmer and swam through college, spending his weekends cycling, paddling, camping, hiking, and basically any other outdoor activity. He took up long-distance running and triathlons as a hobby after college. “I always competed in the longest distances offered,” he said.

After completing his first marathon, Weinburg wanted more. He knew he had to push himself, but instead of running faster, he wanted to run farther. Weinburg then completed his first ultra distance run, the Ice Age 50 in Eagle, Wis., in his early 20s. “I had no idea what I was doing,” he said. “Much like my first triathlon, my first bike race, my first adventure race, etc.”

The experience was so inspiring that he was hooked, and has remained an ultra-marathoner ever since – that is, until he was bitten by the bug to do something more. As someone who enjoyed triathlons, open-water swimming, long-distance cycling, and adventure races, Weinburg wanted a new challenge. That was when he heard about the Double Ironman, and went off to compete at Lake Anna six times.

“I did a couple doubles and a few triples, and I really loved the people. But then I heard about the quintuple offered in the US, and I had to try it. I wanted to find out what my limits were; and this race certainly gave me that opportunity.” So Weinburg competed in the 2013 Lake Anna, Va., Anvil Quintuple Iron.

On Gear, Sponsors, and Training
Weinburg has never been that particular about the gear he uses, but likes to have the proper equipment in the winter so that he can stay out as long as possible and not worry about the elements. He is particular about lights, and prefers to have good lights while hiking, skiing, or cycling.

“I’ve had some gear sponsors over the years, but I’m not a sponsored athlete at this time,” he said.

In terms of training, Weinburg used to have a pretty intense training schedule, and at one point ran every day for two years; but he’s made some changes to balance work and life. In recent years, Weinburg has focused on one or two races per year, which may be complemented with other, shorter races. He will pick his “A” race – typically a long, more expensive endurance event, such as an ultra-triathlon or endurance run with entry fee and travel – and budget and plan accordingly.

The good thing is that Vermont, where Weinburg lives with his wife and two daughters, offers a lot of different training canvases where he can mix things up.

“I have a solid training plan when it’s necessary, but because of family and work, I don’t train as much as I’d like. I do the majority of my training during the early morning hours, and then I go longer on weekends. I prefer to mix it up and do a variety of things these days, and just focus on general fitness and having fun. I love road cycling, swimming, mountain biking, running, hiking, skiing, etc. I train with a variety of people, but I’m also fine training alone; I really enjoy being in the woods or on the roads alone, but I also like the camaraderie of training with others. In regards to training for a race, I don’t have a normal routine. In fact, many times I train with different disciplines…but when it comes down to it, I’m ready to train hard the last 30 days prior to the event,” he said.

“During competition I can be very relaxed, or I can be hyper-focused. Years ago I did lots of races, but in recent years it’s been easier for me to focus on one or two races per year. I really like to just choose one long-distance race per year and focus all of my mental energy on that race. I find that if I put in the work, then I believe in myself; and then reaching the goal isn’t a problem. The mental component of endurance racing is the coolest part for me. I love challenging my body, but the mental challenge is most rewarding. To be honest, I just like to test myself and see if I can endure.”

Why He Does It

Ultimately, for Weinburg, it’s about being driven.

“I’m driven internally. I’ve always enjoyed motivating people and getting them excited about pushing their limits and stepping out of their comfort zone. I think it’s important to practice what you preach. If I’m going to challenge someone, I should be able to challenge myself. I like dealing with adversity. I think it makes you stronger in life. I still like to push myself – and I’m always up for a challenge!”

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Adventure Racing World Championship 2015 has begun!!!!

The worlds top 32 teams representing 15 countries have now started racing over a 700km course through the Pantanal of Brazil with the aim of becoming the Adventure Racing World Champions 2015.  Follow them LIVE with GPS tracking at http://arwcpantanal.com/ on their epic journey.

Event: Adventure Racing World Championships Pantanal (Brazil).

Date: 13-21 November 2015

Start Date: Saturday, 13 November 2015 1300 at a location 12 hours up the Paraguay River.
Winning time: approx. 120 hours (five days of racing to finish on Thursday morning, 19 November 2015) which includes around 5 hours of sleep.

Last teams: Saturday 21 November, Midday
Location: Pantanal, Brazil

Number of four-person teams: 32
Countries represented: Australia, France, Netherlands, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, United Kingdom, Brazil, Columbia, USA, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Uruguay

Distance: 714 kilometres, non-stop

Sporting disciplines: pack rafting, trekking, mountain biking, river kayaking, roping, navigation

Live GPS tracking and news feeds: http://arwcpantanal.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARWSBrasil
Race reporting: http://arwcpantanal.com/
Twitter: #arwcpantanal
Instagram: #arwcpantanal

About AR World Championship
The AR World Championship has defined the sport of adventure racing and crowned the worlds top adventure racing teams since 2001. Each year a Qualifier event is chosen to host the championship. They accept:

- The top two placed teams at each Qualifier,
- The highest placed all national membered team from each Qualifier if they were not placed 1st or 2nd,
- The previous AR World Champions, and second placed team from previous AR World Championship,
- And allocate wild card entries.

Photos – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ligaoutdoor/
AR World Series
PO Box 542
BUDERIM QLD 4556
AUSTRALIA

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By Alix Shutello

On August 22, 2015, I ventured to High Falls, N.Y., to cover my first search and rescue adventure race. The Lost Tribe Search and Rescue Adventure Race, managed and directed by Eldar and Erin Spahic, was epic. The race was 25 miles of running, climbing and hiking to specific points along a detailed course, earning points by collecting punches at designated stations. Athletes had to use maps and navigate through a maze of trails at Mohonk Preserve. Much like The Amazing Race, athletes worked in teams to negotiate the course, moving from clue to clue to get through the course as fast as possible. Some more seasoned athletes chose to cut their way through more dense brush along the course, while others stayed on a more beaten path.

Teams ranged from 2-6 members and were a mix of professional sponsored adventure racing teams, orienteering teams, military teams, medical/first responder teams, OCR racers, and first-timers. The race began with teams having to rescue their captains in a simulated fire emergency. Once captains were back at the starting line, teams were sent along a long road to look for buses that would take them miles and miles away from where they started.

The course was designed and inspired by Search and Rescue (SAR) teams who are required to trek into difficult and treacherous terrain to find and retrieve people in distress. SAR teams must work together as a coordinated unit to get to these rescue sites safely. Like other adventure races, this race focused on obstacles that would require tactical skills and strategic decision-making by the teams. It was the teams who could work most effectively in unison with designated roles who proved to be most successful in the race.

“The course is set up to stress the athletes a little, because that’s real life in a search and rescue operation,” Eldar Spahic said.

At precisely 10:00 a.m., athletes rushed in various directions, looking for marks to collect and gain points. The course proved challenging: competitors climbed rocks, hiked up steep rocky trails and ran along mountain ridges. They hiked deep into the woods, jumped in rivers, and climbed into a rock cave to collect points. Hiking or running was rarely on even terrain.

After 6 hours, many, but not all, teams made it back to home base. The winning team, REV3, is the current first-place nationally ranked adventure team; they use the course for training and commented that the race was well-planned and executed by the race directors.

For those interested in negotiating the course solo, athletes had 3 hours to complete a shorter version. The 3Hour Solo option was a first time for the event and allowed individual competitors a chance to take on a portion of the course.

The Lost Tribe Expeditions is gearing up for the 2016 SAR Adventure Race and states, “We have m

any new surprises in store – come join in to find out!”

The event benefited KaeliStrong, a New Paltz, N.Y., child lymphoma foundation.

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By Robin Lyon

Ironman Robin Lyon qualified for Kona and hasn’t looked back. Now in her 40’s, she feels she’s at her prime.

I swam in college at the University of San Diego, and have always been a runner.  I had a mountain bike for transportation to and from classes, so my senior year, my best friend and I decided to enter the local Bud Light Series Olympic Distance triathlon right there in La Jolla.  I did sprint and Olympic distances religiously for about 8 years until I moved to Arizona…then I met my now-husband, Jim, at Phoenix Swim Club.  He also did triathlons, but was more into the Ironman distance.  After watching him do his third one in Canada, I signed myself up the next day to do Ironman Canada the following year in 1998.  So that year, we flew to Canada and he watched me do it; and then we got married a few weeks later!

Jim retired from triathlons a few years into our marriage, but my passion for it never died…I just stuck with shorter distances.  Over the next 10 years I did take time off racing to have our two boys, Ben and Jon.  I still did some running races, but my promise to myself was that I wouldn’t race triathlons until my youngest went to kindergarten.  So once that time came, I bought a new bike and started training.  I had bigger goals for myself and wanted to be competitive again.  I started doing a lot of the 70.3 or half-Ironman distance in Arizona, and one in Idaho, Victoria BC, etc.  I loved traveling to places and racing at the same time.  My husband and I moved to Flagstaff and lived there for 8 years while expanding our business and raising our boys.

My parents had and still have a home in Hawaii, so I raced the 70.3 Ironman Honolulu three times and made it to the podium every year, but wasn’t satisfied with third and fourth. The third and final year I went back (in 2014), I finally won first place and punched my ticket to Kona Ironman World Championship (I was 42).  Qualifying for Kona was just as gratifying as crossing the finish line in Kona.

Ironically, it wasn’t until my 40′s that I would say I hit my “prime” – maybe it was the experience, wisdom, training smarts, quality of training I did or changes in my diet, etc.; but so far, years 40-44 have been for sure my best, and I have been the most competitive.  I race faster now than I did when I was in my 20′s.

I train primarily by myself. I swim masters at Phoenix Swim Club (the same one where I met my husband 18 years ago!) and I am a sponsored athlete on the Elite Team for TriScottsdale here in Scottsdale, Ariz.  They have group rides on Saturdays that are a big part of my training, and also Wednesday track workouts at a local high school.  As for clothing, products, and gear I use…I have my favorites!  I love Betty Designs for my swimsuits and bike kits, Louis Garneau for my racing kits, my bike is a Cervelo P3, and my favorite running shoes are Saucony Kinvara T2.  I usually cook all my own food – even training food – mainly from The Feed Zone Portables book.  I believe in real food when fueling and recovering.  I love OSMO for women for my electrolyte replacement and SKRATCH hydration mixes.

I have always been a working mom and triathlete up until a few years ago. I have done everything from being the CFO for our

Thanks to our sponsor, Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International

company to teaching spinning for 10 years.  I currently am a USAT Level 1 coach, working part time with people who are new to the sport and want to train for any kind of fitness event or triathlon.  I also am deeply involved in volunteering at both my kids’ schools, and I do charity work at numerous organizations throughout the Phoenix and Scottsdale areas.  I really try to do most of my training early in the morning so that I don’t interfere with my kids’ activities, but sometimes it’s really hard!  I have an amazing husband who is very supportive of my training and race goals, so he hangs out with the kids a lot on the weekends while I am training.

Mental training is one thing I have never struggled with;  I have always been determined, driven and motivated.  If I want something, I am not afraid to work hard to go get it.  I am driven simply by the idea of pushing my body to new limits, and using my body to its best ability.  I feel alive when I’m out swimming, biking, and running and putting it all together in race form.  I am very competitive – or else I wouldn’t enter races!  I am motivated by setting my sights on short-term and long-term goals, by surrounding myself with people who have like-minded goals, and having fun with the sport by racing with my best friends and my dad.  My dad is 74 and a very talented triathlete who didn’t really start racing until 68 years old – he figured he could do this sport, too, after spectating at so many of mine!  He and my stepmom Lynn are my biggest cheerleaders.  I am continually inspired by the clients I coach; seeing them reach their goals is so rewarding and renews my love for the sport.

I have experienced burnout more than once, but it’s normal for any endurance athlete who has been racing and training for years.  When I feel that coming on, I simply take time off.  I guess you could say I’m wiser now.  If I’m not loving the training and smiling when I’m racing, then I’m not doing it for the right reasons.

Currently I have no injuries, but I have been through a stress fracture in my foot, and had knee problems and pneumonia (heavy training makes me very susceptible!).

I am fortunate enough to have the financial means to support my addiction of triathlons nowadays.  Ten years ago it was different, and I didn’t travel to faraway locations due to costs…I just stayed local in Arizona and neighboring states.  I always stayed within my means and just gradually upgraded gear as I was able.  I used to budget for competitions, but I don’t now.

My kids and Jim come to watch only BIG races nowadays.  Many I do with friends.  As a family we travel ALOT, and our vacations are not about racing; they are simply about being together.  We are fly fisherman, we are all PADI-certified divers, we love all outdoor activities and we love traveling the world. This November, my husband and I are flying to St. Croix for a 5-mile ocean swim race!

Read more about Dessert Mountain.

Read more about the September/October 2015 Issue of Endurance Racing Magazine: http://enduranceracingmagazine.com/are-triathlons-the-new-golf/

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