2008 National Champions

What a "comeback" season!

After 3.5 years away from the sport, I came back to adventure racing this year with all the pieces in place for success. Little did I know that my team would go undefeated, with 8 consecutive victories, including two expeditions (Baja Travesia and Moab Adventure Xstream). The 8th victory was the sweetest: the 2008 USA Adventure Racing National Championship.

Years of adventure racing experience, lifetime-best fitness, and nearly telepathic communication made Team DART-nuun the most dominant team in the United States in 2008. However, the National Championship victory in the Blue Ridge mountains of NE Georgia did not come easily. We overcame injury, mechanical issues, nonstop bushwacking through rhododendron and branches, and of course foul weather. Adversity just makes victory so much sweeter, don't you think? It feels better to EARN it.

A few quotes came to mind while bush-wacking in 37 degree temperatures, wind and rain:

"Can't quit. Not dead!"

&

"Think clearly and make the necessary adjustments to take your task to completion..." -Mark Allen

Over the weekend of November 15th I will support my miraculously majestic girlfriend Lisa at the 12 hours of Temecula mountain bike race near Vail Lake. I had intended on racing, and perhaps contending for the series title, but alas my bike will be in the Intensive Care Unit at Rock n Road Cyclery. I will leave the dream crushing to my training partners Slater Fletcher and Keevin Blue.

It is definitely time for me to pay back Lisa for all her selfless support during this epic race season. I will be Lisa's mechanic, chef, and ER doc while she completes the 12 hour race with her friends Monique and Melissa.

I told Lisa back in early March that this would be the best year of my life, that I just had a hunch...It has been a comeback in many ways...

Cheers to my friends, teammates, sponsors and competitors. My race schedule for 2009 is evolving and is posted on the right. I will do much more bike racing in 2009, both road and mountain. I will return to some Half Ironman races, perhaps one full Ironman. Xterra is in the mix. Cal Multisports (surfski/bike/run) is in the mix.

I look forward to doing one or two international adventure races, such as WuLong Challenge in China, Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates, Medellin AR in Colombia, Salomon Mountain Games in France/Switzerland or XPD Portugal (World Championships). I can only take so much vacation time, unfortunately! These are the main races on our radar right now, in addition to Primal Quest which will be in the Badlands area of South Dakota...600 miles of pain!

The team is working out our schedule over the next few weeks so I will update the schedule whenever we reach a consensus.

Thanks for tuning in. See you in 2009!

Sean


Official Results and hundreds of photos here:

http://www.usaranationals.com/race_hq.aspx

Sean's 2008 Season Results with Team DART-nuun:

1st Adventure Racing 24 Hour National Champs, Blue Ridge, Georgia
1st Adventure Xstream Expedition (72 Hours), Moab, Utah
1st Kit Carson 24 Hour Adventure Race, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
1st Gorge Games 24 Hour Adventure Race, Hood River, Oregon
1st Desert Winds 26 Hour Adventure Race, Lake Mead, Arizona
1st Baja Travesia Expedition (70 hours), San Felipe, Baja, Mexico
1st Scout Adventure Race, Santa Monica Mountains, California
1st Desert Rage Adventure Race: Vail Lake, Temecula, California

Photos from USARA 24 Hour Nationals

you bring the popcorn, I'll bring the pain

Mandatory Gear List
1. Pain

Forcast

Severe Pain Storm.

Our DART-nuun teammates (Cyril, Aaron M, Aaron R, and Seegs) just took 6th place overall at the Adventure Racing World Championships in Brazil!

This is DART-nuun's 3rd time racing at the EcoMotion Pro in Brazil.

Mari, Glenn and I are off to Georgia for the 24 hour Adventure Racing national championships. We know the following:

We are undefeated this season.
We have momentum on our side.
We have raced like a well-oiled machine.

Can we keep it rolling at Nationals?

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

It has been a near-perfect year for Team DART-nuun.

We have swept and won the CheckpointTracker.com national series.

We have won races in 6 states and 3 countries (so far).

We have chalked up the following Victories this year:

USARA Regional Championship:
Desert Rage 26 hour AR in Lake Mead, AZ; (Sean, Glenn, RVG & Lina)

Gorge Games 24 AR in Hood River, OR; (Sean, Mari, RVG & Glenn)

Big Blue 24 Hour AR in Lake Tahoe, NV; (Sean, Mari & Glenn)

Upstate 24 Hour AR in South Carolina (Glenn, Mari & RVG)

Scout AR in Santa Monica Mtns, CA (Sean and Tessa)

Desert Rage AR in Temecula, CA (Sean and Tessa)

MOMAR AR in British Columbia, Canada (RVG, Seegs)

Moab Adventure XStream Expedition, UT (Sean, Glenn, Mari & Matt)

North American Qualifier for World Championships:
Baja Travesia Expedition AR in Mexico; (Sean, Mari & Glenn)

Of course we also fielded a team at Primal Quest in Montana, where Cyril, Aaron M, Aaron R and the impossibly strong Mari Chandler took an awesome 4th place.

You can watch Team DART-nuun crush dreams at Nationals by clicking on the USARA link here:

http://www.usaranationals.com/teams.aspx

After November, the team will have just one race left for 2008:

Glenn, RVG and Mari are off to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for a desert stage race! Camels - perhaps the world's most spiteful animals - will be involved. That of course precludes my inclusion on the team.

While Mari, Glenn & RVG are tramping across the desert I will be in Florida relaxing by the pool with Lisa and my family, cold drinks in hand! There is only a one letter difference between Desert and Dessert. I choose DESSERT! Key lime pie, please.

Thanks for tuning in.

Enjoy watching online as we suffer this week!

You bring the Popcorn, I'll bring the Pain.

Sean

USARA 24 Hour Nationals this weekend!

Bruce Lee Nunchuck Ping Pong!

killer viral video from nokia...



and of course Bruce vs. Chuck Norris

Runner vs. Rabid Fox

...attacked by a fox, the woman ran a mile to her car with the fox
attached to her arm...

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D948V99O3&show_article=1

Perspective

Finishing the Hawaii Ironman is HARD.

It was devised years ago by several military men in
Hawaii arguing over beers about who are the best
endurance athletes:

marathon runners? cyclists? ocean swimmers?

Of course they could not decide, so they agreed to
combine the 3 and the winner would truly earn the title of
"IRONMAN"...Anyone simply FINISHING this new event in 1978
earned serious bragging rights and respect.

Just finishing the Hawai'i Ironman is HARD.
The course sends you on a suicide mission through
scorching black lava fields, with ground temperatures
over 100 and the punishing sun melting your brain.

To finish the Hawaii Ironman in BOOTS & UTES
makes you a HARD-ASS!

Click on the link below for the photographs of USMC Major Bill Connor
completing the Kona Ironman wearing boots, pants, and kevlar helmet.
This was his way of paying tribute to his fallen brothers (he has completed
3 tours in Iraq), with a nod to the founders of Ironman Triathlon.

http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=32523&BIB=1775

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Hawaii Ironman, several Navy
SEALs, including the freakishly strong and unbreakable David Goggins,
parachuted into the ocean right before the start. They ditched their
parachutes, were snatched up in a Zodiac, whisked to shore, and they
started-and finished-the race. Very cool.

********************************************************************
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assists the families of Navy SEALs who have died while serving our
country, click here: www.sealfund.org

Navy SEAL Warrior Fund

Navy SEAL Warrior Fund is a 501c3 non-profit organization established to raise funds in support of the families of US Navy SEALs who have died while serving our country, or who are presently serving in harm's way in trouble spots around the world. The organization is comprised of volunteers from around the country and has no employees. Funds raised, after expenses, will go solely to improve the education, health and wellness of the spouses and children of deceased and active duty SEALs. Navy SEAL Warrior Fund works in partnership with the Naval Special Warfare Foundation in its fundraising and distribution efforts. As part of this important partnership, four board members of Navy SEAL Warrior Fund are also board members of the Naval Special Warfare Foundation.