The Single Day Race
Wild, Wonderful 24 Hour. New River Gorge, W.Va. May 23-24.
The New River Gorge is one of those iconic natural areas whose beauty and wildness always elicit a powerful response. During the Wild, Wonderful 24 Hour Adventure Race, you’ll trek, mountain bike, and raft through this massive rock chasm and the torrent of whitewater that runs through its heart. Compete solo or on a two- or four-person team. oarevents.com
The Expediton Race
EQUINOX Traverse. Covington, Va. June 12-14.
Rescue whistle, emergency space blanket, knife with 2.5 inch blade. Those are the first three items on the mandatory gear list for the Equinox Traverse, a two-day expedition style race in rugged Southwestern Virginia. In 48 hours, you’ll cover 165 miles of wilderness by trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, and rappelling. And you’ll do it all on your own—no support crews allowed.
americanadventuresports.com
The Gateway Race
The Muddy Buddy. Richmond, Va. May 3; Atlanta, Ga. June 20.
This national race series offers athletes a tiny taste of the wild and wonderful world of adventure racing. Teams of two ride and run a six mile trail course that’s highlighted by obstacles like cargo net climbs and monkey bar crossings. The course is divided into five legs and the partners switch biking and running each leg. Both teammates finish the race together by crawling through the infamous mud pit. muddybuddy.com
The Vacation Race:
Nature Cure Black Beard A.R. Nags Head, N.C. Sept. 26.
You wanted a beach vacation, why not turn it into a beach adventure? Don’t let the sand and sunshine fool you—the Outer Banks can be a wild place. Expect 26 miles of mountain biking, eight miles of beach running, eight miles of orienteering, 10 miles of sea kayaking, and 80 feet of rappelling. Finally, you’ll have something cool to tell people when they ask, “What did you do on your vacation?” americanadventuresports.com