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Sports

Running The Antarctic Ice Marathon Makes For Masochistic Memories

by Alan Rider
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Look, I understand what it’s like to get a certain satisfaction from competing in the kinds of extreme endurance events that make normal people—or even dedicated enthusiasts, for that matter—question your sanity.  Even with this perspective however, I still think the idea of running in the Antarctic Ice Marathon sounds a little nutty.
You see, this extreme event involves running a full 26-mile marathon on a course carved out of the ice at the foot of Antarctica’s Ellsworth Mountains.  Besides the 3,000-foot altitude here on the bottom of the world, runners will have to endure sub-zero temperatures and face the possibility of katabatic winds that can reach 100-plus miles-per-hour.  The upside, [...]

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Tour de France Tours: These Cycling Adventures Will Make You More Than Just Another Spectator

by Alan Rider

While most of my cycling these days is limited to Spinning class at the gym, I totally get the attraction of a challenging bike ride.  Not to mention the desire to have a truly remarkable once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the process.
Which got me wondering if there was a way that hardcore cyclists like my friend Julie—a die-hard Tour de France fan whose idea of a good time is grinding out a 50-miler before lunch—could combine these two passions into one extraordinary experience.
Following my curiosity lead me to Robbin McKinney, a man who’s been leading cycling trips to Europe for 20 years.  For the 2010 Tour de France—which many sportswriters believe [...]

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March Madness: These Basketball Fantasy Camps Keep The Final Four Frenzy Alive Year-Round

by Alan Rider

It’s that time of year again, when basketball fans everywhere—from Barrack Obama to Joe Sixpack—begin to get swept up in that annual springtime NCAA basketball binge known as March Madness.

Now, even though I’m not a huge fan of college hoops, I have to respect any event that can generate such widespread enthusiasm that it actually causes a drop in the nation’s productivity.  That said, of course I’m also a big-time cheerleader for the idea of getting up off the couch to actually live out your dreams rather than just watch someone else having that same extraordinary experience on TV.
Which brings us to a couple of completely over-the-top basketball fantasy camp [...]

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The Wildest Ride At The Winter Olympics

by Alan Rider

Let’s say you find yourself watching the opening rounds of the Olympic bobsled competition this weekend and thinking “Man, that looks like fun!” Well, here’s the cautionary tale of how you can experience this wild ride for yourself—and why you may not want to.
You see, I had the same thought when I visited Park City’s Utah Olympic Park last August.  When their PR person offered me the chance to try their Comet bobsled ride, well, I couldn’t say “Yes!” fast enough.
The park offers these rides year-round, though the number of public runs is limited during the winter months when dozens of world-class athletes use the mile-long track for training.  The [...]

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Celebrate Babe Ruth’s Birthday At Baseball Fantasy Camp!

by Alan Rider

While most of the country’s attention is still focused on football, another group of sports fans are spending this weekend marking the Bambino’s birthday (February 6, 1895) at one of a dozen-plus baseball fantasy camps.
Virtually every MLB team offers these week-long events where amateur athletes can play with—and oftentimes against—baseball legends like Goose Gossage and Bucky Dent.  While each program is slightly different, perks generally include your own team uniform, personalized instruction from some of the biggest names to ever round the bases, one or more daily games, and nightly social events where life-long fans can actually spend time schmoozing with the players they idolized growing up.  Many programs also [...]

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