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Obstacle-course racing is the nation’s fastest-growing sport, with millions of annual participants. It’s time to join the party with our handy guide to all things obstacle racing.

Just back from following Le Tour, our writer explains why every cyclist should book a flight to France now, while the ticket prices are still inexpensive

I don’t want to run just any old urban marathon: I'm looking for a destination race that will let me combine an incredible trip with my athletic endeavors. Any ideas?

We go shoulder to shoulder in Los Angeles’s Marathon Crash Race, a 4,000-strong underground scrum

He was a passionate crusader for conservation and alternative energy, but his first love and last steps were in the wild.

This year’s Tour might well be the most open race in years. We consider the players.

The Tour makes for great viewing, but not everyone has the time to watch all 21 stages of the race. Here are the key stages to tune in for this year.

With the number of urban cyclists surging, more and more riders are taking part in alleycats, informal races inspired by the routines of working bike messengers. Here’s what you need to know before taking your steed to the starting line

Want to watch the Tour de France but don't have premium cable? Try these nifty alternatives.

Get your wheels spinning at these killer bike fests

On the 40th anniversary of the much-loved 4-day bluegrass bacchanalia, veteran pickers take a look back on how it all came to be

Every summer, 50 elite athletes endure a torture test of cold and wet at a tiny island off the south coast of Ireland, where they train to swim the English Channel. The only rules: No wetsuits. Or whining. Matt Bondurant goes deep.

The champion South Carolina kayaker can’t train full-time. But that hasn’t stopped her from holding her own in some of the world’s biggest water.

Finish one of these nine races, and everything afterward will seem like a neighborhood fun run.

Emily and Dane Jackson of Rock Island, Tennessee continue a family tradition of kayaking excellence.

The reputation of American cycling has been dragged through the dirt in the last few years. Time has shown that Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, and many others built their reputations on cheating. But there’s a new generation of US riders emerging to take their places—hopefully in an honest manner. This is another in a series of

On the Saturday before Mother’s Day, 2013, Joe Azougar became prey to a 316-pound black bear bent on making a meal out of him. Here’s how he survived.

It's a tough day for sailing and the America's Cup, but the news is hardly shocking.

Inspired by an infamous assassin's escape from prison, the Barkley Marathons just might be the toughest race on the planet: a 100-mile-long, unsupported slog through the Tennessee backcountry that only 14 people have ever finished. Madison Kahn spoke to three of the event's regulars to get the story behind the Barkley.

What do rock-climbing heart transplant patients, Somali pirate hunters, and arctic cowboys have in common? All could be found on the big screen at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Of this year’s 217 films, these seven outdoor-focused picks were a cut above.

Using Twitter and a lot of hugs, a renegade tribe from Boston attempts to reimagine fitness as a social event

What’s the oldest footrace that I can run today?

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The reputation of American cycling has been dragged through the dirt in the last few years. Time has shown that Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, and many others built their reputations on cheating. But there’s a new generation of U.S. riders emerging to take their places—hopefully in an honest manner. This is another in the series

This week, the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards will crown the mightiest rides and nastiest wipeouts of 2013. We called surf journalist Chris Dixon, who will help pick the winners, to check in on the state of big wave surfing.

Six skiers and snowboarders were buried alive last Saturday in an avalanche many called predictable. One survived. As details of the accident trickled out—their high level of experience and position in the ski industry—it became impossible not to ask: How did they end up in Colorado's deadliest slide in 50 years?

The reputation of American cycling has been dragged through the dirt in the last few years. Time has shown that Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, and many others built their reputations on cheating. But there’s a new generation of US riders emerging to take their places—hopefully in an honest manner. This is the first in a series o

The recent death of a Tough Mudder participant is giving obstacle-racing fans pause: Are organizers pushing competitors too far with their trademark challenges?

How can a sports writer cover a tragedy?

I’m running the Boston Marathon and the weather looks like it’ll be perfect with highs in the upper 50s and no rain. Should I try to PR, or do as my friends told me: Run for fun and simply enjoy the experience?

As ski season wraps up, we ask 10 big guns to predict the future of the sport

The ponies that carried Genghis Khan’s warriors are small, tough, and skittish as hell, making the prospect of riding them for 1,000 kilometers seem downright insane. American cowboy Will Grant couldn’t resist, so he entered the Mongol Derby—the longest, hardest horse race in the world—determined not just to finish but to win.

Two men who are changing the way the adventure world works

A quick glance at the app's stats on the best-known segments of the upcoming Paris-Roubaix reveals a fascinating mix of professionals and amateurs

A four-step guide to coloring outside the lines

A history of barefoot and back again

A team of explorers aims to conquer one of the last polar firsts: crossing Antarctica in winter

It's 13 miles from the top of Broadway to the bottom. Oh, and if you're wondering, it's definitely possible to get lost along the way.

Gravel riding has exploded over the past few years. Frank Bures tries to figure out where it's going—and if that even matters.

Most people, you know, put on a pair of shoes in order to start running. Chris Hawson, though, needed to take his off.

Avalo York once ruled the Central Park bike loop. He's still there, almost every weekday, but he's been done with racing for a long time.

When the Bounty went down during Hurricane Sandy, millions watched on TV as the Coast Guard rescued 14 survivors—but couldn’t save the captain and one of his crew. A huge question lingered in the aftermath: what was this vessel—a leaking replica built in 1960 for the film Mutiny on the Bounty—doing in the eye of the storm?

Seven years after Hurricane Katrina, animal advocates faced their greatest challenge yet—but a combination of technological advances, coordination, and legislation made all the difference

For years, giving 90 percent was good enough. But with poor visibility and a course in rough condition, a fitness program thrown off by recent illness, and the pressure to beat Tina Maze, who is having the best season ever recorded, Vonn just couldn't pull it off this time. But that wasn't going to stop her from trying.

Ryan O'Hanlon is down in Honduras to cover the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team's opening World Cup qualifying match

Ryan O'Hanlon is down in Honduras to cover the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team's opening World Cup qualifying match

Ryan O'Hanlon is down in Honduras to cover the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team's opening World Cup qualifying match

Meet Vernon Davis. He is your new hero.

Last year, Patrick Halloran finished last in the Empire State Building Run-Up. This year, he's coming back, and he's going to kick your ass.

The �����ԹϺ���ss columnist Ali Carr Troxell caught up with Burton snowboarder Kimmy Fasani to learn about the new all-mountain board she developed

On January 22, the increasingly popular relay running series, Ragnar, announced that it is partnering with Salomon to launch the world’s first overnight trail running series. “For years we have dreamed of taking Ragnar to the trails and now it’s a reality,” says Tanner Bell, who founded…

Ali Carr Troxell sends live updates on her favorite women’s gear

Once a year, from 1975 to 1978, skateboarders in pursuit of speed and recognition gathered in Signal Hill, California, to race down a roughly 30-degree slope. Actually, after the first couple of years, contestants in the annual Signal Hill Speed Run weren't so much…

Though I told myself I wouldn't do it, I watched the Lance Armstrong interview last night. It was like a bad pile-up on the highway or billows of black smoke from a distant fire—you know you shouldn't look, but it's tough not to get sucked in. I had a two-hour…

(Jan 2013) Detroit, MI North American International Auto Show Volkswagen's Ulrich Hackenberg presents the Cross Blue Concept car at NAIAS. Photo: NAIAS The latest update of the National Climate Assessment, a federally-mandated report written by a panel of 240 scientists, was released…

David Roth went to the Monster Energy Invitational, and he found a sport still trying to figure out how to make its place on the American sports landscape

Merv Bodnarchuk's dreams for curling seemed harmless, and even kind of inspiring, at first. But that's not how it turned out.

Three competitions using danger to capture media attention

Also: the only curling quiz in the world

In a place built on selective ignorance, a storm forced everyone to stop and think

�����ԹϺ���, inside, gravity, space, time, whatever: this thing transcended every boundary

There are a lot of firsts nowadays, and Erden Eruc's voyage was the first thing to inspire Jonah Ogles in a while

Christian Vande Velde atop the USAPC podium. Photo: Team Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda In a recent press conference at Aspen's Little Nell Hotel, organizers of the USA Pro Challenge announced the host cities and overall race course for the 2013…

We won the European Championship! And all we got was this crappy video.

�����ԹϺ��� senior editor Abe Streep joins Team Rubicon USA, a volunteer group of former active military personnel who deploy at a moment's notice to disaster zones, during recovery efforts following a fire that swept through Belle Harbor, Queens, on the night Hurricane Sandy hit

Is it therapy for a society deeply affected by the wars of our time, a renegade sport for rebels who can't stand rules and restrictions, or something else entirely?

Weekend gladiators are lining up in droves to risk hypothermia and electroshock in obstacle races by the millions and contributing to one of the fastest growing industries in our world

Pain is the name of the game at Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, and other big obstacle-course races

Team 40, with the author at left, kitted out for night racing. Photo: Audrey Brandt. By Elizabeth Eilers Sullivan Why run 198 miles in a single weekend? When it comes to passing on the love of sport to your kids, it’s hard to trump leading by…

The Amgen Tour of California has released details of its 2013 course, and for the first time in its eight year history the race will follow a south-to-north route through the state. Not only will the direction be different than in years past, but every stage is also brand new.

It snowed in the Twin Cities on Thanksgiving, and Katie Heaney went to a dog park

Len Stanmore, 60, is currently in Antarctica, competing in one of the world's most grueling footraces. If he completes it, he'll not only be a one-time overweight retiree who got sick of the golf course, but also the first person to climb the Seven Summits, ski to both poles, and complete the 4 Deserts Grand Slam.

My parents ignored the dire warnings about Hurricane Sandy and didn't evacuate. By the time they called for rescue, it was too late.

Waves for Water founder Jon Rose has been on the East Coast since Hurricane Sandy struck, cutting through red tape and providing disaster relief alongside a groundswell of surfers

Multimillionaire software designer John McAfee conquered the corporate world, but he left it behind to pursue his fortunes wherever the wind takes him

What started as a glorious powder day ended in a desperate fight for survival after three skiers were buried by a killer avalanche in the backcountry of Stevens Pass, in Washington's Cascades. Megan Michelson lived to tell about it, but she can't shake off a haunting question: How did a group of expert skiers make such a deadly mistake?

The good news: Some surfboard foams are recyclable. The bad news: Most of it's not.

Ken Burns talks about his latest documentary and why a 1930s disaster means so much in the present day

International humanitarian-aid group Doctors Without Borders, best known for conducting emergency health care interventions in war-torn countries, set up a makeshift clinic for Hurricane Sandy victims in one of New York’s worst-hit communities to fill in the gaps in the government’s response. Matthew Power joined volunteer physicians for a day in the field duri

�����ԹϺ���'s East Coast editor takes a walking tour of Freeport, Long Island, with Steven Townsend, lifelong fisherman and Long Island native, after Hurricane Sandy