Kristen Dieffenbach

Kristen is an assistant professor of athletic coaching education at West Virginia University in Morgantown , WV . She has a Ph.D. in exercise science with an emphasis in exercise and sport psychology.  She is also a professional sport psychology consultant  (Mountains, Marathons and More www.sportpsychonline.com) and an endurance sport coach with Peaks Coaching Group (www.peakscoachingroup.com) .

She started out as a runner and competed for Boston University (DI) in varsity cross country, indoor and outdoor track and inter collegiate cycling.  After college she raced in competitive women’s cycling before going back to school.  She got asked to do a 30 hour adventure race at the last minute in 2000 and she has been addicted ever since.  Now does endurance and ultra endurance event with an emphasis on team adventure racing. 

Recent Race Highlights 
1st: GOALS ARA Savage Sprint Race 3 person co-ed Pennsylvania - April 2007 
11th MIX Michigan 4 day Expedition Race 4 person co-ed Michigan –May 2007 
1st place 12 hour Big Bear Ultra Run (solo) West Virginia – July 2007 
8th WeSeFar 30 hour adventure race – 4 person co-ed Florida – February 2007 

Suzan Falvey 

Suzan has been adventure racing since 1997. She was an expert mountain biker who just 'tried' a Hi-Tec adventure race in Pittsburgh and got bitten by the 'bug'.

Her professional status began in 1999 with Team Fog Dog, 2002 with Team Timex, 2005 with Team Tally-Ho, 2006 to present with Team Checkpoint Zero and Team American Adventure Sports. Her list of races spans from the 2-4 hour sprint races, to the 24-36 hour races, to the 7-day long 2006 Primal Quest expedition race; specializing in the '24 hour or longer' ones.

Her list of other sports accolades includes playing for the University of Pittsburgh Women's Basketball team 1985-89; competing on the TV show the American Gladiators as a contender and semi-finalist; winning the 1993, 1996 National Women's Dek hockey championships and 1996 MVP award. Her diversity in athletics makes her very versatile for adventure racing, where being a jack-of-all-trades is necessary.

Mountain Biking still ranks as her favorite mode of racing and she is now involved in a 100 mile ultra-endurance series for the summer. Adventure races are scheduled for September, October, November and the 2008 Primal Quest is in sight!!!

PEACE
SUZ

"If you are NOT living life on the edge, you are taking up too much room.." -Jayne Howard

Jason Snyder

Jason is a 33 year old stay at home father of 4, and a Retired psychiatric social worker.

Jason is an avid endurance athlete and his favorite activities include road and mountain biking, trail running and mountaineering.

Competitive ultrarunner and adventure racer. Previous races include 2 time top 8 finishes at Laurel Highlands Ultra, 2 time Cumberland Trail Stump Jump Ultra top 10 finishes, Tussey Mountainack 50K, KG Memorial Adventure Race, NYARA series races, Odyssey's Beast of the East, various road marathons and half marathons.

• Mountaineering instructor and rappel master for AAS

• Other interests include acoustic 12 and 6 string guitar, cooking, coaching soccer, writing and reading.

Nathan Kile

Nathan Kile is a 32 year old faculty member at WVU specializing in adventure sports activities. A passionate outdoor enthusiast, Nathan enjoys and has an extensive resume of experience with flat/whitewater boating, rock climbing, telemark skiing, cycling, spelunking, backpacking, hash running, and wilderness medicine.

Adventure racing off and on since 1999, Nathan has been known more recently for his performances in the sport of triathlon. A USAT All American in 2004, Nathan has competed in 3 ironman triathlons and over 30 half-iron, Olympic, and sprint distance events. He has also completed several ultra-marathons, long distance cycling events, and now looks forward to making the transition to competitive adventure racing in 2008.

Dave Mowery

AGE:  42 HEIGHT:  6’4” WEIGHT:  200 lbs

HOBBIES:  Running, mountain biking, weight lifting, indoor rowing

AAS team navigator & team motivator  

FAVORITE QUOTES:  “It’s not your body that quits on you first, it’s your mind”

COMPETITION RACE HISTORY:

• Planet Adventure 24 hr - 11^th place overall, Yough Xtreme 12 hr – 3^rd place division

• Buffalo Stampede – 8^th place overall, Lionheart 24 hr – 6^th place division

• Pittsburgh Indoor Rowing Championship – 2^nd place division

• 2 Mile Creek Sprint – 1^st place division, Yough Xtreme 12 hr – 1^st place division

• Moraine State Park Sprint – 1^st place overall, Pittsburgh Urban Sprint – 2^nd place overall

• Cave Run 24 hr – 9^th place overall, USARA National Championship 24 hr – 29^th place

JD Eskelson
“Face Your Fears… Live Your Dreams!”

Email: jdeskelson@yahoo.com

My best race results:

* 1st place Co-Ed, Adventure Xstream 3-day AR, Moab , UT

* 1st place Male, Desert R.A.T.S Ultra Marathon 150 miles, CO/UT

* 1st place Co-Ed, Endorphin Fix, 48hr AR, West Virginia

* 4th place Southern Traverse Expedition AR, Dunedin , New Zealand

* 5th place Eco-Challenge North American Championship (ECNAC), Canada

* 2004 Wasatch Adventure Race (WAR), Provo , UT , 28hrs 31mins, 2nd place (3 person Co-Ed)

* 2004 Crow Pass Crossing XXI, 26mi wilderness run, Alaska, 5,959ft gain, Time=4:09:42, 9th place
* 2004 HAMMER 24hr. AR, Alaska, Team SCAAR, 60miles/15hrs, tied for 1st/22 teams (male x2 tm)

* 2003 Mount McKinley/Denali, Alaska, "Solo" Summit (20,320'/6,194m) in 13 days total
* 2001 Iditasport 130 miles, Winter Ultra Run, Knik, Alaska, 15th place (foot category, 45lb pack)
* 2000 ’01, ‘02 Alaska Winter Military Biathlon (snowshoe/rifle), 5k, 1st place solo & 4 person tm

Best AR discipline:     Navigation and Perseverance!

Worst AR discipline:  Joke telling and singing ;)  

Favorite piece of gear:  My Suunto watch...does everything, but the dishes :)~  

Chris Caul

Chris is a 41 year old Mr. Mom and Primal Quest Course Director.  His 3 yr old son Summit (came up with his name at the 2003 PQ race) is the apple of his dads eye. Chris is an avid endurance athlete and his favorite activities include mountain biking and trail running.

Chris started his love of racing in the late 80’s on mountain bikes then transitioned to off-road tri’s. Chris was convinced to give Adventure Racing a try by Don Mann. After his first race he was hooked by the sport that soon consumed his life. 

Previous race highlights include: 7 time 24 Hrs of Cannan Valley/Snow Shoe, 4 time Shenadoah 100, 5 time Wild 100, 7 time Odyssey off Road Tri, 2 time Odyssey Off Road Iron Tri, 2 time USARA Nationals, 2 time Odyssey Beast of the East, 4 time Odyssey Efix, SMAR, NGAR, Save the World, Storm the Eastern Shore, PHEAR and Odyssey Mega Dose and One Day races. 

Some of the non racing highlights have been course design work for both Primal Quest and Odyssey and, working with AR legends John Howard, Danelle Ballengee and Don Mann. 

Regards

Bonnie Hartmann
“There is no finish line”

Bonnie started out competing in sprint to half distance Ironman triathlons. A quest for variety and
dislike of car traffic led her away from this and into off road stuff. Mountain biking and trail
running became her passion, which led her into Hi-tec adventure races. From 2005 to 2006 she
raced as 3 and 4 person co-ed with Citgo/Gray Goat and competed in numerous sprint to multi-
day adventure races. From 2006 to present she’s been racing 2 person co-ed with her husband
Matt, as Frog Stompers, focusing on 4 to 15 hour adventure races. Just to keep things interesting,
she also competes in rogaines, endurance mountain biking races and she did her first 50K ultra
trail race in 2007. 

Race Highlights:

2nd place - 10 hour Spring Fury Elite 2 person co-ed - 2007
2nd place - 12 hour Mad Rush 2 person co-ed - 2007
1st place/5th overall - 12 Hour GOALS 2 person co-ed - 2007
1st place/2nd overall - 6 hour NSF Adventures Night Rogaine 2 person co-ed - 2007
2nd place - 6 Hours of Power Mountain Bike Race - solo female - 2007
1st place/5th overall - 50K YUT-C Ultra Trail Race - 2007

1st place/2nd overall - 6 Hour NSF Adventures Winter Rogaine 3 person co-ed - 2008

Favorite AR Food: Pringles at 3 am
Best Training Partner: Her dog, Gecca. The pooch never bags on a training run or ride.

Proud sponsor of the Nature Cure Adventure Racing Team

"NATURE CURE/AAS partially sponsored teams."

Team Half Way There

Adventure Racing Maryland (ARMD)