This week’s episode of My Yukon Life podcast radio features Denise McHale as our special guest. During the podcast Denise talks about the Gore Tex TransRockies Run, strategy, and the challenges she’s faced in previous races. Denise also talks about Merrell as being her sponsor.

To listen to the podcast or download it, go to http://www.myyukonlife.com/podcasts-2/

Yeah, Team Merrell!! Denise McHale set another marathon course record on Sunday at the Yukon River Trail Marathon and was THIRD OVERALL. :). Here’s the link to the article in the Whitehorse Star:

http://www.whitehorsestar.com/archive/story/saari-mchale-shatter-past-trail-marathon-records/

Next mission for the McHales is representing Team Merrell as a mixed team in the Gore Tex Trans Rockies Race Aug 21-26 in Colorado. They may be the fastest married couple of all time. :). Will keep you posted! Xo Robyn

Hey Gang! This just in. Team Merrell’s Denise Mchale just took 9th place at the Ultrarunning Trail World Championships in Ireland! 100ks of muddy bogs and muddier trails. Advantage to the Adventure Racers. ;). She was also awarded by the Canadian team coaches with the “Ultrarunner of the year” award for all of Canada. YEAH TEAM MERRELL!!! Makin’ us look good in every corner of the globe. Speaking of corners of the globe, Travis Macy just took 2nd in his mountain bike race in Switzerland to add to the team accomplishments this week! I will forward his blog in the next e mail. Woo hooooo! Xo Robyn

Hey Team Merrell and Team Project Athena Pals!

Here is a link to our Guinness World Record photos! Team Merrell’s Carter Johnson and I simultaneously broke the mens and women’s 24 hour “moving water” world record on the Yukon River on June 25/26, beating the old records by 11 miles and 39 miles respectively (Carter–280 and me–231). Press release to follow in the next e mail. If you’d like any of these shots in higher rez for print, let me know. It was an incredible experience, made even better by sharing it with one another and our crew (my 2 person crew, including my Jeff, was following me into the midnight sun in a fishing boat called the “moose gooser”. Doesn’t get any more Great White North than that, eh?). Now, through the magic of photography, you can be there with us! Thanks for helping us to make this dream a reality. Everyone on this list is an important part of our team. Open Water Record, here we come. Xo Robyn

Yukon world record
Jun 30, 2011
by jeff akens
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Hello my family/friends!

Just a quick check in to let you know that Carter and I were both successful in our attempts to simultaneously break the Guinness World Records for “longest distance paddled in 24 hours on moving water” today! He paddled 280 (old record was 275, yukon 2010) and I went 231 (old record was 192, missouri 2009). It was pretty sketchy in some of the rapids (you all know how much I love those–not), but I managed to stay upright and in the locked position. Jeff and Greg Mchale and 2 locals were our crew and they were perfect. And the 24 hours of light in fast moving water definitely helped. Aside from feeding the fishes once and not being able to use my legs much (dang hip, ugh), it was pretty sweeeeet. So Team Merrell now holds 4 of the 6 solo world records. Next up, open water. But not for a while. Now I have narcolepsy. Eat til you’re sleepy, sleep til you’re hungry. :). Back in SD tomorrow night. Thanks for all of the good juju you sent! It worked! Xo r

Yeah Team Merrell!!! Travis takes 2nd place in the Ultimate Mountain Challenge, a combined 4 race competition in the Teva Mtn Games in Vail: whitewater kayaking, uphill road bike time trial, mtn bike race + 10k trail run. This event attracts the very top multisport adventure athletes in the country, and Travis has graced the podium multiple times in the last 5 years. Great photos of him in the link to his blog, below. Travis is always making us proud!! To be this good at so many different outdoor adventure sports is amazing. And with a full time teaching job to boot! And he looks DANG good in Merrell Orange doing it!! Xo Robyn

Read Travis’s Blog

The Mchales are at it again! Winning both the men’s and women’s divisions. :). Next up: the Gore Tex Trans Rockies 6 day trail ultra race from Buena vista Co to Beaver Creek Aug 21-26 as a Team Merrell Adventure husband/wife duo! Great pic of Denise in her Team Merrell gear in the link below….

http://whitehorsestar.com/archive/story/yukon-energy-haeckel-hill-run-results/ 

Happy Memorial Day, my friends! We head into the Grand Canyon for the Rim to Rim to Rim Project Athena Trek on Thursday!! Send us the good juju! Xoxo r

Hey Robyn,

 I somehow managed to forgot to mention the other day in my update -  I was named 2010 Female Ultra Runner of the year by the ACU (Assoc Canadian Ultrarunning). www.acu100k.com“

Congratulations Denise! National 100k road champion, 9th at the 100k World Championships, Overall Winner of the Yukon Marathon  AND Ultrarunner of the Year all in one season!!!

Xoxoxo Robyn

Men’s and Women’s Guinness World Records for “farthest distance by canoe/kayak in 24 hours on MOVING water…” on the Yukon River the third week in June. I imagine we’ll also go for the Open Water records in 2012 to complete the GWR Paddling Trifecta if we can!

The farthest distance paddled by canoe/kayak in 24 hours on flat water by a female was 195.33 km (121.37 miles) by Robyn Benincasa (USA) on Lake San Antonio, California, USA on October 28-29 2010