Today is a landmark day--we hit 40 teams registered for the 2010 Atomic Adventure Race presented by Fuji Bikes. We are a little over 3 months since registration opened and 3 months out from the race date, and we have already matched the number of teams that toed the line last year.

Now there's incredible pressure on us to put on the best adventure racing event in the USA, and so the race management team is circling around the massive effort it is going to take to produce this event.

Last year I was tremendously happy with the turnout for the inaugural Atomic Adventure Race, and this year I've been elated for the past month by the sheer number of teams returning to the event. There's a lot of work that goes into putting on an adventure race, but the satisfaction is huge in terms of how it contributes to the sport we love: there are many stories from 2009 of first timers engaging in the race, of veterans reacquiring a love for adventure racing, and elites pushing themselves beyond their limits.

We came into world of race management last year, when races were dropping off the schedule due to lack of interest and general fears about the economy. Race directors that were long-time pillars of the sport were disheartened by the turn of events; a lot of competitors were turning to other, less costly sports, to hold them over.

So we decided to put something fresh out there to see if it would keep the interest in adventure racing high, and we were surprised at how many people joined in. From competitors to volunteers to sponsors, we were firing on all cylinders. We put on the race and it was a huge success.

Now here I am staring at 40 registered teams 3 months out from the race and I'm simply amazed. Its a huge honor to last year's race management team and it's going to be a great thing for this year's team (a few new faces) to provide a platform for all of you to challenge yourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually.

We've got big plans for this year's race, and so if you are not registered, I encourage you to go ahead and join the 40 and counting teams who have cast their ballot.