Tubbs Ambassadors

Danelle Ballengee

In Tubbs’ early years, a woman like Danelle Ballengee would have been described as “a slip of a girl,” and she would have been presumed to be frail. True, this professional multi-sport adventure racer barely comes up to the chin of the shortest of her three male teammates. And while she’s a lightweight on the scale, she is a heavyweight champion in the annals of endurance sports.

Beginning in 1995, Danelle entered some 450 endurance events, finished in the top three in 90 percent of them and won many. Marathons, duathlons, triathlons, mountain races, desert races and such grueling multi-day, multi-sport team endurance competitions as the Raid World Championships, Eco-Challenge and Primal Quest Expedition Adventure Race. Danelle Ballengee has done them all – and done very well indeed. As a member of the Tubbs Snowshoe Racing Team since 1994, she has dominated snowshoe racing.  In the stretch between 1997 and 2001, she entered more than 100 snowshoe races and won them all, an unrivaled record that may never be surpassed.

In February 2006, she won the Gold Run Winter Triathlon in Breckenridge, CO, in 1 hour, 50.8 seconds – some 18 minutes ahead of the second-place woman. She came in eighth overall in this event that includes trail running (snowshoes permitted but not required), mountain biking on a snow-covered trail and Nordic skiing.

Danelle won the 10K Jeremy Wright North American Snowshoe Championships at Beaver Creek, CO, with a time of 55 minutes, 17 seconds, nearly two minutes ahead of the runner-up, who came in 57:02, the 3^rd place finisher timed at 58:32, and the 4^th place finisher nearly a minute after that. Danelle does not just win snowshoe races. She wins big.  Just image her trophy case!

She also serves on the Rocky Mountain regional board of the U.S. Snowshoe Association, which promotes both competitive and recreational snowshoeing, sanctions amateur competitions and spearheads snowshoeing’s educational efforts.

A kinesiology and biology graduate from the University of Colorado, she divides her time between Summit County, CO, and Moab, UT, for the mountains and the red-rock desert provide nature’s beautiful training grounds, inspiration and even spiritual uplift – a necessary balance for a woman who otherwise lives by the stopwatch.

Danelle also is a personal trainer and event organizer. I’m Crazy Events, her whimsically named company, puts on numerous events, including Colorado’s annual Swift Skedaddle Snowshoe Race. Clearly, her motivational well runs deep, and she seeks to inspire others as well. She created a video on learning to snowshoe. Her training website, www.TrainingRx.com and her clinics on sports and fitness topics are directed at anyone who wants to become better, faster, stronger or healthier. She counsels people from elite endurance athletes to potato people who want to get off the couch.

She always tells her audiences, to “get as much into each day as you can.”  She certainly does.

As you peruse the list of Danelle’s race results below you’ll surely notice something very unfamiliar – her absence on the podium during the 2006/07 season… On December 13, 2006 while out for a routine 10 mile run in Moab, Danelle slipped on a patch of black ice and fell about 60 feet injuring herself severely. Amazingly, and thanks to her dog Taz, she survived 52 hours in temperatures that ranged from the low 20s at night to the mid-40s during the day.

Click on any of the links below to read more about Danelle’s amazing story:

ESPN Outdoors News (http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/news/story?id=2704879)

Summit Daily News (http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20061222/NEWS/61222011)

Planet Ultra Marathon (http://planetultramarathon.wordpress.com/2006/12/28/the-stunning-rescue-of-danelle-ballengee/)

Everyone at Tubbs is very thankful that Danelle is recovering nicely and slowly getting back into training. We are proud she is on our team and look forward to seeing her up on the podium again!

Significant Recent Race Results

Adventure Racer of the Year, 2002, ‘04 and ‘05 Everest Award Winner:  As recognized by Competitor Magazine (’02) and Adventure Sport Magazine (‘04) and Teva Mountain Games (‘05).

Snowshoe Racing: Over 100 first place finishes including a 3 year undefeated streak. Winningest snowshoe racer in world.  (1994-2006)

Colorado 14ers Female Speed Record: Amazing record attempt involving climbing all of Colorado’s 55 14,000 ft. peaks.  Solo female record: 14 days, 14 hours, 49 min. Record set in July of 2000.

Eco Challenge Adventure:  Week long expedition race including trekking, biking, kayaking, and rapelling.  Teams of 4.  2^nd Place 2002.

Adventure Racing World Championships: 3.5 days through Newfoundland, Canada. Teams of 4, race includes biking, running and kayaking.  2004 World Champions.

Hi-Tech Adventure Race Series: 2002 and ‘01 National Champions (1^st place) and winners of the Series, including 1^st place in 5 of 8 races. Winner of the Series final in 2004.

Balance Bar 24 Hour Adventure Race Series: 5-race series, Teams of 3.  1^st Place in Series, Series Champions, 2002 and 2003.

Primal Quest Adventure Race: The worlds “Richest” Adventure.  4-7 day team adventure race.  1^st Place Team in 3 of 3 years of the event. 2002, 2003, 2004.

Raid World Championships: Prestigious 5 day adventure race in Patagonia, Argentina.  Canoeing, running, inline skating, horseback riding, climbing, and biking.  Teams of 4.  1^st place in 2004.

Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon: Prestigious bike, run, ski, and snowshoe race to 11,000 ft Mt. Taylor and

back.  Winner (1^st place) in ’94-95, ’97-98, 2000-05 Course record holder.

Adventure XStream:  Solo adventure races including biking, running, kayaking, ropes, and navigation.  8 of 8 1^st place finishes from 2001-06.

Winter Triathlon National and World Championships: Event including running, biking on snow, cross country skiing.  National Champion 2006.  8^th in World Championships.

US Rogaine Championships: 24 hr orienteering race.  1^st place 2006, 2-person team.  Team Spyder.

Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race: 24 hr team race including running, canoeing, biking, scootering,

skating, orienteering, kayaking and coasteering.  2^nd place team, 2003-01.

Extreme Adventure Hidalgo: 4-day, 3 stage adventure race through Mexico. 1^st place team.  2002 & 04.

Salomon Winter Adventure Race: 2 day, 2 stage Winter Adventure Race (skiing, snowshoeing, mtn. biking.) U.S.’s most prestigious winter adventure race.  1^st Place Team,  2002.

Firecracker 50 Mountain Bike Race: Challenging bike race in Rocky Mountains.  1^st place overall, 2004.

24 Hrs of Moab Mountain Bike Race: Solo bike race in Moab, UT.  2^nd overall in 2005.

Pikes Peak Marathon: Notable marathon to summit of 14,000 ft Pikes Peak and back. 4 of 4 time champion:  1994-97.  2^nd in 2005.

Recent Awards, Honors & Achievements

2006, 2002-04, 1994-00 National Snowshoe Champion

2005 Sportswoman of Colorado Hall of Fame inductee

2005, 93-94 Sportswoman of Colorado, Triathlon and Adventure Racing

2005 “Everest” Award Winner for Excellence in Sport/Adventure Racing

2004 Female Adventure Racer of the Year, Adventure Sports Magazine

2003 Adventure Team of the Year (member), Team Nike ACG/Balance Bar, Adv Sports Magazine

2002 Adventure Racer of the Year, Competitor Magazine

Bob Fuller

Bob began his hiking career at the age of 6 and has been active in the outdoors ever since as an experienced hiker, climber, snowshoer, and trail maintainer.  He has climbed the NH 4000 footers and the winter Catskill 3500 foot peaks in addition to hiking throughout the US and Canada.  He acquired his first pair of Tubbs snowshoes over 35 years ago and has never stopped playing in the snow.

Bob is a volunteer trail maintenance supervisor for the New York New Jersey Trail Conference and a hike leader for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Green Mountain Club (GMC), and Catskill 3500 Club.  He has lead hundreds of hikes and snowshoe trips throughout the eastern seaboard with particular emphasis on the northeast.

Health and Fitness Benefits of Snowshoeing

More than 5.5 million people took over 22 million snowshoe outings last year, and put themselves “on the right trek” to staying active and healthy when the snow flies.

“Snowshoeing is the best bang for your buck fat burning workout in winter”, accordingly to Dr. Ray Browning of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado’s Health Science Center and Vail Mountain Man champion. “It’s an exceptional way to achieve cardiovascular fitness, expend energy, and reduce your chance of heart disease, plus it’s low cost, easily mastered and fun.

All Terrain Training for a Total Body Workout

Varied terrain and snow depths, long climbs, steep descents, and side slope traverses require the snowshoer to engage every part of their body, with a hyper focus on strength, endurance and core muscle enhancement. Snowshoers can also see direct benefits in the development of their “proprioceptive muscles”. Proprioception is the body’s ability to orient itself in space without visual clues utilizing stimuli originating from within the body. The body uses its muscles, joints, tendons, and inner ear sensory nerve terminals to adjust posture and positioning. Since most all snow tends to be white, making it difficult to distinguish terrain features, especially in flat or low light conditions, the body relies on proprioception. Snowshoeing aids in strengthening and conditioning the micro muscles used for balance.

Climbing – Quadriceps. To ascend a slope, kick your snowshoe into the incline and press down compacting the snow as you step forward.

Descending – Hamstrings. Heel crampons make your descent safe and secure. Keep your knees slightly bent, and lean back loading your weight over your heel crampons for grip and control.

Traversing – Abductors and Adductors. To traverse a slope, edge the side of your snowshoe frame into the hillside. Position your weight into the slope as your crampons grip the terrain.

Breaking Trail – Hip Flexors and Quadriceps. Your first tracks through powder snow and untracked terrain will consume more energy that if you follow the leader.

Snowshoe Poles – Chest and Back Muscles, Triceps and Biceps. Add snowshoe poles for a total body workout; poles also help maintain your balance in variable terrain and relieve quadriceps pressure in steep pitches.

How Does Snowshoeing Stack Up?

Research details energy expenditures for snowshoeing versus other outdoor activities.

According to an independent study conducted by the University of Vermont, snowshoers can burn 420-1000 calories per hour.

“Snowshoeing is an effective, low impact, and safe form of exercise to change body composition.  It burns up to twice the number of calories as walking at the same speed,” said Dr. Declan Connolly of the University of Vermont’s exercise physiology department.

Connolly said snowshoers can vary the intensity of their workout, noting that they can burn fewer calories by taking an easy walk on flat packed terrain, or get a more intense workout, more than 1,000 calories burned per hour, if they snowshoe in powder on hilly terrain at a pace of three miles per hour.

“Snowshoeing utilizes major muscle groups which, when combined with a higher metabolic rate in cold weather and the added resistance of moving through snow, results in a higher energy activity.”

So, are you looking for a feasible alternative for conditioning during the winter months?  Look no further.  With snowshoeing, equipment needs are minimal beyond the shoes, and participation allows greater exposure to the outdoors.

What to Wear

The safest and most comfortable way to dress for the outdoors in winter is in layers.  Wool, silk and synthetic materials (such as polypropylene) are the best to use for the outdoors.  Use this list as a guideline for preparing for your snowshoeing adventure:

Base Layer:

-          Midweight breathable top & bottoms

-          Wool or synthetic socks

Insulation Layer:

-          Fleece jacket & pants

-          Wool sweater

-          Fleece pants

Outer Layer:

-          Waterproof/breathable shell jacket

-          Waterproof/breathable pants

-          Insulated parka

Other Essentials:

-          Wool or fleece hat to prevent heat loss

-          Waterproof gloves/mittens

-          Gaiters

-          Lightweight, waterproof hiking boots or lightly insulated winter footwear

-          Sunglasses

Gear Checklist

Depending on where you plan to explore on your snowshoes, there are some must-have items to make your trip safer and more enjoyable.

Recreational/Trail-use trips:

• Small day pack

• Water (16 oz/hr)

• Trail snacks (snowshoeing burns 420 – 1,000 cal/hr!)

• Adjustable Poles

• Sunscreen

• Camera and/or binoculars

Backcountry/Off-trail trips:

• First Aid Kit

• Detailed map of the area, compass and/or GPS unit

• Headlamp

• Multi-tool for repairs

• Matches or Lighter

• Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe if travelling into avalanche-prone areas