There's something uniquely transformative about multi-day, stage races... Especially when they take you to far flung corners of the world and cut you off from social media, creature comforts and your "normal" routine. That's why Sam Maffett & Marcel Shields not only deliver stage races as part of their work with Rapid Ascent, but also PARTICIPATE in them in their spare time. In this episode, Jez sits down with these two adventurers to hear about:  1) Sam's upcoming running stage race in the Himalayas (the 8-day Manaslu Trail Race) 2) Marcel's upcoming gravel riding stage race through South Africa (the 7-day Gravel Burn) 3) Rapid Ascent's upcoming Run Bibbulmun Track Stage Race that's coming up in November in Great Southern WA. We also wax lyrical about the "secret sauce" that makes stage racing so much more immersive, communal and transformative than one day races. Whether your curious about doing your first stage race... Or searching for your next adventure... We hope this conversation gets you as revved up as it got us!