Richard Burgunder – Professional Extreme Athlete » Adventure

TEAM XTERRA Trail Run (XTR) Ambassadorship

rburgunder — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:55:44 +0000

As of May 10, 2010, I’m very excited to announce that I’ve been named the first member to TEAM XTERRA Trail Run (XTR) Ambassador Program. The XTERRA Team Ambassadors are a select group of amateur athletes from across the US. They embody the soul and spirit of XTERRA. Through their daily activities, their love of the outdoors and their zest to live more, these avid supporters define the XTERRA lifestyle. Being part of Team XTERRA is a tremendous honor and a humbling experience. Since being introduced to XTERRA in 2008, through my friends Michelle and Brody at XTERRA’s Nottingham Xduro, I’ve fallen in love with the extreme sports nature of XTERRA Trail Running, and the amazing people who make up the XTERRA family. Over the last couple of years I’ve made some great friends, met many interesting people, have had the opportunity to travel extensively to exotic places that I otherwise wouldn’t have had visited, and have gotten to know the Team Unlimited staff on a first name basis. I’ve had many exhilarating experiences since competing in XTERRA’s Trail Running World Tour, for which I am grateful. You can view my XTERRA Ambassadors bio at XTERRA Community.

ABOUT XTERRA TRAIL RUNNING

XTERRA is on a mission to produce the most recognizable, enjoyable, root slipping, mud hopping, tree ducking, river crossing, hill climbing, dirt on your shirt, sweat in your eye trail runs this side of Grandma’s house!

More than 50 races across the U.S. comprise the XTERRA Trail Run Series and offer age group athletes the opportunity to become regional champions.

The 2010 XTERRA Trail Run Series features runs across the country ranging from 5km to 25km.

The Series is grouped into geographic regions, and each region has anywhere from 3-to-7 races that runners can compete in and accumulate points towards their regional championship.

Regional Champions are awarded free entry into the XTERRA Trail Running National Championship – an off-road half-marathon to be held in Bend, OR.

There are also several Xduro’s (endurance trail runs ranging from 18-to-42km in distance) in the U.S. and each one qualifies runners to compete in both the XTERRA Trail Running National and World Championship events.

XTERRA trail runs have also gone global with off-road half’s in such exotic locations as Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. At the end of the year, runner’s from all over the world will unite in the majestic Kaaawa Valley at Kualoa Ranch on the island of Oahu for the ultimate Xduro – the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship on December 5, 2010.

Since racing in the XTERRA Trail Run Series, there’s been many highlights. They include:

XTERRA HIGHLIGHTS:

2009 XTERRA New England Trail Run Series Regional Champion
4th Male 30-34 at 2009 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship
33rd OA at 2008 XTERRA Trail Run World Championship
2x Top 20% finisher at XTERRA Trail Running World Championship
2x Top 20% finisher at XTERRA Trail Running National Championship
Competed in 8 events in six different states in 2009

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS:

XTERRA Planet Magazine “Tracking the Tribe: Ambassador Rich” Featured Athlete [6/2010]
XTERRA Trail Run Worlds Press Guide Featured Athlete [12/6/2009]
XTERRA Trail Run Nationals Press Guide Featured Athlete [9/13/2009]
XTERRA Trail Mix Newsletter “Runner Spotlight” Featured Athlete [6/10/09]
XTERRA Trail Run Worlds Press Guide Featured Athlete [12/7/2008]
XTERRA Trail Run Nationals Press Guide Featured Athlete [9/27/2008]

XTERRA Planet Magazine “Tracking the Tribe” Featured Athlete – June 2010

One of my greatest XTERRA experiences has been being crowned the 2009 XTERRA New England Trail Run Series Regional Champion, where I won the Men’s 30-34 age group, and also the overall series points total. Another fond memory of XTERRA Trail Running has been the amazing experience of competing at Trail Run Worlds twice, in both 2008 and 2009. For me, the inaugural XTERRA Trail Run World Championship, held in 2008, was highlighted by finishing 33rd out of 358, or the top 10% overall. While my overall performance at the 2009 World Championship wasn’t as strong, I did manage to finish 4th out of 36 in the men’s 30-34 age group, as the second American, respectively.

RACE GOALS:

Some of my future aspirations, when it comes to XTERRA Trail Running, include, but is not limited to, winning several regional championships, and being a top 10 finisher at World Championships. I’d also like to medal in my age group at Trail Run Worlds. Additionally, my focus will be on the XTERRA Trail Running World Tour while educating, encouraging, and informing others about XTERRA – Trail Runs, Off-road Triathlon Races, Foundation, Gear and other XTERRA products.

I hope to see you at an XTERRA event sometime soon! Live More!

Learn more at http://www.xterratrailrun.com

War in the East Professional Boxing Event and PowerBar Promo

rburgunder — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:24:08 +0000

The War in the East Professional Boxing Event and PowerBar Sports Nutrition Promotion held at the Doubletree Pittsburgh/Monroeville Convention Center on May 20th and 21st, 2010. I hosted a vendor booth for one of my sponsors, PowerBar, that ended up being wildly successful. The PowerBar booth was present during the weigh ins and also during all of the professional fights. This event was a great opportunity to interact with many amazing athletes and consumers to build brand awareness and gain product feedback.

There were well over 2,000 people in attendance, including, but not limited to: singer/song writer, Margo B, who sang the national anthem, Hip-Hop icon, DJ Biz Markie, who also has a cartoon on national TV, as well as a comedy sitcom , model/actress “Bella” Lisa Smith, former Pittsburgh Steeler and current Judge, Dwanye Woodruff, and former Pittsburgh Steeler, Chuck Sanders. Also, there were five professional fights, with one of them being a World Boxing Foundation All Americas Light-Heavyweight Championship title fight. I had a great time working at the PowerBar booth, alongside of friends, world champion boxers, the WAR Girls, the Miller Girls, and my girlfriend, who was also a WAR Girl. There was a great article about the event published in the Pittsburgh Courier; Saunders pulls ‘trifecta’ by promoting, managing and winning at his own event.

RAYCOWAR PROMOTIONS PRESENTS… three World Boxing Foundation championship bouts, 21 May, 7pm. Title bouts include a Light Heavy-weight bout featuring Pittsburgh’s own, WBF Champion, Rayco “WAR” Saunders and a Cruiser-weight bout featuring Johnstown’s, WBF Champion, Andres “Taylor Made” Taylor.

2x PA Jr. Golden Glove Champion and 2007 Ring Side World Champion Jaque Lutz and some of the WAR Girls promoting PowerBar products during the weigh ins

The PowerBar Table during the Weigh Ins

The Miller Lite girls and I promoting PowerBar at the professional boxing fight on May 21st!

My girlfriend Coco, 2x PA Jr. Golden Glove Champion and 2007 RingSide World Champion Jaque Lutz, and another one of the WAR Girls promoting PowerBar during the fights

Billie Jo (Miss Hawaiian Tropic Finalist), Jaque Lutz (2x PA Jr. Golden Glove Champion and 2007 RingSide World Champion), my awesome training partner, and my girlfriend Coco promoting PowerBar during the fights

The Premier Fight: Rayco “War” Saunders defended his WBF light heavyweight title by stopping Bruce Rumbolz, of Sterling, Ill., in the eighth round

My girlffriend Coco and I. She worked and helped out with the event as a VIP Host

My friend D and I. She was a big help throughout the event.

Coco and I after a very successful event!

Make sure to check out the all new 100% Natural PowerBar Pure & Simple Energy Bar and also the PowerBar ProteinPlus® protein bar, with 30 grams of protein.

2010 NYRR Empire State Building Run-Up

rburgunder — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 01:25:23 +0000

For the fourth consecutive year, I had the honor to compete as an invited athlete in one of the most exhilarating athletic competitions in the world with some of the most diverse and well-trained athletes in the field. The 33rd annual NYRR Empire State Building Run-Up is one of the world’s premier tower races up a total of 1,576 steps to the Observatory deck on the 86th floor. The event is an invitation-only world class race attracting top athletes from 19 states and 17 different countries. I started in the Elite wave (runners seeded 1-99) and finished 61st among a field of 294 runners with a time of 14:46, a new PR.

The Empire State Building - 86 Floors and 1,576 Steps to the Observation Deck

It’s showtime!

Team MGD 64 Athlete

“I run on the road, long before I dance under the lights.” – Ali

Trevor Folgering getting some advice from superstar Thomas Dold. Trevor used to be a professional body builder too.

Tony brought out the big guns for the ESBRU

Elaine (USA), Thomas Dold (Germany) and Trevor Folgering (Canada)

A New ESBRU PR – 14:46

Tony, Mark and I Promoting MGD 64

Lower Manhattan from the Observation Deck

Upper Manhattan and the Chrysler Building from the Observation Deck

Thomas Dold, 25, of Germany won his fifth consecutive NYRR Empire State Building Run-Up today, tying Al Waquie of the United States (1983–87) and Paul Crake of Australia (1999–2003) for most victories in the 33-year history of this race up 86 flights (1,576 steps) to the observation deck of New York’s tallest building. Melissa Moon, 40, of New Zealand won the women’s race in her debut.

5x Empire State Building Run-Up World Champion Thomas Dold of Germany and I

The Overall Male and Female Award Winners:Men – Thomas Dold (Germany), Matthias Jahn (Germany) and Matthew Byrne (USA) Female – Melissa Moon (New Zealand), Gretchen Grindle Hurlbutt (New York) and Amy Fredericks (Connecticut) Photo by New York Road Runners© 2010

Thomas Dold (Germany) and Melissa Moon (New Zealand) – The Overall Champions

Mark and I celebrating

How high can we go? And this was after we ran 86 flights and 1, 576 stairs…

Elaine and I “Jumping”

In addition to the excitement of competing in the race, I had the opportunity to meet several very intriguing athletes from all around the world. Some really cool people that I met included Elaine, Trevor, Tim (aka “Running Raw”), the Germans and Patel. Elaine is an American endurance athlete who will be competing in the Comrades Marathon in South Africa and then three days later climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Trevor Folgering is a Canadian who’s a fitness professional, former pro body builder and also the current director of the Canadian Stair Climbing Association. Trevor hopes to implement an elite level stair climbing circuit throughout Canada that would attract extreme athletes from around the world. Tim Van Orden started “Running Raw”, a grand experiment in diet and athletic performance focusing on athletic performance athlete while eating a 100% raw vegan diet. Patel Devang is only 20 yeas old and ran an astonishing 14:26 in his first Empire State Building Run-Up. I also want to thank my ultrarunning friend, Mark Saxon, for being my VIP guest to this event and the designated photographer.

A Pyramid
Mark, Trevor (Canada), Elaine, a random Italian girl and I

Good times with some new friends

2010 NYRR Empire State Building Run-Up Medal

Thanks again to all of my sponsors, teammates, fans, friends and family for your loyal support. Your encouragement and support goes a long way!

2009 XTERRA Trail Running World Championship

rburgunder — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:55:19 +0000

For the 2nd consecutive year, I had the extraordinary opportunity to compete in the XTERRA Trail Running World Championship held at Kualoa Ranch in Oahu, Hawaii. This year’s event brought together a world-class field of 1,100 runners from 35 states and nine countries participating in the 5k, 10k and 21k World Championship races, which were a benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Hawaii. The 21k course was extremely challenging, but also very beautiful as it featured several pristine views out into the Pacific Ocean and surrounding Ka’a'awa Valley. The most brutal part of the course was that it featured 3,000 feet of elevation gain and many extremely steep ascents. The terrain was vast, from dirt roads, grass fields, technical muddy single track trails and even through the dense rain forest of Hakipu`u Valley at Kualoa Ranch.

Ka’a'awa Valley, Kualoa Ranch

As compared to the 2008 race, the conditions this year were much more difficult. On race morning, it was very hot and the sun was out in full. Despite the course being slightly shortened, it also proved to be more difficult with the addition of several long and steep climbs.

The start was fast, very fast, as we quickly descended down a small hill and then hit the first series of climbs about 1200 meters into the race. I had a very strong start and felt great, until I hit the second hill. At this point, I began to have some cramping and stomach issues. Over the next couple of miles I worked through them and then got my rhythm back about six miles into the race.

The Mountains Surrounding Kualoa Ranch

Volcanic Origin Mountains

The second half of the 21k World Championship race proved to be the most grueling, as were hit several steep climbs that eventually led to a single track trail through the rain forest. This has always been one of my favorite parts of this race since it offers everything that make’s XTERRA what it is, and showcases a breath taking view out into the Pacific Ocean! Just like last year, I was so tempted to stop for a while to appreciate the amazing views of the numerous small old volcanic islands that were clustered all over the coast of Oahu.

After breaking out of the rain forest, runners are greeted by a long and steep decent, followed by a couple of miles of single track trails through fields, some small streams, forest and a downhill sprint to the finish.

International Flags

The Finish Line

Coming out of the woods, I put my kick in and came through with about the same time as in 2008. While it might not have been the finish that I was expecting, I was pleased despite my struggles throughout the early portion of the race. I ended up finishing 67th overall and 4th out of 36 runners in the Men’s 30-34 Age Group. The field was definitely much more competitive than last year and the overall experience was amazing.

Me, Post Race

Angel and I

Me, Post Race

Angel and XTERRA All-Star Athlete, Amy Eck

Angel, Post Race

Angel and I spent about a week in Hawaii and were fortunate to experience many of Hawaii’s treasures. Prior to World Championships, we went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay and swam with three beautiful sea turtles and countless numbers of exotic fish, including a Puffer fish. Snorkeling in one of the most exotic reefs in the world was an exhilarating experience, despite having to swim through heavy current and maneuvering razor sharp coral.

Hanauma Bay

In addition to spending a day at Hanauma Bay, we also walked and ran on Waikiki Beach and got to experience the massive 40-foot waves on the North Shore. This was the first time in years where the world famous “The Eddie” surfing tournament was held due to the change of ocean currents generating immense swells over a couple of days. The competition attracted the best surfers from around the globe. The waves were a truly spectacular thing to witness.

40-Foot Waves, The North Shore

Surfers, The North Shore

Three Tables, The North Shore

Sunset Beach, The North Shore

The Quiksilver “Eddie Aikau” big wave surfing event

Me, The North Shore

Angel and I, The North Shore

Waikiki Beach

Angel and I, Waikiki Beach

Waikiki Beach

Diamond Head

Waikiki Beach

The North Shore

XTERRA Staff Janet Clark, Emily McIlvaine and I

Special thanks to XTERRA for hosting another spectacular event and my sponsors, friends and family for all of your support through this amazing race season, XTERRA athlete Rachel Cieslewicz for not letting me give up early into World Championships when times were tough and all of my supporters and fans – If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Thank you PowerBar for all of the great nutrition products and the Gel Blasts have saved the day more than once this past season! Thanks SUGOI for making high quality competition gear; I loved the RSL Top that I used at Worlds. Thank you Deepak for your very professional and stellar athlete travel services. If anyone is ever looking for high quality and very reasonable travel to an exotic race location, make sure that you check out Premium Plus Sports. And thank you to my sports agent, Allen, at Platinum Sports Entertainment Group, Inc., for your diligent hard work in helping my athletic career excel.

Mt. Washington Climb to the Summit – Summer 2009

admin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:26:00 +0000

After the XTERRA New England Trail Run Series finale in Hanover, NH, my friend McKinley and I decided to have some additional fun in the White Mountains by climbing world famous Mt. Washington via the Lion’s Head Trail. This was McKinley’s first time on the mountain and he successfully reached the summit after a strenuous climb that only the most fit can typically handle. Congratulations to him! This was my fifth time on the mountain, with three in the winter and two in the summer or spring.

6,288ft Mt. Washington is known for bitter cold, dense fog, heavy snow, record wind and the world’s most extreme weather. The mountain has hurricane force winds over 100 days of the year and claims lives quite often. It’s an extreme mountain that makes an exhilarating adventure outing anytime.

One of the many warning signs at the base of the mountain

Starting from the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center at 11 am, we headed up the rocky ravine via Lion Head’s Trail to the Crystal Cascades Falls. These falls are hundreds of feet high and absolutely beautiful.

Crystal Cascades Falls

After spending some time at the falls, we proceed up Tuckerman Ravine Trail stumbling across rocks, boulders, climbing steep ledges and hurdling a couple of small run-off streams and springs. We had great weather for most of the trip up the mountain until we broke the tree line, where things changed slightly.

Tuckerman Ravine Trail

Wooden Ladder – It was steep

Mt. Washington’s summit in the distance with heavy cloud cover

Mt. Washington

As we got closer to the tree line, the trail became much steeper and required some bouldering and climbing. Shortly after you break the tree line, an amazing view of Tuckerman Ravine awaits you. Tuckerman Ravine is famous for extreme skiing, snowboarding and winter avalanches. During the winter, over up to 50 feet of snow will accumulate in this basin creating some extremely dangerous avalanches and world-class extreme skiing.

Tuckerman Ravine

We took a short break on the ridge at Tuckerman and then continued the final push to the summit of Mt. Washington. As we looked out towards the summit, we noticed heavy cloud cover and bad weather moving in. Just a couple of days before our climb, there was 80mph winds and hail recorded on the summit.

0.9 Miles to Go!

McKinley modeling my PowerBar Winter Dome Beanie (It came in handy as temperatures drastically dropped)

After 6,288 feet, we made it!

Mt. Washington Summit – 6,288 Feet

Heavy Cloud Cover at the Summit (About 35 Degrees)

McKinley signing the guest book (includes many people from all around the world)