If you weren’t a climber there was an ice cube’s chance in hell you’d podium in the three races. Friday was an uphill time trial. Saturday was a time trial in Hygiene, which, flatter than the other two days, still had quite the hill to overcome. And Sunday, glorious Sunday, was a 36-mile road race,…
I had given up on the idea of racing a mountain bike after choosing the Guanella Pass Hill Climb over the Beti Bike Bash. The Beti Bike Bash has a race category specific to women who have never raced before. I was all about that because mountain biking intimidated the shit out me. To factor…
The last time I rode Guanella Pass I did it “for fun” and not at race pace. I let myself take breaks. I took my time. I enjoyed the scenery. And it was three years ago. Mistakenly, I thought riding Squaw Pass last weekend would prepare me enough for the 10-12% grades and the guns…
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period. -Velominati I wish I could call myself a “badass” and believe it. The conditions for the road race were worse than the Time Trial the day before. It was a drizzling 40 degrees that soaked your bones….
I met with Rene Macias, race director for the Bill Davis Road Race (formerly known as the Rio Grande Road Race) to gain insight into putting on a road race in Colorado. After giving him grief for what I considered disadvantages for women’s racing, he invited me to chat in person about my concerns. He…
54 Miles with 4,580 feet of elevation gain. Just me and sixteen other Pro-1-2-3 women. That’s how they like to do it in Colorado: Give the Cat 3 Women a graveyard to play in. It’s difficult (although not impossible) for a Cat 3 to place high enough in a grouping like this, which is why…
There are a lot of reasons to be happy around this time of year, but sometimes that just isn’t life. The thing about life is that it’s always challenging you. Once you overcome a challenge, life tests you again. It’s nothing personal. It happens to everyone. We are constantly faced with challenges and every one…
“Here comes Monster McWhirt. This is what racing is all about, folks!” the announcer yelled over scratchy speakers as I raced through another lap in front of the pack, legs pumping, heart thumping. — The race started with a whistle and a missed pedal. My biggest challenge this season was not just the racing, but…
I never realized how much of an affect my period has on my training. That goes for any woman. I always thought when I lacked energy or felt weaker or what have you, I thought that was just me sucking. After coming in Dead Fucking Last at a Time Trial Championship, I wanted to find…
Two and a half weeks ago I had a saddle sore excised. As in, I paid a licensed doctor to numb my groin, draw a diamond shape with a blue marker across my skin, and, with a [hopefully] sharp knife, cut about an inch of flesh out of my crotch. Now I’ve had surgeries before:…