Madeline

It has been a busy spring! After a year's hiatus, I was so happy to be lining up on the start line with incredible women from all over the US and to challenge myself in this way again!

US Pro Cups

One of my long term goals is to race in the World Cup MTB races. To get there, you need UCI points and there are only a few races within driving distance to accomplish this as well as to gain race experience on harder courses with big fields and tough competition.

Arkansas - Oz Trail

First time racing in over a year. There were back to back weekends for the Oz Trails Pro Cup with both short track and cross country. The field was stacked because it was one of the final chances for athletes to get points to qualify for the Olympics. The course had some really technical sections. As the week went on I was able to practice the course and get more and more comfortable. I felt solid when I was riding the rock sections, but very nervous about jumps and not as fast as I’d like to be on the pump track type features. New goals for the summer!

Pre Race Oatmeal - Old fashioned oats cooked in milk (either oat or normal milk depending on my mood) with fruit, Anderson’s Maple Syrup and a scoop of greek yogurt.

Madison - Englewood Open

I’m a Minnesota girl and much of my mountain biking experience is in the WORS series. It was amazing to be back in the Midwest for the weekend! I missed the traditional WORS “GOOOOOOOOOOOO” by being in the UCI field, but it still felt like home.

During the start climb on the first lap, I somehow crashed. I was fine and got up quickly but had a mechanical with my dropper that I had to stop and fix. After that, I was in chase mode and pushed hard. I came back for 11th, just missing points in the top 10.

I didn’t get points this year and I wish I could travel to more of the US Pro Cups, but the great thing about racing is that there is always next time and next year. I’ll be ready.

Local Racing

Because I moved here at the end of the summer in 2019, this is my first season of racing here in Virginia and it has been fun to explore the local scene.

Middle Mountain Momma

            This race is about an hour away from where I live in Douthat State Park. I had hiked here once about a year prior but this was my first time there on a bike. I knew the race started with a 5-6 mile climb and my plan was to go out hard on the climb and get a gap on the field. I was very excited that it worked! At the top of the climb I found a pace that was hard but I could maintain for the rest of the race. There were a few more (big) climbs and I pushed myself on the descents. It felt good to get on the top step of the podium for the first time in 2021!

Mill Mountain Disco Race

            I coach for a development team (Roanoke Valley Devo) once a week and I have the best group of 10-11-year-old girls. Two of my girls were debating whether or not to race the Disco race and I told them “I’ll do it if you do it.” My category consisted of myself and my friend Sydney. In the 42 minutes of racing, we went back and forth 8 times. It was an absolute blast to race head to head and push each other like that, I ended up taking the W on the finishing climb.

            My girls finished together and beat the other girl in their category!! I am so proud of them, this course is no joke. It's 6 miles with 1400 ft of climbing (up, down, up - finishing on top of the mountain) and they crushed it!