Official Race Report From Worlds!

THREE PEAT!

The 24 hour solo mountain bike World Championships have been over for just about 48 hours. The pain and damage my body took from the thrashing is going to take weeks of recovery. The glow of winning worlds three years in a row is going to take years to wear off. This year’s training was entirely focused on peaking for this singular day and putting my name definitively in the record books for endurance mountain bike racing. I have to say it was a bit daunting to form a whole year of training and focus around one event. The pressure of coming back multiple years in a row with a target on my back and the expectation of winning was a heavy weight. I was even given #1 as my bike number plate for this race. The unspoken pressure was thick and anything less than a three peat would have been a disappointment for me.

The preparations unfolded as planned and I stacked the odds in my favor by bringing the best crew friendship can buy. I also brought two tricked out Specialized Era race bikes, a mountain of spare bike parts, cases of Red Bull and duffel bag full of Hammer Nutrition race food. Canmore is a world-class place to ride and the trails serve up the usual Canadian style single track with lots of roots, rocks and technical riding. This course got my attention and Greg described it as similar to operating a jackhammer for 24 hours. I had a few days of pre-riding the course to sort out the technical sections, figure out where I could eat and drink and try to decipher how to race the course to my best advantage. There were no sections to rest and although the lap was only about 10 miles, it was chock full of intensity.

The women’s field was mostly unknown to me with the Australian 24 hour National champ, some Canadian hard women and the US National 24 hour champ, Jari Kirkland. I know Jari from adventure racing and knew she was the type of athlete who would be strong and consistent over the long haul. However, in a race this long, focusing on my own pacing, my own nutrition and riding the course in my style always works out better than trying to focus on the other competitors and marking their riding. My coach Matthew and I had discussed a race strategy that was rolling around in my head. However, as the gun went off, that primal instinct that is hardwired in my brain fired and my legs turned over instinctually. I posted about 60 minutes for the first lap and was 7 minutes up on the rest of the women’s field. As I ticked off the laps, my lead steadily expanded by over 5 minutes per lap. I made a mental pact with myself to keep the pressure on until midnight or until I lapped the 2^nd place pro woman.

The course was relentless with very little opportunity to spin and recover. It was non-stop focus and intensity for the whole lap. Even the descending sections required nimble reflexes and upper body strength. Because of the nature of the course, I was taking a little longer in the pits than usual to get a break and try to eat some food. My crew was keeping a sharp eye on the competition and they were also stopping for a few minutes each lap, so I felt comfortable matching their down times. Before dark I lapped Jessica Douglas from Australia and shortly after that Jari Kirland from the US. At about 12 hours into the race, I had a 90 minute lead and the race was unfolding as planned. I was switching bikes every few laps and Jason was keeping them silky smooth. My crew was working non-stop and I was pushing hard to do my part and stay strong on the climbs and relaxed in the single track. As midnight approached, I settled into the darkness and my favorite part of these ultra long races. The night riding offers a whole different dimension to the riding experience and a calm settles over the race. Although I had a lead, there were still 12 hours more to ride and plenty of time for crashes, mechanicals or errors. It is also the time where the body starts to break down, reflexes are numb and the burden of 12 intense race hours in the saddle start to take their toll. There were multiple crashes and medical evacuations from the course, so staying safe and protecting my lead were high priorities.

I stayed solid throughout the night hours and kept my lead at a comfortable distance. However, by sunrise my stomach was not cooperating with what I was asking it to do. As the sun came up, so did most of my food, and fluid that I had been diligently consuming to fuel the race. My nutrition plan was the same as usual, but I think the intensity of the course was not allowing any blood to my stomach to digest. It was a tough morning as I struggled to keep food down and suffered from some severe asthma attacks. I also had a scare when Jari came blowing by me on an uphill around 8am. I was still a lap ahead of her, but she had unexpectedly gained time on me while I was stopped in my pit trying to get some food down. In my mind, I began calculating the worst-case scenario with her fourth quarter push and in my stupor tried to do the math on how many laps I had remaining and what I needed to do to protect my lead. My paranoia kept me focused for the last couple of laps I held onto my third 24 Hour World Championship title.

All season at the end of every single training ride, I had visualized this finish line. This precise scene was etched in my mind and has been my singular motivation for a year. As I soaked in the sensations, I exchanged hugs with the A-team: Charles, Jason, Donna and Karoline. I rolled under the finish banner elated at 11:15 am. I had ridden 180 miles with 30,000 feet of climbing in approximately 23 hours. I completed 18 laps and achieved a goal that I had not dreamed possible: three consecutive 24 hour solo World Championship titles!

I have no idea what is in store for me next. For the moment, I am going to take a well-earned break and let my body and mind relax for a bit.

Thanks to Red Bull and Specialized for getting me to the start line. Thank you to my team of Jason, Charles, Donna and Karoline for getting me to the finish line. I cannot even begin to thank you for all the essential work you put in.

Congratulations to Greg Martin, also from Ketchum Idaho, who crushed the field and earned his 2^nd consecutive 24 Hour Single Speed World Championship! There must be something in the water where I live!

Cheers

Reba