What a week! From one side of the country to another with racing and clinics on both ends. Last weekend was the Wilmington Whiteface 100K Leadville Qualifier, presented by Lifetime Fitness. This race is a part of series that allows entrants a chance to qualify to race in the infamous Leadville 100. I was there early to help with pre-rides and doing some Q & A sessions for those participating or for those who just wanted to listen. Dave Wiens, multiple Leadville 100 winner, and I spent quite a bit of time working with racers and those that were new to the endurance racing arena. Even though the race went well and I won the women’s category, spending time and talking to other riders was definitely a highlight. Motivating them and maybe even helping them qualify for Leadville felt awesome. There was less than 10% female participation in this race, and my goal is to change that!
This week also marked the beginning of the third stop of the SRAM Gold Rusch Tour, Wheel Girls. This weekly riding clinic is designed around getting younger girls into the sport of mountain biking and teaching them the skills and knowledge to be comfortable learning and participating in the sport. Last night was a huge success with all of the girls making the Whitecloud trails outside the Sun Valley Resort look easy. Thanks to all those who help support these clinics as they are invaluable to the future of our sport. For a full gallery of the evening please check out Flickr.
