BATTLE AT NORTH FORK, I CUP- LIBERTY, UTAHAfter a quick flight to Marlyand for another doctor’s appointment, I hop in the car for the drive from Durango, Colorado to Liberty, Utah. 8 hours later, we arrive. A nice sunset spin and a good night of sleep later, it is time to get on course! The course profile is daunting, 7 miles and 1,350ft of climbing per lap. However, despite the 90 plus degree heat and brutal climbing, I soon realize that lots of climbing means lots of descending! The descents are long, with swooping berms and sharp corners that are easy to overshoot. The climbs are seemingly never-ending with lots of short punchy sections thrown into the sustained climb, just to make sure you never get a minute’s rest. The trail is a fine powder, making the dust a force to be reckoned with. Tomorrow promises a brutal race. Race morning dawns and I am excited. I get a good warmup and make it to the line. I am happy to discover that there are as many women as men on the line! The Elite Women will be racing at the same time as the Elite Men as well as the Masters. Since the course is mostly singletrack, this means that passing will be tricky. 3, 2, 1! We are off! I get the hole shot and begin the steep climb into the first singletrack descent. I am a little timid about digging too deep right off the line at altitude, so I allow two women to slip by me before the trail funnels to singletrack. We begin the fast descent and I realize a little too late that the extra match I would have burned to be first into the singletrack would have been well spent due to the gap I would have been able to build. Oh well… We hit the first climb and Sophia, the first woman, begins to pull away. My legs are itching to follow her, but I am stuck behind another rider. As soon as the trail opens up a smidge, I make a quick pass in the grass and begin to chase. I close the gap down to 15 seconds by the time we enter the big 800 feet climb. I am still charging but begin to feel a little hazy. I know if I push too deep, I will sink deep into my symptoms. I am careful to ride at my limit but not push past the point of no return in the stifling 95-degree heat. I know I am forfeiting time on the climbs, so I focus on making up time on the descents. I hit the last lap ready to leave everything on course. I destroy myself on the climbs and fly on the descents. I cross the line with a faster last lap than the leader, having lost the majority of time on the second lap. I am happy to have ridden a clean, fun race as well as with the progress I have been making in regard to my health. Two months ago, when I raced at this elevation in milder heat on more medication, I became so symptomatic that I was unable to finish my first lap. I know I am headed in the right direction and couldn’t be more fired up for Nationals in two weeks! Thank you to Dario, Josh and my parents for the support that enables me to race at this level! Mt. Ogden Midweek Series Just a couple days after the I-Cup, it was go-time again. Ever since I had started racing, I had heard tales from my teammates of the infamous Midweek series where many of my friends got their starts racing. It is exciting to have the chance for another race under my belt to tune up for Nationals.
6:30pm arrives and the sun is still hot at 6,500 ft at Snowbasin Mountain. The course is powdery and dry with some long, steep climbs and fast, rocky descents. I line up alongside the Pro Men as all the Pros will be starting together. It’s pretty cool to chat with long-time teammate Anders Johnson on the line. Finally, we are off! I am careful not to dig too deep of the line at altitude and just to hang with the men, but I quickly find my pace and begin to make some passes. I grit my teeth and push on the climbs and find flow on the descents. For the first time in the past four years, I feel like myself: I can use the power I have trained. I don’t feel symptomatic. I can’t stop smiling. I keep pushing across the line and take the win. Now it’s time to focus and get in the last crucial training touchups before Nationals. Thank you to those who continue to support me.
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