Rebecca Rusch

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Rebecca Rusch wasn’t thinking about world championships when she joined the Downers Grove North High School cross-country team. “I just wanted the free track suit,” recalls Rusch, who, 28 years later, finds herself among the ranks of the world’s elite endurance athletes. In July of 2009, Rusch won her third straight mountain biking 24-hour Solo World Championship.

Since donning those gray cotton sweats and Lycra shorts, Rusch has outfitted herself in the kit of numerous other disciplines: racking up ascents of big walls from Yosemite to Zion, paddling on the world-famous Offshore Canoe Club’s women’s outrigger team in the brutal Molokai crossing and winning adventure races around the world.

When not training in one of the five mountain ranges surrounding her hometown of Ketchum, Idaho, the 41-year-old known as the “Queen of Pain” can be found chasing adrenaline from Tibet to New Zealand to Kyrgyzstan, constantly adding titles to her impressive and extensive resume.

In addition to those three 24-hour solo mountain bike World Champion rainbow jerseys, Rusch is a three-time national champion in 24-hour team mountain biking. She’s Idaho’s Short Track state championship (twice), and its Cyclocross state title. An accomplished Nordic skier, she’s won the Masters Cross Country Skiing World Championship, in addition to taking the top prize at Raid Gauloises Adventure Racing World Championships. And although that’s just cross-section of her palmares, it’s easy to see why Rusch has been profiled by Sports Illustrated, Outside Magazine and Adventure Sport Magazine.

Talking about age draws a laugh as she gestures at her surroundings. "People around here are all 10 years younger than they actually are. And I don’t mean they just look it; they are actually 10 years younger," she said. "Everyone’s out there constantly doing stuff, from biking to skiing to hiking. There’s a collective mentality that if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it."

This mentality, along with what she calls "perfect terrain for training," provides a home base for the typically itinerant Rusch. She is part of the community; for more than two years she has been a stalwart volunteer emergency medical technician and firefighter for the Ketchum Fire Department, and a homeowner. On breaks from her race schedule, she works on her condominium, though the domestic idea continues to bemuse her; the last home she owned was a 1975 Ford Bronco.

Leadville Trail 100 2011

August 18, 2011

As soon as I won the Leadville 100 race last year, I was already getting questions about racing in 2011 and coming back to defend my title and attempt the first ever women's "threepeat" at this race. I remember saying last year, "can't I just enjoy this win for a little while before having to focus on 2011?"  Well, the break didn't last long and my coach and I targeted the Leadville 100 race as my "A" race for 2011 and the training and focus for that began almost a year before the actual event.

Heading into Leadville this year, I had some highs and lows in the season.  I knew my training had been better than ever, but my results weren't necessarily showing the fitness I'd been building.  A few weeks out from Leadville, I had one of my worst races of the season and suffered some serious doubts.  I trust in my coach and the work I've done, but could not figure out why I was so flat so close to my key race.

I stuck to my plan to head to Colorado a couple of weeks early for one last race and then some much needed quite time without distraction. I have had a season full of amazing women's events, sponsor appearances, movie screenings all piled on top of trying to maintain laser focus with my training.  I had some doubts that perhaps I had spread myself too thin and it was now catching up to me.


The two weeks of isolation prior to the race proved to be just the focused recovery and rejuvenation that I needed.  I slept a ton, trained at altitude, ate really well, tinkered with my bike and just decompressed.  I was strangely calm before the race, despite the fact that the women's field was incredibly strong and hungry to take me down.  I wasn't really nervous and my mental energy was focused not on my competitors, but more on bettering my own time from last year.  I knew that if I went faster than I had before, I would have to feel good about that regardless of my placing.  Winning is addictive, but it's also not the only definition of success.

People kept asking me how I felt about the stout competition.  Without hesitation, my response is a positive one.  The fact that both men's and women's fields were much deeper with pro riders is always a good thing for endurance racing, for the event, for everyone.  It means the sport is growing and more top athletes are lining up.  It adds credibility to the event and keeps it exciting.  If you knew who was going to win a race every time, it wouldn't be that stimulating to watch.


Race day was clear and warm.  I lined up with Specialized teammate, Todd Wells on the front line.  My boyfriend, Greg, was once again there to be my one man crew.  I looked around at my friends Gretchen Reeves, Jenny Smith, Kelli Emmett and gave them all a smile.  I had a race strategy in my head and knew these girls were gunning for me, but they are all friends and I honestly wished them all a safe and good race.   As we rolled into the very first climb at St. Kevin's I was feeling OK, but could not really respond as four women slowly rode away from me.  I wasn't panicked and just put my head down and tried to remind myself that I had lots of time and to stick to my strategy.  I was sitting in 5th place and a few minutes off the lead as I rolled into the first aid station at mile 30.  Greg was there and asked me how I was doing.  He could see in my eyes that I wasn't as spunky as usual.  I told him I was fine, but just a little flat.  By the time I reached the 2nd aid station, I got reports that I was just 2 minutes off the leaders and sitting in 3rd going into the Columbine Mine climb.  Apparently both Kelli and Pua had mechanicals and had dropped back, but I never saw them.  The news that I was that close to the lead got me amped and some of my confidence started to come back.

I went to work to chip away the deficit on the climb.  I was catching other guys, so I knew I was moving the bike better by now.  The male racers were telling me that Jenny and Gretchen were just ahead.  I finally caught both of them right where the climb really kicks up and gets super hard.  I passed Gretchen, but Jenny stuck to me like a terrier for the remainder of the climb.  She was right on my tail at the turn around.  I was able to shake her on the descent and then got really focused on not crashing, not flatting and taking care of my fueling.  I had the lead, but not by much.  It was mine to keep if I didn't make any mistakes at all.

Coming down Columbine and hearing all the uphill riders scream my name gave me a huge boost of energy.  Rolling into Twin Lakes aid station with thousands of crew members all screaming gave me another second wind.  I was past the 1/2 way mark and time to finish the job.  I made it to Powerline climb and still could not see any female riders behind me.  I had gotten a split of around 3 minutes at the Pipeline aid station, but that was dangerously close.  I was cramping and at my limit.  I ended up walking the lower section of the Powerline climb for fear of pushing my cramps into full blown spasm.  I slammed a Red Bull energy shot and walked/ran hoping that it wasn't a mistake to be conservative in this spot.  Back on the bike, I finished the huge climb and focused on the last 15 miles ahead of me.  These are mentally the most challenging miles.  Town feels so near, but is still so far.


I was focusing on nutrition and being very light on the descents.  A flat tire at this point would have really been a game changer.  Once off the last descent and onto the flats before town, I relaxed about flat tires and stole a look at my watch.  It read 7:10 and I knew I was only about 20 minutes out from the finish.  I couldn't believe the time I was seeing on my Suunto.  I was blown away that I was this far ahead of my own course record.  I knew the other girls must still be nipping at my heels, but this was the first point I actually thought that I might have it in the bag.  Always a realist, I still kept my head down and snuck looks behind me when I had a stretch of visibility.  I did not relax until I turned onto 6th street and could physically see the red carpet and the famous finish line.  That view rolling into town is like looking down the Champs Elysee for mountain bikers.  Instead of seeing the Arc de Triomphe, you see the historical old brick buildings on Harrison Blvd that mark your ultimate destination.

I have visualized that finish in my head for more than a year.  I admit, I was not certain that I would be the first woman to roll across it and never dreamed I'd break my own record by over 15 minutes.  Even during the race, I felt a little flat and off the back for a while.  Perseverance, race experience and staying calm paid off.  This third win was all the more sweet because I really had to work for it.  Not only did I break my own course record, but so did the top four women in the race!  Now that is the true definition of success for women's cycling!

A big shout out to Todd Wells for his win as well.  Specialized and SRAM had an awesome day on the top of the podium.  Thanks to both for the incredible support and tech work for the race.  My brand new Fate remains undefeated and was the perfect bike for this course.

Most of all, thanks to Greg Martin for being my training partner, my motivator, my crew, my voice of reason and the best musette bag handler ever!

Stats for Rebecca Rusch are coming soon.
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