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.

Packing

May 4, 2009

I’m packing and getting ready to head to TN this weekend for Dirt, Sweat and Gears, a 12 hour race and the next stop in the USA Cycling Ultra Endurance series. This is my 3rd year at this venue and one of my favorite races of the year. Sweet, twisty single track, stout competition and super good festival vibe. The race director is an athlete himself, and it really shows in this event. He has hand built many of the trails and the experience is competitive, but laid back.

This is the first really long non-stop race of the season and the logistics for these long ones is very different. For the first time this season, I’m packing Light and Motion lights, traveling with two Era race bikes, multiple tire choices, lots of Hammer nutrition concoctions, various clothing options, and back ups of almost everything. 12 hours is a long time to ride continuously, so the gear and my body will be put to the test. This race is notorious for rainy, muddy Spring weather and the forecast this year is no different. Rain is on the menu for all weekend, but the good new is the temps are in the 50’s and 60’s! It’ll feel WARM after riding all week in Idaho with 40 degree temps and rain/snow.

My mom, Aunt, Uncle and cousin are all coming to help out and check out the race. Not the most ideal way to connect with your family, but at least they can help me with water bottle hand offs and logistics.

Here’s a clip of the race and you can also check back there for current updates during the race.

www.cyclingdirt.org

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