Rebecca Rusch

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    Tires

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Era FSR

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.

It's been awhile

July 26, 2010

It's been awhile since I have caught up and written some sort of blog that is remotely entertaining! The last two weeks have been full of riding, some racing, and some relaxing at home. As you probably know, the Cascade Creampuff 100 was a tremendous success and a great launching pad for me going into Leadville. There are some race details and results posted on their website , as well as a few nice photos. From there I catapulted into PR world in Keystone, CO for the Specialized dealer event. This is one of the most fun trips for me ever year. Seeing, riding, and just hanging out with the dealers is a great little mid-summer vacation. The riding in Colorado was epic, the new Epic 29er was epic, and the well you know what I mean! The boys from Bicycle Therapy have quite a photo gallery up on Flickr to check out too.

Today is probably the first time that I will be racing at home that I can remember. It is the annual Whit Henry Memorial Galena Grinder race. Whit was a local mountain biker who passed away in a car accident at a very young age. The whole valley comes out and races and enjoys the trails at Galena Lodge. The marathon race is 46 miles, and has tons of climbing and some pretty stiff out of town competition. I'm really looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, making breakfast at home, and then swimming in my favorite swimming hole afterwards!

I am also working on a new website as well. A new design, more features, and a better more functional layout. We will be continuing the giveaways, adding gear reviews, and adding some more video features too. So keep an eye out. Until then, make sure to get your entries in for the Ask Reba July Giveaway for some sweet Smith Sunglasses.

Happy Trails

Stats for Rebecca Rusch are coming soon.
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