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.

Settled and Ready

November 30, 2009

We are racing today, but I thought I would fill you in on what I have been doing down here leading up to now. This place is awesome by the way, and if you can travel to Ecuador do it! Basic race facts for Vuelta al Cotopaxi : 2 day stage race that circumnavigates Cotopaxi Volcano. It is the most popular and best known mountain bike race in Ecuador that sells out in less than one hour. Teams of two with a maximum of 200 teams allowed in the race. (mixed/coed, male and female race divisions). Each day is about 65 km of double track and single track racing. All the racers camp together after the first stage and re-start again on day two. The entire race takes place between 3000 meters (9800 ft) and 4300 meters (14,100 ft). Last year, Greg and I placed 3rd in the mixed category. We had a rough race that included getting off course on the first day with many other teams and losing time. We were also hit hard by the altitude and Greg got pretty sick from it. Despite all of that, we still won the stage on day 2 and finished on the podium. This year, there are some really good mixed teams including the fastest guy and girl in the whole country! It will be competitive for sure, but now we know the race and have prepared a little better for the altitude.

Cikla bike shop hosted a women’s riding clinic that I taught at the Parque Metropolitano. Local athletes Amanda Purtschert and Diana Marrgraff were there to help with the clinic. Amanda is a well known endurance mountain bike racer and Diana is a world cup downhill specialist. They were able to be the tour guides, translators and also help with spotting and technical skills. The clinic started at 6:30 AM, so I was sure no one was going to show up that early. I was wrong and we had about 15 women of all different levels and even a TV camera crew and reporter showed up. After the riding there was an extension of the women’s clinic at Cikla where I showed some pictures and also spoke about equipment, bike maintenance, training and nutrition. There are a ton of cyclists here in Ecuador and the women’s group is growing. It’s great to be helping get more women out on bikes. I will also be doing another women’s riding clinic in the town of Cuenca after the race.

Greg and I took the tram up Pinchincha volcano yesterday to about 4000 meters and hiked around in the clouds. The tram normally gives you great views of Quito, but we were essentially hiking in the clouds. I could definitely feel more difficulty breathing, but it was a great hike. Hopefully getting up high will accelerate the acclimatization process. The race is still going to hurt, but we are trying to do what we can to be a little better prepared for the elevation than last year.

I will be posting some more photos to myFlickr account from the trip. So feel free to cruise around over there and check them out.

Stats for Rebecca Rusch are coming soon.
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