Rebecca Rusch

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S-Works MTB Helmet

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.

The Missoula screening....

March 15, 2010

The Missoula screening of my Race Across The Sky Mountain Town Movie Tour was a huge success. Missoula has a strong cycling community that was very enthusiastic about supporting their IMBA Chapter, the Montana Mountain Bike Alliance. At least 300 people attended, and the event raised more than $4,000. Big Sky Bikes, Missoula’s Specialized dealer hosted the pre-party, packed with fans and friends. We noticed more than 100 bikes parked outside the party! Bernice’s Bakery, La Petit Outre, Worden’s Deli, PBR, RedBull and Bitterroot Salsa donated refreshments. Amazing raffle prizes and giveaways from Specialized, PBR, Adventure Medical Kits, Suunto, Salomon, Buff, Ergon, Smartwool, Hammer Nutrition and KT Tape got people excited for the season. While ticket sales totaled 150 before the show, that number doubled at the door. Bret George, the Missoula representative for IMBA and I spoke to the crowd before the start of the film to explain how ticket and raffle sales would benefit trails in their area. The audience seemed to love the evening, and offered laughter, cheers and emotion at different times during the show. And they loved sticking around afterward to win all the great raffle prizes and hang out with each other.

Off to Carbondale, CO and Park City, Utah next week!

Stats for Rebecca Rusch are coming soon.
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