This weekend sparked something in my cycling career. I set goals for each season including which races I want to peak for, what I want to achieve in my training, and ways in which I can improve as an athlete. Both mentally and physically. One goal I set for myself going into this season was to learn more about the gravel endurance scene by attending 3-4 races alongside Sarah Sturm and Ellen Campbell. I’ve been curious about this type of racing as it’s become more popular over the last two years. 

I’ve always admired the diversity in the discipline. Every person who competes at a race has their purpose for racing it. There are the top professionals racing with the goal of earning that top step, while there are hundreds-thousands of other people who may have the goal of finishing the race, or doing it in honor of a loved one, or simply to see what their body is capable of. I believe in the power of storytelling. Everyone has their story. And every one of those stories is different. That’s pretty amazing. I’m grateful for people being so different from one another, and it’s cool to observe it in the cycling world.

I chose to race Bighorn Gravel along with (maybe Leadville 100), Steamboat Gravel, Gravel Nationals, and The Rad Dirt Festival as my gravel races of the year. I’ve raced a few mountain bike races around the Vail area but it was cool to see it from a different perspective. This year Bighorn Gravel was a 78-mile, 9,300ft race with three main climbs and two sections of singletrack along the way. I went into the race with the simple goal of riding within my abilities. I went into this race with no pressure since it was my first real gravel race, and because of that, I felt confident in just seeing how it went and riding my own race.

The race started at 7 am so it was a bit chilly, but it warmed up nicely within an hour and turned into a beautiful day. We rolled out, starting on the pavement, and then hit dirt within 4 miles. We started the first lollipop loop and I made my way to a group I thought would be a good pace for me. I ended up dropping off the back soon into the climb and just pedaled my way to the top. I hit the descent, losing my chain once but it was fine, and then onto the paved road. I was with one other guy at this point and we took turns pulling on a flat stretch that lead into the next climb. We ended up catching onto a group of about 11 people, including teammie Sarah. The first section of the ~13-mile climb was rolling and then was a consistent grade pretty much to the top. This was a point in the race where I went through moments when I felt really good and moments when I felt really bad. It was mentally that I knew I could ride in this group and just needed to be patient.

Sarah and I went into the first singletrack section, which was a pretty chunky descent through the woods. It was beautiful. I don’t think my hands have ever hurt so bad! I really thought I’d lose them. It was a big relief when I got to the bottom and turned onto the smooth dirt road. I was then onto the next ~10-mile climb. I ended up catching onto Alexis and another guy here and road with them for maybe 2 minutes and then found that the pace was too high, so rode alone for a bit. I felt strong and consistent at this point so settled in and waited for the guys to be flying by soon enough. I loved having this out-and-back section of the course where I could see all the riders in front of me pass by. I caught on to a friend’s wheel (who I ended up riding the whole rest of the race with), and we cruised to the top. We got to the top of the climb, got a sticker on my plate, and turned around. At this point, I’m in 2nd place. 

We started the descent and I made the decision to push my limits a bit and gain some time here. The dirt roads were in great condition all day, with a few bumps here and there. My bike (Specialized Crux Expert) felt very comfortable and capable throughout the day. At the bottom of the descent, we hit a paved section of road and took turns pulling until the next turn onto the dirt. At this point, we were both having some rough cramping moments but we kept it light and had some fun. The next 20 or so miles of the race until the finish was the hardest for me, but all I needed to do was just keep pedaling. There were sections of rolling climbs, double track, single track, and a small hike-a-bike section. Some sections were really bumpy which brought a little bit of frustration. The singletrack was a blast, and the hike-a-bike section was just about making my way up. The last 10 miles were rolling, and I was definitely feeling a bit tired and ready to be done. 

For the last 20 miles of the race, I could see Alexis way in the distance but I just kept riding my own pace. Going into the last little climb I saw Alexis at the top and thought, Oh, okay, maybe I’ll catch her. I pushed my pace up the climb, passed by, and went into the final 7-mile stretch to the finish which was downhill. I pushed my limits a bit and made a gap on the descent. When I hit the paved section of the road, which was about 2 miles from the finish, I looked back and didn’t see anyone. My friend who I rode with all day had made a gap in me on the descent but I could see him up the road and wanted to catch him. I caught on and he instantly sprinted a small section which I had absolutely nothing for. Both my legs instantly cramped and I just laughed. Then there were the last few gravel/grass turns to the finish and I came through the line just honestly in disbelief that I won.

I’ve raced Alexis and Erin and have always been impressed with their abilities. It feels crazy to now be competing with them and pushing for that top step. I’m learning a lot in this sport, from these impressive riders I’m competing against and from the terrain, and I’m very excited about it all. My biggest takeaway from Bighorn Gravel was learning how beneficial patience was throughout the day. I’m overall very stoked about how this race went and I’m excited for the next ones!