When its day three of racing in pouring rain, driving wind, and garbage conditions, and you’re still grinning from ear to ear, either something is really wrong with you, or you know you’re doing exactly what you’re made for. This was the realization I came to in the middle of stage three of this year’s…
Author: Abi
Elite mountain bike racer, data science student, former teacher...
Racing (not) Solo
Every spring, I put The Appalachian Journey on my calendar as the lone gravel event of the year. Put on by some dear friends, it is a celebration of community, togetherness, and Floyd County gravel. Somewhat uniquely, it is also a partner event. In the past, I’ve always ridden The Appalachian Journey as a fun…
Three for Three in Tennessee
This year, for the annual Tennessee National event at Windrock Bike Park, in Oliver Springs, Tennessee, I opted to race three separate events over the two weekends: Enduro, XCC (Short Track), and XCO (Cross-Country Olympic). Though I didn’t originally intend for these to be the first races of the season, that’s how it worked out….
The Athlete Body
On the recommendation of a fellow female athlete, I picked up Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman last week and I have NEVER FELT SO HEARD. Though I did not get into sport in middle or high school and don’t have specific memories of the transition from…
A season to remember…
I started 2023 with aspirations of building my race experience and skills to qualify for the 2024 XCM World Championship at Snowshoe, WV. Never did I imagine that I’d have the opportunity to race at the 2023 XCM World Championship in Glentress, Scotland… or for that matter, the Pan American XCM Championship in Colombia. By…
Wild & Wonderful West Virginia
Since returning home from Scotland in early August, I’ve spent nearly as much time in West Virginia as I have at home in Virginia–and I’m not complaining! Less than 48 hours after arriving in Roanoke post-World Championships, I headed up to Slatyfork, West Virginia for the Slatyfork Enduro, an epic event on the backcountry trails…
World Championships!
Where do I even start? Just the realization that I raced in an Elite World Championship race seems a bit surreal. The “pipe dream” that has been motivating my race schedule for the past year was to qualify for the 2024 XCM World Championship, to be held at Snowshoe, in WV, but even as I…
Winner! Wilderness 101k Race Recap
This one feels like its been a long time coming. I’m not sure what sort of literary device tells the end of the story first, but, I WON A MTB RACE! In 2019, I attempted my first 50-mile mountain bike race, the Whiskey 50…which I promptly DNF’d. Later that year, I flew to Arkansas for…
How did I get here?
I might be sitting on the couch right now with my leg propped up on pillows, but I can’t help but reflect a bit. On week ago, I was racing (and crashing) in the XCM Pan-American Championship in Colombia, and in a mere six weeks, I will be racing in the XCM World Championship in…
¡Bienvenido a Colombia!
When I got the e-mail saying that I had been selected to be a part of the 2023 Pan American XCM Championship team, I immediately envisioned high mountain singletrack and stunning views. I got one part of that right. The 2023 Pan American XCM Championship took place in Santa Rosa de Cabal, Colombia, a small…
Ride Fierce Racing 