My freshman year of high school a local mountain bike team called Corona Composite began to take form. My dad and I had been riding recreationally since I was about 8 year old, taking our bikes with us on family vacations. I had just finished my cross county running season, so I thought I'd give it a go. I was intimidated heading to the first team practice, especially upon learning there were no other girls. But I ended up being blown away by the way the coaches and existing team members welcomed me with open arms, and I knew I'd be back for more. My first ever NICA experience was not the first league race of the season the team had been training for. I had the opportunity to race the 24 hours of Old Pueblo in Arizona on a team with 3x 24 hour solo mountain bike World Champion Rebecca Rusch and two other selected high school girls. At this point I had never raced my bike, ridden with other girls, or visited AZ, so I can recall the excitement as we anticipated an epic weekend. The daytime laps through the desert were fast and exhilarating, but competing in the late-night and early-morning hours was the hardest thing I had ever done. Knowing I had to persevere for my team helped keep my pedals turning. I was truly inspired by our captain Rebecca, who has completed multiple 24 hour solo races; a feat that seemed humanly impossible until that weekend on Team Rusch.
Only weeks later, I was lined up at the starting line for my first NICA SoCal league race in the freshman girls division. I was incredibly happy to take second that day, continued training hard, and ended up winning the freshman girls state champion title; beaming ear-to-ear standing on the top box of the podium. I was hooked.
My sophomore year, despite crashing and breaking my ankle only months before season began, I made the bold move up to Varsity girls. I was elated to win the first race of the season, ended up tying for first in the series, and then took third at states. Stepping up to varsity as the youngest racer in the division meant stepping up my training, but the intense, competitive camaraderie of the category has helped me reach my full potential as an athlete.
The SoCal Endurance series has become a local off-season race destination. I raced a 6 hr with one of my teammates to try it out, did 2 6 hr solos next, and then decided to go big. I didn't tell anyone outside of my family I was racing 12 hr because I honestly had my doubts. The race really begins the week before arriving at the start line, as it takes immense preparation to be ready to race nonstop all day. I couldn't believe it when I crossed the finish line and ended up third for women's open. The next 12 hr I made the podium with a second, and every 12 hr since then I've remained undefeated.
When I found out about 24 hr solo world championships, I just had to go and compete. The problem at the time was that the race was less than 5 months out, and across the world in Rotorua, New Zealand. Nevertheless, it became all I could think about, and I prayed for an opportunity to somehow go. I reached out to Rebecca and others who recommended we sell t-shirts to fund raise, so we made Team Bemis tees with the names of generous family members, friends, and members of the mountain bike community on the back, designed like the kit I'd wear for the race. With fans and supporters rallying behind me, my dad, Coach, and I made the journey NZ, and I won the women's U23 world championship title, riding 190 miles and climbing 20,000 ft in 24 hrs through the jungle of New Zealand. It was undoubtedly the most challenging yet rewarding experience of my life thus far, and I am eternally grateful for all who donated and contributed to making this dream that once seemed impossible come true.
The weekend after world championships, I was lined up at the starting line to compete for my second year in Varsity girls. I could feel I wasn't able to fully recover from the massive effort of 24 hr worlds, but it was still a fantastic season for me, as I ending up in second overall and again third at states.
I joined the SoCal Development team, then headed to Italy in June to race 24 hr solo world championships again, this time in the Elite category. It was a the hardest thing I'd ever done, and quite the story! (You can read about it in my blog) I signed to Milligan Christian College in Tennessee to continue my academic and cycling career, and learned how to race road and cyclocross, both of which I have found success in. My SOphomore year I won the Collegiate Mountain Bike Omnium National Title for Milligan, and continue to strive to be in all three disciplines. It hasn't all been easy, but so far I have grown as a student, athlete, and in my faith. I am currently a Math major, with the dream of becoming a high school math teacher and of course NICA coach. I have a deep peace knowing that Milligan is where God wants me, and I'm so happy and fulfilled being surrounded by an amazing campus community and team. I've taken up and found success in cyclocross & road biking, but will always be a mountain biker at heart.
Thanks to God, family, friends, coaches, sponsors, teammates, and NICA, mountain biking has made my life an incredible adventure. The people I've met, places I've been, and experiences I've had have been truly amazing, and my appreciation for teamwork, health, and competition are lifelong values that I will hold with me forever.
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