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Name: Rebecca Rusch
Nickname: Reba or The Queen of Pain
Age: Do you really HAVE to put this? If so, 42! DAMN!
Current Town: Ketchum Idaho
Home Town: Originally Chicago, IL, but that was a LONG, LONG time ago
Favorite Trail? Anything that I can access straight from my house. There are miles and miles of single track right out the door and that’s why I live here.
Sponsors/Supporters? Red Bull and Specialized are my main sponsors. Suunto, Smith, Buff, Adventure Medical Kits, Hydrapak, Skins, Hammer Nutrition, SRAM, Beyond Coastal, Crank Brothers, Petzl, Restwise also help me out. It’s a group effort for sure!
Favorite place to ride? At home, but San Martin de los Andes in Argentina is high on the list too. I got to spend a month there early this year for some training and racing and I fell in love with the place. The opposite season is great too for escaping the snow and getting on the bike in the winter/spring.
Favorite place to compete? Canmore, Canada. I’ve won 2 24 hour solo World Championship titles on that course and it’s by far the best 24 hour course I’ve ever ridden. It’s the site of many world cup and XC races and is an awesome venue with super exciting, technical terrain and stunning mountain views. It’s rooty, rocky and requires all of your attention, which is a good thing when you are trying to stay awake on your bike for a whole day.
What sparked your interest in biking? I only got into cycling as part of my adventure racing. I have to admit, I wasn’t really inspired at first. I bought a used bike and took part half heartedly because I had to for adventure racing. It was my least favorite part of those races because I sucked. It wasn’t really until I moved to Sun Valley/Ketchum and started meeting all these mountain bikers. When I first moved here, I signed up for an underground 100 mile mountain bike “race”. It was one giant loop on almost all single track. I met a cute guy on that ride who was into endurance mountain bike racing. It was my first really long mountain bike event and I have to admit that I fell in love with the riding here that day and wanted to do more. Meeting the cute guy (who’s still my boyfriend) didn’t hurt either. I started going to races with him and doing well and the rest is history.
When did you really get into biking, and what form of biking was it? The story above took place in the summer of 2005 and endurance XC is where I got involved because of my previous endurance background from adventure racing. Since then, I’ve gotten more involved with road cycling, cyclocross, Super D events and even a bit of pump track riding! I even got a couple of motorcycles with the excuse of “working on my cycling skills”.
Have you had any serious injuries while riding or competing? How long did it take you to get back on the saddle? I’ve been really lucky so far and have had a few crashes, but nothing that has sidelined me for very long. I really work hard to stay flexible and strong so that I can survive the crashes. Lots of stretching, gym time, massage and cross training to make sure I stay as fit and healthy as possible.
Who are your favorite Riders? Marla Streb for sure. She’s smart, unbelievably talented, can do it all from downhill to endurance, is funny, was a late bloomer to cycling like me and has continued to make a name for herself and stay super well respected in the industry.
What events do you plan on attending or competing in this coming season? The Leadville Trail 100 was my biggest goal for the season and I was able to tick that off and win that race. The rest of the season will be filled with Interbike, Outerbike, maybe La Ruta for fun and sponsor commitments and the Race Across the Sky movie tour. I have no idea yet what my 2011 schedule will look like yet. Essentially, there are too many great races to choose from, so I will be shopping around for the best ones!
What are the greatest Podiums you have won thus far in your “career”?
3 x 24 Hour Solo mtb World Champion
2 x Leadville Trail 100 women’s champion and record holder
Is endurance racing more mental or physical for you? Why? Both for sure. The months and months of specific and focused training take a ton of motivation and dedication and physical stamina. The training that must be done in order to show up at the start line prepared is a full time job. However, once the training work is done and you are on the start line, when the gun goes off, then it’s really much more mental focus and stamina.
Do any other sports influence your biking or style? I backcountry and cross country ski in the winter for training and a break from cycling. I used to rock climb a bunch and whitewater paddle. I’ve done a bit of everything, but right now, cycling is really the main focus.
What is you big goal for this season? I already did it! Won the Leadville Trail 100 and broke the women’s record that has been standing since 1996! I also earned another World title just last week at the UCI Masters XC World champs in Brazil! The goal for the rest of the season is to figure out my schedule and plans for 2011!
What do you do to occupy your time when you’re not on the bike? I garden at home, make my own bread and become a bit of a home body when I’m not traveling. It’s pretty exhausting traveling and racing for a living, so I do like to chill when I’m at home. I’m also a part time firefighter/EMT, so I do that as well when I’m not racing. It’s an awesome challenge and I love being able to give back to my community. I’m also involved with the Wood River Bicycle Coalition, our local advocacy group. I take part in the local races with the Mud Honeys, our women’s cycling group. I also coach a women’s cross country ski group in the winter as well.
If you were to give one piece of advice to up-coming riders, what would it be? Commitment and focus, combined with fun has been the winning combo for me.
Everybody has a dream, what is yours? To be on the cover of Outside Magazine one day!
What is your best or funniest memory from your cycling career? The funniest thing is that I actually HAVE a cycling “career”! I honestly used to SUCK so badly and hated cycling with such a passion that no one, including me, can believe that I actually make a living riding my bike and have turned into a “real” cyclist!
Photo by Michael Darter / www.MichaelDarter.com
