(Originally written for Visit Cedar City Blog)

Last weekend, one of the most iconic gravel races in the world came to Cedar City for its inaugural event here and cyclists from all over the nation flocked to our town to be a part of it. Here is how this beautiful + brutal day unfolded for this 40-year-old local who has spent over 20 years in the world of triathlon racing + coaching but couldn’t pass up the chance to experience this crazy hometown event for herself. 

5 AM 

Alarm goes off. Time to start fueling for the adventure with a solid breakfast and coffee, double check all of my gear, make a final decision on what to wear for a day with temps ranging from low 30s in the morning to mid 70s in the afternoon. It’s been a while since I’ve lined up for an endurance race and I love the nervous excitement that comes along with it! 

7:30 AM

Lining up downtown with 600 other cyclists who are all equally looking forward to and dreading the 125 miles of gnarly dirt roads and many hours that lie between us and the finish line in the same spot we are standing now. Everyone is spread out and masked up with much gratitude for the city and race organizers who put incredible amounts of effort into making sure that this event can go off safely. The gun goes off and here we all go down main street on a chilly yet gorgeous fall morning! 

8:30 AM

I can’t feel my toes or my hands because they are numb from the cold. I am shivering despite breathing fast from pedaling my bike at a hard but sustainable effort. I can’t see anything in front of me other than a massive cloud of dust. We are rolling fast along familiar gravel roads that I have spent a good chunk of my summer on. I am in my happy place. 

10:30 AM

Almost three hours and 50 miles into this wild ride, the going is getting tough. Even tougher than before. Raised cattle guards, rocky trails, deep sand. It’s impossible to take your eyes off the course or your hands off the bars, which makes drinking and eating very tricky but if you don’t take in calories and stay hydrated, you will be in big trouble further down the road. So you do the best you can while trying to stay upright and moving along as quickly as possible. I wipe out and crash multiple times but at least the deep sand provides a soft landing and I am able to get back on the bike right away each time. 

1:30 PM

Already tired, battered, and bruised, the hardest part of the course starts at mile 107 where a steep, rutted, sandy climb up the mountain greets us. I know this section well but today it feels more brutal than ever. Even with my legs starting to cramp up, I can muster enough power to pedal to the top and am pleased to pass a few more of my competitors on the way up. We are racing each other but we are also in this together so there are plenty of encouraging words passed back and forth as we dig deep to get the best out of ourselves. 

3:00 PM

That sweet feeling of crossing the finish line with an empty tank knowing there is nothing left to give! Time to share battle stories with old and new friends, enjoy delicious post-race food and drinks, and realize how blessed I am to be able to spend a day like this in my hometown surrounded by family and friends. Who will join me in this adventure next year? 

Results: https://www.omnigoevents.com/events/bwr-cedar-city-2020

Photo Credit & More Pics: #BWRPhotopool https://lightroom.adobe.com/shares/db6cac9598db4843ac1c7aa8b123e5ea