As a pro gravity racer, race weekends tend to get a little hectic. At Mountain Bike National Championships in Sol Vista I felt like I was running from 4X practice to downhill practice, then to 4X qualifying, then more DH practice, and on and on. Most of the days I barely had time to get a quick snack. This summer I started using the Power Bar Gels to give myself an energy boost so I could keep riding strong. It was great to have a product that delivered the electrolytes and basic sugars my body needed for intense activity. As a medical student I now know exactly how the ingredients in Power Bar Gels work, and they do, but I won’t bore you with all that. I also like the added caffeine. Even though my 4X runs at nationals were less than a minute, and DH was under four minutes I needed to stay completely focused the entire time. The little boost I got from the Power Bar Gels was just enough to help me concentrate on the races and finish 3rd in DH and 4th in 4X. Plus they taste great. Thank you Power Bar!
Racing 4X and downhill it’s important for me to be completely comfortable so that I can focus 100% on my race. The products I wear from Pearl Izumi do just that. The women’s Veer Glove fits so well that I don’t have to take them off for anything, I actually got quite the glove tan this summer I wore them so much. And the leather palm gives the perfect amount of grip while remaining quite thin and flexible. I also love the women’s Elite MTB II shoe. All the straps let me get the shoe to fit to my foot perfectly. They are incredibly sturdy, and comfortable enough to wear all day. I’m also a big fan of Rudy Projects sunglasses. I pretty much never go outside without a pair of sunglasses and Rudy Project has something that will fit every aspect of my day, from the sporty Noyz sunglasses I wear while out riding XC to my stylish Suby’s that I wear out on the town!
In racing it’s also important for me to be able to trust my equipment. 4X and downhill races can be won by tenths of a second, so I cannot afford equipment failures. When I need extra power from my bike I have to have a derailleur that is going to shift precisely and quickly. My new Sram XO derailleur does just that so that I don’t have to worry about missing out on a single pedal stroke. Schwalbe’s Mudy Mary tires are great for wet conditions. They hold up and grip in the mud and on slippery rocks so that I don’t have to worry about sliding out in a corner. My new Crank Brothers 5050 flat pedals are great to ride with at the dirt jumps and pump track. They have great grip, I never worry about slipping a pedal, and I love that the pins are so easy to change and you have the ability to basically custom place your pins, its awesome!
I also have to add, aside from comfort and good equipment, I am a huge fan of energy drinks, and I must say that Go Fast has converted me from a die-hard Red Bull fan. The Go Fast energy drinks are delicious; I especially like the GFTea. And aside from getting an energy kick, it’s great that Go Fast also contains B-vitamins and other natural products for sustained energy.
Tough Girl Cathy
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