It was during a thousand-mile bikepacking trip from Seattle to San Luis Obispo that I first felt the pull towards cycling – a pull that would eventually land me on Vancouver Island for BC Bike Race.
Now you’re probably thinking that I was already a serious cyclist before tackling a 1,000-mile bikepacking trip, but you’d be wrong. I used to be a competitive ski racer, so I had the drive and athleticism, but I didn’t consider myself a cyclist.
In fact, after that trip, I met my now-partner, Christopher Blevins, a professional cyclist. In the first year of our relationship, I frequently found myself thinking – or even saying aloud to him – “I don’t want to be a bike racer. I don’t want to do what you do…”
But I was enjoying spending time on my bike, and the process of continually improving – getting faster and faster – was pretty fun…
Eventually, I tried what I thought I wouldn’t: bike racing.
It came naturally, and before I knew it, I was hooked.
Back when I graduated high school, and when I decided to stop ski racing, I felt burnt out from the competitive comparisons I had frequently fallen into.
My new drive to race bikes surprised me at first, but it really shouldn’t have. Coming back to a competitive-driven pursuit was in my blood. I’d honed that spirit through ski racing, but with cycling, I felt like my drive was coming from a healthier, better place.
How I used to compare myself to others was replaced with comparing myself to previous versions of myself. I just wanted to see how good I could get – how much further I could ride, how much faster I could go, and how much more I could do.
Anyways, back to BC Bike Race… It first came onto my radar a couple of years ago. Katerina Nash is a mentor of mine, and she’s a big part of the reason I’ve gotten to the level I’m at on the bike.
Katerina is always looking for an excuse to rave about BCBR. In fact, in one of the first ever conversations I had with her, she found a way of bringing up the race.
“You need to race it!”
When I asked her what it was that made it her favorite, she had plenty to say, but one thing stood out.
“You go up to BC to find out what real mountain biking is. BCBR is exponentially more fun than your typical race.”
When a legend who has raced at hundreds of events says one is her favorite, you take note.
In 2024, I signed up.
It was time for the best week on a bike!
I went into BCBR with reduced expectations due to health issues that were hampering my race season. I knew I wouldn’t have a perfect race, but I thought it would be the perfect chance to practice my mental flexibility.
Plus, if Katerina’s excitement was real, it was going to be an amazingly fun event whether or not I was able to ride to the level I was used to.
The prologue was fast – fast enough that I wondered if maybe all my worries were in my head. Maybe I am 100%…
Stage 2 brought that wonder crashing down. I didn’t have the legs on the day, and then a catastrophic freehub failure made things worse. I finished that stage well outside the Top 10.
This was certainly a chance to practice mental flexibility…
In a way, it was freeing. Finishing far below where I would have liked meant I no longer had to even think about the GC. I could take each stage day by day. Each stage was like an individual race, and all I wanted to do was ride as fast as I could given the circumstances, and enjoy the routes.
That new mindset propelled me faster in Stages 3 & 4. I was feeling good on the bike again… Fast!
Maybe I just had one off day… Maybe I’m back!
The rollercoaster of feelings continued with Stage 5 – possibly the most brutal day I’ve had on a bike ever. I wasn’t feeling it, to the point where I questioned whether I’d be able to finish the stage, let alone the rest of the race.
It was a cruel reminder to bring me back to the goal I set going into BCBR: meet my body where it was at.
While Stages 3 & 4 proved that I could still perform, Stage 5 reminded me that I wasn’t at 100%.
I practiced that mental flexibility – again – through the final two stages. It was frustrating, but at the same time, it gave me a chance to practice truly appreciating where I was.
The highs and lows reminded me of the simple joy of being on a bike, regardless of the outcome.
The trails were just too good to have a truly bad time, and the vibe was just so fun. Even when I didn’t have the legs – or even when I was frustrated at my performance – I couldn’t help but smile at some point. The riding was just that fun!
At BCBR it’s hard to have a bad day, even if you’re having a bad day…
Regardless of how fast you go or how good you feel, BCBR is such a cool event. While I wasn’t happy about having stages where I didn’t perform to the level I wanted, it was a cool experience to ride and race with such diverse groups of people. One stage, I’d be racing with the pointy end of the field, the next day I’d be riding in the middle of the group.
Soaking in that experience – riding amazing trails with amazing people – truly was fun. I like to think I got the full experience because of that. Racing, having fun, riding… you name it.
BC Bike Race is pretty unique compared to most events I’ve raced. Even when you’re racing at the pointy end, it feels casual. It’s just plain fun. The vibe is good, you’re camping, you’re riding bikes with your friends, and it really feels like a chance to get back to the essence of why we all love mountain biking.
The balance between this really serious race mode and a post-day river swim shared with the community really is the perfect balance of a week of racing. It’s a mountain bike summer camp that shouldn’t be missed!
Story by Evan Wishloff