For most kids, removing your training wheels is a seminal moment. Liberated from the safe, stable confines of four-wheel riding, adventurous youth truly begin to explore the thrill and speed of bike riding. Bruises and abrasions usually follow, but the experience is an athletic rite of passage for just about everyone. For some, however, this first dose of solo biking is only the beginning — a tasty incentive to ride harder, faster, and farther, in any and every setting imaginable.
Count mountain bikers among those who see bikes as being stifled by sidewalks and streets. To truly come to life, what they really need is a little dirt. Once considered a fringe recreational activity, mountain biking has taken a firm hold in the wide world of action sports, both as a favorite fitness pastime and as a competitive discipline, rising to Olympic status in 1996. And with the versatility that mountain biking offers, it's easy to understand the surge in popularity.
"I love the freedom of being able to ride my bike on miles and miles of epic trails," says PowerBar
® Team Elite™ mountain biker Jen Hanks, runner-up in the 2010 Open Women: National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Mountain Bike Series #3: Lumberjack 100. "I love the scenery and wildlife that I would never be able to see without my bike. I love feeling one with my bike. I love the feeling of accomplishment after finishing an excruciatingly difficult race. I could go on and on."
Part of the lure, however, is also the sport's biggest pitfall: injury. Hanks, one of the most accomplished competitive mountain bikers in the country, still gets jitters at the start of each race. Though the risks of hurtling downhill on two wheels are ever-present, Hanks says that wipeouts on the trail pale in comparison to those on the road.
"I did have a pretty epic crash this spring when I lost my balance and fell off a small cliff,” she recalls. “Fortunately, I walked away with only some cuts and a bruised ego. I made myself go right back and ride it again — without crashing this time. But the only time I have ever broken a bone was when I crashed on the pavement."
Whether you're looking to find a more adventurous path to greater fitness or to test your pedal mettle against other spirited riders, mountain biking has plenty to offer. Here, Hanks weighs in on some of the preparation that comes along with one of the most popular recreational sports around.
Jennifer Hanks
Birthdate: October 31, 1975
Birthplace: Barrington, Illinois
Current residence: Salt Lake City, Utah
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 115 lbs
Riding with Hanks
Top rider Jen Hanks has been one of the top finishers in these events:
- 2010: 2nd — Open Women: National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series #3: Lumberjack 100 (Manistee, Michigan)
- 2010: 5th — Open Women: Whiskey 50 (Prescott, Arizona)
- 2009: 3rd — Open Women: Breck Epic Stage Race (Breckenridge, Colorado)
- 2008: 1st — Open Women: Park City Perfect 10 (Park City, Utah)
- 2008: 7th — Coed Duo: TransRockies Stage Race (British Columbia, Canada)
- 2007: 1st — Utah State Cross-Country Champion: Pro Women
- 2007: 7th — Coed Duo: TransAlp Stage Race (Austria to Italy)
Q: How did you first get into mountain biking?
Jen: While attending the University of Iowa in the early 90s, I bought a fully rigid mountain bike to commute to classes and ride the local trails at Sugar Bottom. Commuting was great, but riding dirt was addicting. I soon found myself on the trails nearly every day.
Q: When did the leap from recreational rider to competitive rider take place?
Jen: Being somewhat competitive, as soon as I found out that mountain bike races existed, I knew I wanted to race. I spent nine years riding and racing for fun, but with no consistency in my training. When I finally finished my schooling, I decided to see what would happen if I actually trained. Six years later, I’m training and racing more than ever.
Q: How can someone know if they're ready to enter an actual event? What advice do you have?
Jen: I think as long as you know how to shift and brake, you should go for it. There is no better way to improve your skills and fitness than to actually race. The great thing about mountain bike racing is that there is a distance and category for everyone!
Q: What discipline(s) of mountain biking do you participate in? Explain the differences between them.
Jen: I compete in cross-country racing. My recent emphasis has been on ultra-endurance distance events. Cross-country racing is defined as "a mass-start competition that is held on a circuit course comprising forest roads, forest or field trails, and unpaved dirt or gravel roads." Basically in cross-country racing, you have to climb up the mountain on your bike before you can ride down the other side. Ultra-endurance events are on similar terrain, however they last over four hours. My most recent race was 8.5 hours and 100 miles long!
Q: Serious cyclists spend thousands of dollars on bikes that help them excel at their sport. Are mountain bikes as expensive to buy and maintain?
Jen: A top-of-the-line race mountain bike is priced comparably with top-of-the-line road bikes. That said, you can buy a quality, less-expensive bike that works great — although it's heavier — and still enjoy the trails.
Q: What kind of bike training do you do as a mountain biker?
Jen: I spend most of the winter months on the road bike doing long, relatively easy rides to build my fitness. As the temperature warms, I hang up the road bike and spend most of my time on my mountain bike. I do a variety of workouts, including epic, all-day rides; intervals to work on speed and power; and climbing workouts. Proper training is important to build fitness, but I've found that my best races happen when I am properly recovered.
Q: What kind of off-bike training do you do to help you on the trail?
Jen: I lift weights quite a bit over the winter. In the summer, I continue to lift, however I focus more on my upper body. My arms are pretty wimpy, so I constantly need to work on keeping them strong to reduce fatigue. I am definitely not a runner; whenever I run, I get injured! I do enjoy all outdoor sports in my short off-season.
Q: Obviously, endurance is a key factor in what you do. What other physical factors are important when mountain biking? Strength? Power?
Jen: Mountain biking is definitely one of those sports where you need cardio endurance, strength, and power. You need the endurance to get you through a multi-hour race at a fast pace, the strength to push bigger gears to go faster and reduce fatigue, and the power to sprint up shorter hills — or, better yet, sprint to the finish.
Q: What events are coming up for you in 2010?
Jen: I just raced the Lumberjack 100 in Michigan. Other priority races this season include the Laramie Enduro in July and the Park City Point 2 Point in September.
Q: What is the worst part about your sport?
Jen: When I read post-race reports, typically the first five paragraphs are dedicated to how the men's race went down. The women's race report is typically a sentence or two at the very end. The women's race is typically just as exciting as the men's race, and U.S. women are ranked #1 in the world for cross-country racing right now. It makes me sad how little press women get in mountain biking and cycling in general.
Q: How seriously do you have to take your nutrition?
Jen: Very seriously. I don't necessarily count calories, but I do make sure to have well-balanced meals with lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and protein. When I fuel properly, I feel better, have more energy, and am less likely to get sick. I love that PowerBar
® has so many products. My favorite between-meal snacks are the
PowerBar® Pure & Simple Energy bar (roasted peanut) and the
PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar (chocolate peanut crunch).
Q: How do you typically eat before a workout? Before a race?
Jen: The morning of a big workout, I might have a somewhat larger than normal breakfast and a glass of water mixed with
Ironman Perform™ sports drink mix by PowerBar, but really I focus on making sure I get at least 200 calories per hour during my ride. My jersey pockets will be stuffed with a variety of PowerBar products. My favorites include
PowerBar® Nut Naturals Energy bar,
PowerBar® Energy Blasts gel filled chews,
PowerBar Pure & Simple Energy bar, and
PowerBar® Energy Gel (my favorite flavors are green apple, tangerine, and vanilla). I always have a water bottle full of
Ironman Perform sports drink.
On race day, I finish my pre-race meal 3 hours before the race starts. I sip on Ironman Perform sports drink the rest of the morning, and if I feel hungry I'll have some Energy Blasts gel filled chews. During the race, I stick to the PowerBar Energy Gel and the Energy Blasts gel filled chews. The gels are easier than bars to eat and digest when going at race pace. I still focus on getting in at least 200 calories per hour. My bottle is full of Ironman Perform sports drink. It is also really important to properly recover from a hard ride or race. I always have Ironman Restore™ sports drink mix or a
PowerBar® Recovery bar within 15 minutes of finishing my workout.
Q: What kinds of risks does mountain biking carry?
Jen: All sports have some risk. Generally, mountain biking is relatively safe as long as you wear a helmet and don't ride your cross-country race bike down double black diamond downhill runs. The occasional crash on dirt hurts a heck of a lot less than crashing on pavement!
TOP 3 MOUNTAIN BIKING TIPS
By Jen Hanks
1. Don't be afraid to talk to people on the trail. Mountain bikers love riding above everything else, but talking about mountain biking and racing is a close second!
2. Make sure you pack food and energy drink for any ride that is longer than 1 hour. Staying fueled and preventing the dreadful "bonk" is the best way to enjoy an epic ride.
3. Always, always, always wear a helmet. I usually crash when doing something stupid, like riding my bike to the bathroom after a race.
If you’re interested in learning about PowerBar
® Team Elite™ athletes or how you can join the ranks, click on the
Team Elite link at PowerBar.com.
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