Mom’s Day at the Chainbreaker

Momma Julia ready to break some Chains!

What a difference a month makes! Spring was skipped this year and went right from a wintry Mudslinger to midsummer-like Cascade Chainbreaker. It was moved this year from its traditional Mother’s Day to Saturday before, but it still sounded like a great way to celebrate to me, my son Tony joined me for support and media. They also moved the start to an hour later, which meant it was already about 80 degrees when we took off just after 11:00 AM. The first climb let me know that the heat and elevation together was going to be a challenge.

The author celebrates Mothers’ Day!

The course was just as fun as last year though, lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, newspaper boxes and tunnel. My favorite section is the 1 ½ mile loop through the finish area, a little bit like a cyclocross race with tents and spectators and the best technical bits of the course. One team had a portable sprayer and they were asking everyone if they wanted to be sprayed with cold water as they came through, they had it down just about right, passing the info from announcer to sprayer just like Starbucks! The well-staffed water station at the lap point was also very welcome, it was really tough to go through at 15 miles out on another nearly 12 mile lap, but I had my markers in my head from the first lap and knew I just needed to make it from one to the next and I’d be back home in no time! Well, “no time” was well over an hour, but I managed to enjoy a few sections with fewer riders on the trails after the Cat 3’s finished at 15 miles. Finished 7th of 11 in a very competitive Cat 2 40-49 field, the largest of all the women’s fields for the day!

It was a long day, on the road and on the trail, but I had good company and support from friends and family at a very well-run race. Finished with all the air in my tires this year which also made it a nicer ride. So going into a second year on my super fun racing REALL, I’m looking forward to another race in Sisters next weekend, the bike loves those Central Oregon trails! So do I!

By: Julia Fudge