Catharine Pendrel

It has been years since my schedule has allowed me to make crankworxs and as many years since they have actually hosted an xc event.  Hopefully our paths will meet more in the future because riding there is a lot of fun! Still low on racing, not to mention mtn biking miles I decided rather last minute that I was recovered enough from MSA that the Whistler Canada Cup on Wednesday would be the perfect mental and physical prep for me before Worlds in South Africa. The cool thing about racing outside of World cups is that there is way less stress and more pure excitement for riding and racing.  I wanted to make some high quality race efforts, have fun on my bike and get excited about going fast.  This was the perfect race for it.   I feel so lucky to have developed on the Canada Cup circuit making great friendships as we all pooled together to keep costs low and fun high.  Sandra Walter, whom was my travel buddy for my first World Cup campaign year in 2007 was also my stiffe

Back to racing The morning of the MSA World Cup I realized that for the first time in weeks I was more worried about my competition than how my clavicle, back and shoulder would hold up to the work out, a sure sign that my body is well on its way to recovery. MSA this year was not the course of years past.   Every year our race courses shorten to accommodate better filming and exciting race dynamics.   In MSA this meant that going to the far side of the course, up a wickedly steep climb, through some very techy woods and down a rock garden was too far.   Instead we would weave through the venue and village lengthening our approach into the tricky switch back climb.   The course raced very well and still had lots of great singletrack, but the course was less decisive a factor in the results…It was more purely about legs. Katerina takes the win On this day it was my teammate Katerina that had the legs.   As she had the last two World cups she raced with the lead group a

There is nothing quite like finishing your first race post injury and to even make it on the podium in a nice US Olympian sandwich!  Also congrats to country mate Amanda Sin on a fast 4th place and Judy freeman on a solid 5th. 30+ women from the US, Canada and Columbia lined up for the US Cup finals in Williston Vermont, just outside Burlington. Arriving at the venue you feel like you have arrived at a PGA course.  The course was so well prepped.  Half the course was open windy grassy fields that snaked around the Catamount venue, the other half was mostly uphill singletrack...I actually don't think there was a descent as with the 2 gap jumps and the big huck we kinda just jumped to loose altitude! The women raced 5 laps and with the amount of wind I was hoping to get to the front with Lea straight away and put in a good fight for top spot.  I started great from the gun, but on the rare occasion i actually get a holeshot for 50 metres I always seem to loose 20 spots in the ne

Gladly the answer is good! It has been 6 weeks since I broke my collar bone and I am back on the mtn bike and even going off of big jumps thanks to the inspiration of several youthful ladies that don't process the "what ifs" only the "what next"! My back to form process involved 2 weeks on the trainer, 2 weeks of road and then split road and mtn bike training weeks as well as lots of athletic therapy.  I have hopefully learned to become more efficient in the saddle with all my seated miles!  Enjoying some often missed mid-summer hiking in Penticton, BC.  The trainer isn't so bad in AC when the other option is 38 degrees celsius outside When was the last time I got to camp in the middle of race season?  Spent the weekend with my brother Liz, Fiona and Keith on Vancouver Island.                                            Gaining strength and mobility at SAGE Kamloops Back to racing! This afternoon I will be lining up against most of the