Catharine Pendrel

Roc D’azur A trip to France was the perfect way to end the mtn bike season.  Flying into Nice, I enjoyed the beautiful Cote D’Azur and hospitality of Orbea bicycles as we launched their latest beauty, the Oiz. 2013 Oiz Last year at Worlds, Orbea’s engineers came to visit the Luna team to ask for our feedback in creating a great xc race dual suspension.  They were surprised by some of the things we were looking for, one being that I saw the biggest advantage of a dual suspension as maintaining power over flat rough terrain (seeing more rough grass sections on our WC courses) and for singletrack climbing rather than on the descents.  Races can be lost on descents, but only occasionally won.  After our meeting I kept in touch over email with the engineers and in June the first prototype was ready and delivered to me just days before the MSA World Cup.  I was able to win that race in large part due to the efficiency of the bike.  I just made fewer mistakes than the other

The last few weeks have been super busy with Luna and ClifBar putting in an awesome presence at Interbike.  I even got to team up with Kamloopsian Matt Hunter for some foosball action! Yes, yes Interbike is all business. Then I headed to San Francisco 6 days later for a Clinic with the Bay Area Luna Chixs.  There is nothing like going to ride with a group of 15 women that love mountain biking to make you realize how great a job you have, how lucky you are to be able to share your passion with others.  Thank you ladies for keeping me inspired! Getting to know some new ride buddies in the Bay Area The next day was the infamous ClifBar Epiphany ride (and my birthday) where I was yet again impressed by how tough a group of people cyclists are and how awesome everyone at ClifBar is!  215km of rolling Napa Valley roads sure go by more quickly with great company. Thanks to everyone that made this ride and day so memorable! Getting up at 6am and starting in the dark we rode

Recently this article appeared in the Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/pendrel-ponders-her-inexplicable-performance/article4581068/ I wanted to correct a wording in this text.  The author chose to use the word overtraining, not the word I would have chosen which was under resting.  To some this may seem an insignificant difference, but it is actually quite significantly different.  My training plan was solid, but my desire to improve made me feel doing more was important, because all high performers feel there is always something they could be doing better.  We are rarely satisfied with good. I feel I sacrificed some of the quality of planned rest days/weeks and probably started training too intently too early, but again this is hindsight and there are SOOO many factors. Pendrel now believes her problems involved overtraining and not handling the pressure leading up to the Games. She blames no one but herself. “I was healthy and I was fast. I just

7am Vegas run, bright lights fading to the rising sun While friends break fast under the Eiffel tower Sinatra dances across still water Through Venetian canals Gondoliers row lovers Most others asleep under covers Despite yourself you smile up in wonder As a roller coaster glides over New York