The 2024 season marked the start of a brand new chapter for me. It was a season the place I stepped away from the consolation of a workforce and embraced independence.
Till this yr, I all the time had a workforce mechanic, a logistics coordinator, and different help crew. Now, I put on all these hats and extra: a ‘professional’ mechanic, journey guru, social media strategist, and, in fact, the hearth extinguisher for the surprising challenges of working a solo operation.
There have been each literal and figurative bumps all season – from early-season races at The Mid South and The Growler to Unbound Gravel 200 and SBT GRVL on the peak of the gravel season after which the wind-down at Chequamegon MTB Competition and Massive Sugar Gravel. I’ve discovered worthwhile classes about myself, my bike, and the resilience wanted to thrive as a ‘privateer’. Navigating these challenges has made me extra adaptable and proven me how self-reliance may be each empowering and humbling.
As gravel continues to evolve, corporations like The Feed and Issue Bikes acknowledge the worth in supporting North American off-road athletes. It’s the way forward for the game, a minimum of right here. I believe mass-participation occasions are the way forward for bike racing in North America, as they have fun that sense of group and preserve the gravel spirit alive.
I believe I would go hungry if not for my Feed stipend. Mia Howle with The Feed has handed me numerous feeds at race help stations. Walter Tate from Issue has stood in quite a few resort parking heaps adjusting my shifting and torque specs. Whereas every race is finally a solo pursuit, I’ve key companions shut by who assist make the races really feel extra like a workforce effort.
“We consider athletes like Lauren have the facility to encourage their communities and push the boundaries of what is doable. Our mission is to gasoline their journey by giving them the correct diet and instruments to thrive—whether or not they’re on the racecourse, in coaching, or going through on a regular basis challenges,” Howle stated.
Right here’s what ‘life as a privateer’ throughout the gravel, mountain bike, and street racing circuits taught me over the 2024 season, beginning with the season opener.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
By no means guide the most cost effective motel
Racing as a privateer means discovering methods to chop prices, however at The Mid South in Stillwater, Oklahoma, I discovered shortly that saving cash on lodging just isn’t the best way to do it. I initially booked the most cost effective motel I might discover, however after only one night time, I made a decision to maneuver to the 3-star resort close to the beginning line.
It was value sacrificing a couple of additional {dollars} for my sanity and sleep.
Regardless of the chaotic leadup, I used to be capable of refocus and recompose myself. This expertise served as a reminder that the street to success isn’t all the time easy, however with the correct mindset, issues can all the time be rotated.
Deliver a flooring pump
One of many extra amusing classes got here at Levi’s Gran Fondo for The Growler, a brand new Classics-style street race. I assumed any individual would have a flooring pump, however when it got here time to inflate my 32mm Maxxis Excessive Roads, I used to be caught utilizing my mini-hand pump. Touring by air from Colorado to northern California for the occasion, I lowered the air strain in my tires.
It took lots of of tiny pumps in my little resort room, with ‘The Workplace’ taking part in within the background for good measure, till I lastly reached 75 psi within the entrance and 80 within the rear. Lesson discovered: by no means assume, all the time over-prepare.
You may’t flip every part right into a gravel race
Levi’s Gran Fondo felt like a gravel race on pavement, between the epic climbs and bumpy asphalt – pure energy to win the 130-mile inaugural professional ladies’s race. Once I lined up for the US Professional Street Nationwide Championships a month later, I used to be reminded shortly that success in street racing requires extra finesse.
It’s simple to get caught up within the adrenaline and need to make each second difficult. I used to be reminded of the facility of drafting and conserving vitality when within the ultimate transfer with Kristen Faulkner and Ruth Edwards, I might really feel my legs screaming in protest, asking, “Why had been you on the entrance a lot?”.
The cramping hit exhausting earlier than the ultimate lap. I used to be solely 49 seconds out of the lead, however I could not comply with them for the final 13 miles of the 79-mile race. Faulkner went on to win, whereas I crossed the road in downtown Charleston, West Virginia in fifth place.
Test your valve core for dried sealant
At Unbound Gravel in Emporia, Kansas, I executed my signature solo transfer round mile 80 of the 205-mile race, making a five-minute hole from the chasing peloton. I used to be flying, till I heard the hiss of air escaping from my tire.
I hit it with CO2, however the valve core was clogged with dried sealant. After a number of failed makes an attempt, I pushed on, realizing my crew was ready on the subsequent help station.
I managed to textual content them the phrase “REAR.” I’m undecided they knew what I meant.
After shedding worthwhile time, I used to be caught by the diminished discipline earlier than the ultimate checkpoint at Council Grove with 54 miles to go. Though my crew helped with an electrical pump, the valve was clogged and wouldn’t take air. As a substitute of ready for my crew to resolve the difficulty, I noticed my rivals whizzing by and couldn’t resist chasing.
In hindsight, I ought to have checked the valve core earlier than the race. Extra importantly, I ought to have stayed calm. The 30 additional seconds stopped with my crew might’ve solely helped the race end result. With simply 14 psi remaining on the finish, I completed ninth in a nine-women dash.
All the time be able to pivot
After Unbound it was on to Leadville Path 100 MTB in Leadville, Colorado and SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs. I simply did not have it at Leadville, so was wanting ahead to SBT GRVL the next week.
I used to be in second place at mile 95 of 124-mile Steamboat Springs race when catastrophe struck. My entrance tire exploded in a rut and I broke my touchdown with my left collarbone. Race over.
I used to be lucky to get surgical procedure the night time of the race, which is why solely two days later I used to be on the coach.
It’s not how I envisioned my leadup to the US Professional Gravel Nationals in solely three weeks, however I knew what was essential to be prepared. I did three-hour rides in Watopia with Zwift on my Wahoo KICKR and added brisk five-mile hikes carrying my sling to get exterior.
Opposite to my preliminary disbelief, three weeks later I used to be on the beginning line in Gering, Nebraska. The collarbone itself hadn’t fully fused again collectively, however every part was a minimum of in the correct place thanks to a couple screws.
Nonetheless unable to hold a hydration pack due to shoulder ache and concern of breaking my collarbone lurking behind my head, I completed second place within the elite ladies’s discipline. The takeaway? You by no means know what life will throw at you. Be able to pivot and settle for the issues you possibly can’t change, like damaged bones.
Take note of the handbook – by no means reuse a grasp hyperlink
Resulting in Chequamegon MTB Competition in Cable, Wisconsin, a requirement for Life Time Grand Prix, I meticulously prepped my Issue Lando XC, even giving my chain a contemporary coat of wax. Once I reinstalled the chain as I constructed the bike on the Minneapolis airport within the passenger pickup, I reused the identical grasp hyperlink from earlier than.
About 25 miles into the 42-mile race, I used to be within the lead group when my chain snapped. I instantly used my dropper put up to make use of my bike as a “strider” till a fellow rider supplied me a spare grasp hyperlink.
I reinstalled the chain pondering I had issues underneath management, however two miles later, the chain snapped once more. I began working till one other sort stranger supplied me his bike from the again of his truck at an unofficial checkpoint.
The bike was too large with a special groupset, however I wasn’t about to drop out of the race. I managed to move a couple of rivals and snag some Life Time Grand Prix factors after I crossed the road in nineteenth place. I used to be later disqualified for driving a spectator’s bike.
I used my cellphone to buy 20 new grasp hyperlinks on the best way house.
One factor at a time
Navigating life’s calls for requires cautious planning and having the ability to give attention to one factor at a time. If you map out each element of your day, you discover that even the craziest challenges change into manageable. So squeezing in a race after which a marriage in the identical day, separated by greater than 750 journey miles, could have been a bit too difficult.
At Massive Sugar Gravel in northwest Arkansas, I completed a good fifth-place end and scored sufficient Life Time Grand Prix factors to land within the high 10 total.
What makes it extra spectacular? After a USADA check, podium ceremony, and a bathe in my good friend’s resort room, I made it to the Northwest Arkansas airport for a 5:00 p.m. flight to Denver. My husband picked me up on the opposite with a robe in hand, I modified within the automobile and made it to my youthful brother’s marriage ceremony the night time of the race.
Resilience, Adaptation, and Development
Being a privateer in 2024 has improved my adaptability, resourcefulness, and resilience. Whereas a workforce’s absence introduced challenges, it additionally empowered me to take full possession of my racing.
- Chains waxed: 17
- Chains snapped: 1
- Airports: Too many
- Wins: 5
- Podiums: 7
- Miles ridden: Test Strava
- Flyers: UNBOUND, The Rad, Midsouth, The Growler
- Flights: 16 (no Africa journey from authentic plan)
- Airports visited: 9
I’ve come to additional recognize the worth of help. Working intently with my sponsors, Issue Bikes, The Feed, Castelli, Maxxis, and PERC Espresso, has proven me the enterprise facet of motorbike racing. I’ve realized that we’re all striving for a similar purpose. My success is their success.
I’ve discovered to ask for assist after I want it, folks genuinely need to help. Whether or not it’s stopping by the Orange Seal tent for a fast tire test or just sharing recommendation, the off-road biking group is all the time supportive.
With the teachings discovered, I really feel extra able to tackle one other yr as a ‘privateer’. Hopefully, many of the errors are out of the best way. Now it’s time for some well-deserved relaxation and a visit to Africa for Crew Amani Girls’s Camp. Extra on that later!
