I caught up with Rebecca Rusch; and had the honor of interviewing her. Check out what she has to say about racing, nutrition, the mental game, and more!1. Welcome Rebecca and thank you for talking with me. To start off what got you into athletics; I'm talkin' the first sport you ever did? Were you always an endurance athlete?
High school cross country was my first sport. I got involved because I was told I'd get a free track suit. You know the ones, full cotton, tight gathered ankles, drawstring waist, hoodie. Super cool. So yes, cross country and track were considered "endurance" sports. We ran 2 miles for the longest races and they lasted 12-15 minutes. It seemed an eternity. In my opinion now, that's absolutely a lung busting sprint distance compared to the multi day and 24 hour racing that I do.
2. Nutrition is obviously very important for the type of events you do. Do you eat different foods during training versus racing?
I try to eat a healthy diet but I'm not obsessed about calorie counting or depriving myself. I eat more fruits and veggies than I used to, work on drinking more water all the time and buy a ton less packaged food than I used to. I tried being a vegetarian, but it absolutely did not work for me. There's not really much that I don't eat. When I'm racing, I use mostly Hammer Nutrition products because they are super easy to digest and cover all the bases with protein, fats, carbs, and electrolytes. Sometimes it's difficult to eat much "real" food during races because it's harder to digest. Red Bull is my little secret weapon that I save for the end of the race when I need a little turbo boost.
3. What do you think about during a 24hr race? Is success on the bike truly mind over matter for you? Do you have any mental tips or advice for endurance athletes?
I think about the race much of the time and calculate lap times, how far ahead or behind I am, what my competitors are doing, how many laps I will have left. Consistency is really the name of the game in super long races, so I pay close attention to each time split and my time on each section of the course. I really try not to zone out during a 24 hour race because I want to make sure I keep up the intensity and don't lag for a lap or two. Mentally, it's a bit challenging to stay focused for that long, so I am always just riding one lap at a time and trying not to think too far ahead. I used the same technique adventure racing and just thinking of one section or one climb at a time instead of a whole week of racing that's ahead.
4. What's your favorite warm up song?
I don't wear music racing or warming up very much. I use it in training though. You're a Champion by 2 Skinnee J's is my favorite pre-race psyche. My boyfriend Greg played it for me just before 24 Hour Worlds and it has stuck with me ever since. He played it for me before Leadville this year too.
5. In recent years many women, including you, have defied modern thinking about performance potential in later (wiser) years of life. Do you see yourself continue to get bettter with age? Do you think success as an older athlete is possible in non-endurance sports?
Absolutely. Look at Dara Torres, 5 x Olympic swimmer who is faster in her 40's in sprint events than she was in her 20's. Or Ned Overend, who's in his 50's and still racing at the elite level. I absolutely believe that you are seeing older athletes excel becuase we've all gotten smarter. The science behind training and recovery just gets more and more sophisticated every year, so athletes who are smart and educate themselves keep getting better and better. I strongly believe that the key to my longevity has been education, proper recovery and cross training. All of those things have kept me healthy and I've been able to squeeze more performance and speed out of my body by training and resting right.
6. I heard you like to hit the slopes in the off season for cross training. Do you ski or snowboard?
The majority of my winter training is backcountry skiing and skate skiing. I do spend a couple hours a week on the bike trainer inside to work on my leg spin and keep those muscles active. I also hit the weight room and yoga studio more in the winter. The break is healthy for me mentally and physically.
7. Rumor has it you are involved in a multifaceted athlete management start up, can you tell me a little about it?
I can tell you that I'm in the process of launching a new business called Rusch Relations that will house many different projects including marketing, consulting, athlete brand management, movie tours, public appearances and all the other stuff that goes along with being an athlete. I have no intention of hanging up the race kit for many years, but I also am involved with more and more projects that will hopefully inspire more people to get outside and break down their own barriers.
8. You are a six time world champion AND the Leadville 100 women's record holder and two time defending champ. Where do you go from here? What's next for you?
I've never been one to plan too far ahead and I really just try to live my life by making choices that motivate and excite me. I am still very much excited by training and racing and pushing my limits, so I will continue to do that for as long as it's fun for me. I'm also inspired by getting women, kids and anyone in general out on bikes. I make my sponsor and side work projects based on those things. I will also continue to be as active as possible as a firefighter/EMT at home in Ketchum Idaho. As for "what's next", you will have to wait and see!
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