Earlier this week, at the last minute really, Mom decided she wanted to race the Firecracker 50 on the Fourth of July. The Firecracker is a 50-mile mountain bike race that takes place in Breckenridge, with over 10,000 feet of climbing, much of it over 11,000 feet of elevation. This year, USA Cycling designated the Firecracker as the national championship race for the marathon race category.
The Firecracker is one of the biggest mountain bike races in the country, drawing over 700 riders, including dozens of top pros. One of the coolest aspects of the race is the start. The racers line up on Breckenridge’s Main Street and ride the parade route to begin the race, while thousands of parade spectators cheer them on.
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Mom, in the sleeveless Nike kit, riding out in front of the Pro Open Women’s Category.
I’ve had a great vantage point for the race above Dad’s shoulders.
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Cheering on Mom in the transition area/aid station after the first lap.
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Mom broke away from the lead pack of women on the first big climb of the race and never looked back. She had about a 2 minute lead over her friend and rival, Gretchen Reeves, after the first lap.
Looking down on the finish area. Check out how much snow is still in the mountains!
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Mom held onto her lead and pulled off a huge victory! She finished the 50-mile race in 4 hours and 29 minutes, just a few minutes slower than the woman’s race record!
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Sari being interviewed at the finish. Note the woman in the background with the clipboard. She’s a representative from the US Anti-Doping Association waiting to escort Sari to the bathroom where she’ll watch her pee in a cup for drug testing.
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Sari donning the red, white and blue jersey as the new National Champion!
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All the podium finishers. Dad and I are so proud of mom!
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Media coverage of the race.
Summit Daily News story.
USA Cycling story.
VeloNews story.
SariAnderson.com 