Seven Regroup women. Three distances. Six podium finishes, including an overall win. Pinewood Showdown was a big day for Regroup.
The start
Pinewood Showdown brought us to the White Mountains, where cooler temps, pine trees, altitude, and plenty of climbing made for a welcome change from racing in the desert.
Lindsay Gaesser, Tracey Minor, Rose Kirby, and Adriana Lopez lined up for the 40ish-miler. Mandy Stanley and Destiny Carson took on the “20ish,” which turned out to be a not-so-short 28 miles. And Jen Durham did what Jen does and chose the “80ish,” which actually meant 88 miles.
There was plenty of racing ahead, but first everyone had to contend with one thing we don’t get much of in Phoenix: elevation.
The race
For Lindsay, the altitude made itself known almost immediately. The legs were there, but the lungs felt like they were breathing through a straw. She stuck to the plan, riding the climbs at her own pace and grabbing wheels whenever possible on the flats and descents. Instead of fading as the miles ticked by, she started feeling better. By the second half, both lungs and legs had come around, and she raced her way onto the overall podium.
Tracey wasn’t far behind, joining Lindsay on the age-group podium and giving Regroup two of the three spots. Rose added another podium of her own with second in her age group, while Adriana rounded out the 40ish crew with a top-ten age-group finish.
On the short course, Destiny and Mandy both had big days. Destiny put together a strong ride to finish fifth female overall and second in her age group, while Mandy was lining up for her very first gravel race. Knowing most of the climbing would come in the first 15 miles, Mandy planned to push hard early, get through the climbing, then use the descent to recover while staying focused at speed. She stayed on top of fueling with reminders from her bike computer and crossed the line as the first woman overall.
“I had no idea what to expect in my first gravel race. It far exceeded my expectations, and I absolutely loved it!” — Mandy Stanley
Jen returned to Pinewood’s long course for a second time, this year better prepared for all 88 miles and the physical demands of the day. The altitude topped out around 9,600 feet and hit hard, with stretches where she didn’t feel great, but she stayed patient and trusted the tough moments would pass. Steady pacing and consistent fueling carried her through to a 41-minute PR, with her Regroup teammates waiting at the finish after a long day on the bike.
Notes from the race
- Altitude is rude. Sometimes the lungs just need a few miles to get with the program.
- Fueling reminders work. Lindsay and Mandy both used bike computer alerts to stay on top of fueling throughout their races.
- Hydration matters at altitude. Mandy is already planning to carry a hydration pack next time.
- “Ish” is doing some heavy lifting. The 20ish was 28 miles, and the 80ish was 88. Plan accordingly.
- Long course? Jen's in. Every time.
Seven women lined up across three distances, six walked away with podiums, and we got to cheer each other in before settling into some very well-earned post-race hangs.
Not a bad day in the pines.
