Why we fell in love with Bend, Oregon

We just returned from a week-trip to Bend, Oregon. We followed that up with a few days in Salem to support our athletes at Oregon 70.3.

Oregon is known for an outdoorsy lifestyle and we witness this first-hand during our recent trip to Bend. As it relates to living an active lifestyle, one thing was evident – the way in which communities and streets are designed.

How many times do you commute, run an errand or go somewhere that is less than 5 miles away? How many times do you drive a few miles in order to start a workout? How often do you ride a bike, other than for exercise?

There’s a good chance that you will say that it’s not safe to ride a bike where you live or to where you need to go. In many states, the prevalence of physical activity is higher in places where there is little to no access to safe or convenient places to be active – like community parks, sidewalks or trails.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease and Control), common barriers to physical activity include lack of time, limited social support, lack of motivation, fear of injury, high cost and lack of nearby facilities. While an individual makes the ultimate decision to or not to engage in an active lifestyle, community-level barriers can make this decision even more difficult.

I can’t get over the network of neighborhood greenways for walking and biking across Bend. Everywhere we went, there was a well-maintained (and wide) bike path. The bike paths connected so that you could essentially go anywhere by bike or foot. Cars stop at every crosswalk for walkers, runners and bikers. There are even off-road paths to play on throughout neighborhoods and alongside the paved trails. Kids are riding bikes, families are on bikes and people of all ages are on bikes. It was clear that Bend encourages and promotes healthy active living. There are also countless roundabouts, which promotes lower driving speeds and traffic calming, which made for better traffic flow and safe path crossing for pedestrians.

During our time in Bend, it was so easy to live our active lifestyle. The area was safe, the people were nice, there were dogs everywhere (usually off leash and well behaved) and people loved to be outside. We biked everywhere.

While it was easy to “fit in” during our train/race-cation, it got me thinking about the phrase “work hard, play hard.”

This saying refers to having a good work-life balance and prioritizing career growth and personal enjoyment. People who embrace this lifestyle want to develop healthy habits and make time for the activities they enjoy while feeling fulfilled with their career/work. Unfortunately, far too many people work way too hard at a career but never make (or find) the time for play. Did you know that, according to a survey from the Pew Research Center, that only 48% of US workers say they use all their allotted vacation days each year?

It's not uncommon to work too much and not enjoy life. Even if you love your job, you may find that there’s too much work to do and not enough time. Relationships suffer. You don’t sleep well. You aren’t present for loved ones. You miss out on opportunities. You are constantly stressed, anxious and overwhelmed. Your mind is frequently consumed with work-related thoughts. The American work culture rewards working long hours and constructing one’s identity closely around a career. But, at what cost?

I was speaking with our Airbnb neighbor in Bend and he was telling me about a trip that he and his family were about to go on. It involved camping, biking and hiking. He was also telling me about his job as an intensive care nurse. The owner of our Airbnb was hiking with her husband in the Dolomites (Italy).

If you are interested in adopting a work hard, play hard lifestyle, you may benefit from how other successful professionals maintain a healthy work-life balance.

1) Assess how you spend your money. Did you know the many people spend more than $300 a month on eating/ordering out? That’s over $3000 a year that could be spent on other activities. A budget can help you feel more in control of your finances and make it easier to save money for important things in your life – like travel and hobbies.

2) Assess how you spend your free time. Estimate how much time you spend on meaningless activities and how much time you spend on hobbies, activities and interests that bring you joy. This can help you make smarter decisions on how you spend your free time.

3) Make a list of your interests. Use your free time intentionally to create meaningful experiences outside of work. You may consider investing in a cleaning or lawn service to help free up your “free” time for more important activities and hobbies.

4) Schedule your work time and play time. Scheduling your playtime is important. Include meetings, projects and commuting in your work calendar but also block off time for play time outside of work.

5) Learn to say no. It’s hard not to feel bad about disappointing others or turning down team members but saying no to additional tasks (especially if you are at your max mental or physical capacity) can lead to burnout, anxiety and stress. Know your priorities. Saying no is not an excuse. Provide a sound reason for reaching your bandwidth and being unable to take on anymore tasks. And yes, not interfering with your free-time is a good reason to say no.

I want to encourage you to make the most of your one and only life. My dad passed away at the age of 67 years due to cancer. He enjoyed every day of his life. He had a lot of hobbies outside of his job as an optometrist. He was also very healthy and active. Life is short. Be sure to enjoy it.

To read more about our trip:
High Cascades 100 mile MTB Race Recap
Travel to Bend

2023 High Cascades 100 MTB event

Pre-Race
I was a bit nervous going into the High Cascades 100. We had reconned the back half of the course but the first ~45 miles were all new trails for me. The routes in Bend are incredible. Over 900 miles of single track MTB trails! But the conditions are very different to what I am used to – sandy, jagged pointy rocks and loose dirt. I was also nervous about the start of the race and having 350+ athletes to navigate around going into the single track. I prepared my bottles the night prior and got 2 bags ready for the bag drop (aid station ~45 and ~81). I used a 1.5L plastic water bottle for my hydration pack (either INFINIT Fructose 360 calories/hr or Never Second C30 Berry, 360 calories per bottle/hr) and a sport bottle of Mexican coke (diluted with water). I started with my USWE hydration pack with INFINIT Fructose and a bottle of Never Second C30. I also carried a Power Bar, PB Clif Bar, Power bar chews, Gu aminos and a Never Second Gel.

We woke up at 3:45am and ate our normal pre-race foods. We got ready around 4:45am, did a bit of foam rolling/mobility and left our Airbnb on our bikes, just before 5am. The sun was starting to rise so it wasn’t completely dark. We were in the company of other athletes riding to the start. It was a little cool in the morning (mid 50’s) but it wasn’t too bad for the 1-mile bike to the race start at the Bend Athletic Club.

We dropped off our bags in their respective UHaul trucks (Karel only used the 48-mile bag drop) and then I went to the potty once more. We lined up near the front, in the company of some well-known names like Heather Jackson, Sarah Max, Eric Lagerstrom and Sonya Looney. It boggles my mind to think that over 350 people register for this event. And the only distance is 100 miles! And the event had over 40 females! The race director (Mike) is phenomenal. His communication via email was incredible. We would receive emails almost daily on the week of the event with updates on the course, event and any other important/safety details.

The ride started at 5:30am and it was a neutral start for a few miles until the road went up.

Miles 0-20
The first ~9 miles were all climbing. The route started off ~6 miles on pavement and it was a beautiful start as the sun was rising and we were riding through Tetherow on Skyliners Road. We then turned off onto a fire road (gravel, dust, dirt) for ~3 more miles. The first 9 miles were fairly fast, averaging around 17 mph. I was in the 3rd group from the front and it was a small group, with Sonya Looney. There was ~10 of us and the effort felt manageable. My legs were feeling really good climbing. On a steeper section, Sonya rode away. We then took Tumalo Creek to Mrazek Trail for ~6 miles which was all single track. My skills weren’t the best and I was passed by several guys on the twisty/technical sections but I was able to always catch back up anytime there was a steady climb. Everyone was very nice and would ask to pass when there was a chance to pull over. It was back on another forest road (where I caught up to all the guys who passed me) and then back on Mrazek Trail. At this point, we had been climbing (with just a few quick downhills) for 20 miles and ~1:43 (11.7mph).

Miles 20-48
I had been doing a good job staying hydrated, even though it was cool out. It’s very dry in Bend (low humidity) but it was super dusty which made me thirsty. Karel was in the 2nd group to the front but he was careful to not overdo it. He wanted to pace himself so that he wouldn’t blow up or aggravate his back so he made sure not to do anything crazy in the first few hours. There were several sections that Karel had to walk his bike over and many that I had to walk my bike over throughout the event as there wasn’t a clear line to take and we didn’t want to jeopardize a fall or something breaking on the bike. Luckily, there wasn’t any hike-a-bike. All the obstacles were relatively short and required a quick hop off, carry the bike over and then back on the bike.
The first technical descend was Farewell. And as the name implies, it was technical for me. There was a drop off on the left and a tight single track with many loose rocks and tight (very tight) switchbacks. I stopped several times to let other riders pass me. When I finally made it down this 3.4 mile, 20-minute technical section, I was relieved.
The next few single track trails included Tumalo Creek (which had a .3 mile required Chill Zone due to hikers), Skyliners Trail and Upper Whoops. This was a mix of twisty single track through the trees, beautiful views and then some fun jumps and berms. Then it was on to another forest road to Swede Ridge Loop Trail, Swampy Loop Trail, Flagline trail, Swampy Dutchman Trail. Although my skills were not the best, I found myself in a similar group of riders (all guys) where they would pass me on the technical sections (specifically downhill) and then I would catch back up anytime the road went uphill. I really worked the uphills as I felt that was where I could gain the most time and be competitive in my age group.
When I got to the first aid station, the volunteers were incredible. They grabbed my bike and helped me refill my hydration pack. I needed to pee but I didn’t see anywhere to go (there were a lot of people there as spectators were allowed) so I waited until the next stop. I grabbed my bottle of coke to put on my bike. We received chain lube in our welcome packet and Karel advised that I put some on my chain if it starts to sound like it’s getting dry. I decided to lube my chain at this aid station to be on the safe side. I also had tools, a spare battery, CO2, tube, and a plug in my hydration pack in case of an emergency.

Mile 48-70
After a few miles of descending, we got onto the main road (Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway) before crossing the road and making our way to Funner. Funner made its way into Lower Storm King and at this point, I was in familiar territory. There were still a lot of sections that were too technical/rocky for me to bike over so I had to get off but overall, this section was fun. There were a lot of berms and jumps (I don’t jump, just roll over). Then we went into Catch and Release for more climbing. I felt a bit more confident in the back half of the ride as I knew the route and there was a lot of climbing. It was starting to get a bit warm out as it was nearing the upper 80’s and I had been riding for almost 6 hours. Karel likes to know where he is at while he is riding so he leaves his computer on a screen that shows mileage and time but I don’t want to know. I leave my computer on the map setting and just focus on the distance for each segment that I am in. Neither of us have power so we don’t go by any metrics other than feel. The course was really well marked. Mike did a great job putting arrows and ribbons for the course and a big yellow NO sign for any other area that we shouldn’t take. There were also signs letting us know that an aid station was ahead. After passing the 58 mile/88 mile split sight (heading the 58 mile route), it was time to climb. Almost 13 miles of almost non stop climbing on single track for almost 90 minutes and almost 1800 feet of elevation gain. Much of the race was held at ~5000+ elevation, getting close to 6000 a few times. The next 3.5 miles were on Dinah Moe Humm and took us to the next aid station. I was running low in my hydration pack and even though the next aid station was 9 miles away, I didn’t want to ration my fluids, especially with it being so hot and dry out. I filled my pack with Heed (which did not taste good) but sipped on it anyways. I was still feeling really good with my energy and my mood was good. I used a bit of water to cool myself at the aid station and also finally went pee (in the bushes).

Mile 80-103
I was looking forward to the next 3 miles as they were on the road with a beautiful view of Mt. Bachelor (with snow on top). It was warm with the sun beating down at 95 degrees. But thankfully there was a bit of tailwind. I passed a lot of guys on this climb and at this point, I was passed by two females but passed one who was at the previous aid station. I really worked these 3 miles as I knew we had some descending on a fire road after the climb. Somehow I got off course for a few minutes and turned myself around. I have no idea how I missed the big pink arrows but I think I was getting into my pocket to get some chews and must have looked down for a second and missed it. I’m so thankful I had the gut feeling that I was off course. I was a little upset that I had worked so hard on the climb to get off course for a few minutes but I was back with the guys that I had passed. The next almost 6 miles were pretty fun. A lot of descending on fire roads. Although it was still hard to descend as you are in a squatting position which puts a lot of weight on the legs. My neck was getting a little sore so I would stretch it out every now and then. Karel was feeling pretty good throughout the ride and he also didn’t have any low energy issues. He did a great job with his hydration and fueling. He had a lot of fun in the technical sections and anytime there was a sign that read ‘Danger’ I would think “don’t die!” and Karel would think “fun!”
Tiddlywinks was a very fun trail which then brought us back to Lower Storm King. Finally I was back to the split and took Catch and Release back to the main road. I stopped quickly at aid station 81 as I wanted to make sure I was well hydrated for the final stretch. My refill stops were at 5:13 hrs, 7:53 hrs and 8:49 hrs. I made all my stops really quick. Once I got back on the paved road, there was a little incline before a long stretch on Cascade Lakes Hwy. The roads are extremely bike friendly and there were even people in their cars honking and cheering as we were racing. The last 5 miles were fast – I time trialed it and pushed as hard as I could (19 mph for almost 5 miles). The final stretch was a small path/trail behind the Athletic Club and then I crossed the finish line after 103 miles and 9:29.48 moving time (9:49 total time with stops).

Karel went back to our Airbnb to shower (we were so dusty and dirty!) and then came back to see me finish. A friend, Kristen Yax, who lives in Bend came to the finish and we chatted with her for a while. We got a free burrito at the finish and then biked back to our place to clean up and rest before the awards at 6:30pm. 

I still can’t believe we rode 103 miles off road on our mountain bikes.

Prior to the event, we couldn’t believe that over 350 people sign up for this event. But now we know why.

The trails in the Deschutes National Forest are incredible. The nature is beautiful, the volunteers were awesome, Mike (the race director) was amazing with his communication, course signage and attention to detail and the people are so nice (and love being outdoors).

My skills were not the best on the technical features, as I’m not used to riding on dusty, sandy and jagged rock trails, but my climbing legs showed up so I took advantage of my strength any time the trails went up.

Karel paced himself well. No crashes and felt stronger as the race went on. He squeezed into third place in the last hour. 

We both fueled and hydrated well and didn’t have any low moments throughout the race. There were five aid stations. We both utilized the bag drop (our own nutrition) at mile 47, stopped to refill hydration at mile 72 and I used the bag drop at mile 81.

I love the heat (dry or humid) so I welcomed the 90-degree temps. With much of the ride above 5000 feet, we didn’t feel affected by the altitude.

Karel placed 3rd age group (40-49) in a competitive field in a time of 8:24.07.

I placed 1st age group (40-49) and 6th overall female in a time of 9:48.56.

It was a challenging and fun day.

This year has been all about stepping out of my comfort zone. Off-road racing (gravel, Xterra, MTB, trail running) requires a tremendous about of strength, skills, durability, resiliency, mental toughness and endurance. In these events, feeling a sense of accomplishment doesn’t come from metrics, paces or overall placement but in overcoming the challenges of the day and reaching the finish line.

If you are feeling complacent with your sport or struggling to find your “why” for training and racing, I encourage you to explore what lies slightly out of your comfort zone. You’ll still have to train very hard but you’ll be motivated by self-improvement and feeling like a beginner again.

RESULTS

 

Here's a video I put together on another ride that we did later in the week. We did 3 x 4+ hour MTB rides while we were there. We love Bend! 

Hello from Bend, Oregon

 

Oregon has been a bucket list state that I've wanted to visit for a very long time. When we were planning our 2023, our focus was selecting different or new events. We only planned one on-road triathlon (IM 70.3 Blue Ridge for me) and the rest were all off-road events. We love triathlon and our swim, bike, run lifestyle but to keep our spark lite for structured training, it's been fun having a different focus for this year. 

Around 2020, we watched a YouTube race recap of the High Cascade 100 MTB event. This was before I started mountain biking. We fell in love with the scenery and the enormous task of riding 100 miles on a mountain bike.  Karel wanted to the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder 5-day stage race in June and our athletes decided on Oregon 70.3 in late July as a team race. The High Cascade event never left my mind. When I realized that the High Cascades 100 MTB event was a week before Oregon 70.3, we decided this was the year that we should do the event. Just adding to the list of "first time" events for 2023.

My recovery after XTRI Canadaman was slow to start but a week after the race, I was beginning to feel much more normal. I didn't try to rush the recovery but just listened to my body. 

The hardest thing after the race was Campy's health. After returning home from Canada, I noticed that Campy was not acting like himself. He's been showing signs of Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (or doggy dementia) since November. He gets stuck in corners or stares at the wall. He barks at nothing and he gets very confused and disoriented. He drinks a lot of water. He wears diapers all day (and night). However, through this all, he is still eating well (just picky and wants to be hand fed), enjoys our company and enjoys his walks outside. 

But Thurs, Friday and Saturday were not great days for Campy. It was really hard to see him so out of it. I was really struggling as I thought it was nearing the end for my furry best friend. But on Sunday, he turned a corner and was acting better. He still struggles with his dementia (and he can't hear or see well) but it wasn't as severe as it was for the past few days. On Monday and Tuesday, he was much more spunky. I was ready to cancel our trip but Campy made it clear that he was doing much better. This chapter of our life is really, really hard. I'm trying to enjoy every moment with him and leaving him is so incredibly hard. We are so thankful for Karel's mom, who is staying at our house (we flew her in from Czech) until September, for taking such great care of Campy and our four cats. I've been very stressed over Campy's health for the past few weeks as I know we will have to make some hard decisions sometime over the next year. 

A little update from our trip......

We flew Greenville - Atlanta - Portland on Wednesday. We rented a car and drove 3.5 hours to Bend. The scenery was incredible - from the lush forest to desert-like land to seeing snow-capped mountains. We made a stop at Trader Joe's to get a few groceries before arriving to our place. 

After arriving to our Airbnb in Bend (near the Athletic Club of Bend) and after unpacking, we went for a jog around town. Alongside being tired from waking up at 2:15am and traveling to the West coast, the air was dry and it was warm out. But it was still nice to move some blood, get outside and see new sights.

On Thursday, we spent some time getting caught up on work. It was nice to have a 2.5 hour layover in Atlant to work on the computer and then to have free wifi on the flight to Portland (Delta).
Around 8am, we went to the Juniper Pool for a swim workout. The pool was beautiful (25 meters). It cost $8 person to use the facility. It was so nice to swim outside. The water was the perfect temperature. After our swim, we said hi to Erig Lagestrom (Paula had just left for the locker room) after our swim and he gave us some suggestions for where to ride. We picked up some delicious breakfast options from Nancy P's after our swim. Karel built our mountain bikes and we drove 3.5 miles to park across from the Welcome Center to recon some of the course. 

We rode a little more than 4 hours and covered 40 miles and almost 4,000 feet elevation. Much of our ride was over 5500 feet. The terrain is more flowly than what we are used to and very sandy/dusty. We drank a lot. The scenery was incredible. Even though we rode until almost 5pm, it didn't feel like a long ride. We had so much fun on the trails. The course was well-marked and I also had the course file downloaded into my Garmin. 

After the ride we drove back to our Airbnb and Karel rinsed off our dusty bikes and I picked up pizza from Pacific Pizza Brew. 

This morning we went for a swim at Juniper, we worked all day on the computer and this afternoon we rode our bikes a few miles to pick up our stuff for the event at Sagebrush cycles. We weren't too tired/sore from the ride on Thursday. It's going to be a very long and hard day (likely over 10 hours for me) and while I'm nervous to do something for the first time, I'm looking forward to the event and seeing more of this beautiful area.