American XCM National Championship With Hannah Otto

4iiii athlete and off-road rockstar, Hannah Otto, added another impressive win to her palmares and jersey to her cycling wardrobe this past weekend. The Scott Sports USA pro MTB and Gravel racer claimed the US Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) national title in Roanoke, Virginia, and with it the Stars and Stripes jersey, awarded to national champions. Amazingly, she still had enough energy to pen the following blog, detailing her big win… give it a read and find out firsthand from the champ how she did it!

These days it seems like we race “important” races all the time. Every race we line up for seems to be labelled as a “big” event. To me, The National Championship really holds a special weight, though. It’s an event that transcends the sport. Even someone who knows nothing about cycling knows what it means when an athlete holds the title of “National Champion.” When you race overseas, and you meet a competitor for the first time, if they are donning the colors of their country on their back, you give them a little added respect. To be a National Champion isn’t just winning a race, it’s holding a title that allows you to represent your country in a bigger way by wearing the Stars and Stripes for an entire year. These were the thoughts going through my mind for weeks leading into the race. I wanted to win.

The XCM National Championship took place in Roanoke, Virginia, 2000 miles away from where I live. For most countries the National Championship may afford athletes their shortest travel of the year, but here in the USA, with such a large country, our door-to-door travel time to Nationals can sometimes rival our travel time to Europe.

The course at Nationals was a true mountain biker’s course featuring 53 miles of rugged singletrack terrain with 7,400 feet of climbing. The biggest obstacle, however, would be the sultry and relentless heat. Hitting temperatures upwards of 80 degrees wouldn’t typically be an issue, but the humidity of greater than 80% felt suffocating. The moment you entered the trees and air flow was compromised the heat enveloped you as you became saturated with sweat that never seemed to evaporate. Even in pre-ride, it was hard to stop to look at lines because the overwhelming heat seemed to suck the life out of you as you dripped from your forearms and your shoes squished with each pedal stroke as the sweat pooled in your socks. The days leading into the race became calculations of sweat rates and conversations of not “over-cooking” yourself too early in the race. “Over-cooking” felt like an overly apt word as it really felt like I was in a pot of boiling water just waiting for the “all-done” thermometer to pop up.

Even with the heat, I wanted to set a tone in the race. I wanted to start fast. I didn’t want to parade around, riding together until the big move. I wanted a race of all guts for the glory. Who was willing to suffer, risk it, and come out on top.

It was a mad dash for the singletrack and I entered first, setting a fast pace and stringing out the group. As we popped out onto one of the only fireroads of the day around mile 5, I settled into the smaller group, and it occurred to me that I didn’t have a mental marker of when we would hit the next singletrack. I was caught off guard and had to settle for entering 2nd wheel. It was a delicate balance of executing a calm attitude, with an aggressive approach to never miss a passing opportunity. Finally, it came, I sent it on an aggressive inside line on a water crossing and took the lead. I would never relinquish it.

On using power in her title-winning ride: “When I went off the front early in the XCM National Championship, I was able to use my 4iiii power meter to hold me accountable to my efforts and speeds. It was the objective insights I needed to keep me pushing all the way to claim the win at the finish line!”

A few bike lengths became about a minute by the end around 20 miles. I was modulating my effort as I balanced creating a buffer of a lead, while also managing my body in the heat. I was trying to ride aggressively while also cautiously to not risk an unnecessary mechanical. But then, it happened. I lost focus, just for a second. I looked down the trail and missed the tree right in front of me. My bars smashed right into the tree and I went over the bars. I was up in an instance. I got back on the bike and I remember even thinking, “How much time did that cost? 10 seconds? 20 seconds? It’s ok. I’m still in the lead.” It didn’t cost me the lead then, but it cost me my rhythm. I was reeling about the crash, I had blood streaming down my leg, dirt all over my kit, and I didn’t even realize I slowed down until suddenly 2nd place was back on my wheel.

I had a brief moment of frustration. “How could I let this happen?” “How could I have given up my gap?” When I took a deep breath and I remembered all of my work with Enso Mental Performance. This changes nothing. It’s still just me and the trail. I got a gap once and I’ll do it again. This is just a reminder to stay focused. Less than 2 minutes after I was caught, I went on the attack again.

“More, more, more.” The thought going through my mind for the last 25 miles of the race. I think I even muttered out loud a couple of times, “I need more from you Hannah.” I was squeezing the best out of myself. After having been caught out once, I wasn’t going to let it happen again. I was racing to the finish line and not letting up even a moment before. Even with 1 mile to go and no one in sight I wouldn’t let my mind believe I had it.

In the finish chute I took one more look back and finally let my guard down. We did it. National Champion.

An hour later I learned that I won by over 5 minutes.

This one means a lot. The entire team behind me worked so hard for this one. A very special thank you to my coach of 10 years, Chris Mileski, who coached me to 5 collegiate National Champion titles, a Leadville Win, and now an Elite National Championship. And of course, the man, the myth, the legend, Clayton Otto, who sat with me through every possible question, concern, and quandary and we’ve prepped our best for this event.

Bike Check:

• 4iiii Power Meter
• SCOTT Spark
• DT Swiss XRC 1200 Wheels
• Shimano XTR Drive Train
• FOX 34 SL
• FOX Transfer SL
• KENDA SCT Rush 2.4 Tires
• COROS DURA Computer
• ESI Grips – Fit CR
• Giro Aries Helmet
• PEARL iZUMi Pro Jersey & Cargo Bib
• Shimano S-phyre Shoes
• Shimano Technium Glasses
• USWE 2.0 Pack
• First Endurance Liquid Shots & EFS Pro