Galbraith Supreme 6/7/2025
Biking on Galbraith mountain has been a staple of my outdoor recreating for nearly four years. Nestled right beside Bellingham, my access to this extensive, diverse trail network has allowed me to become quite familiar with most of the runs, and I have adopted the area as my “home trails”. Consequently, I was stoked to learn of the Galbraith Supreme- a 33 mile, 5000’ race winding through many of Galbraith’s finest trails (and a few of my least favorite). I happily signed up for this challenge only a few minutes from my front door.
Race day morning was sunny and already quite warm. Around one hundred bikers gathered at 8am for the pre-race meeting, and then the course designers led us out the gates. Immediately we headed up a trail I am quite familiar with, appropriately named, “The Wall”. This steep double track is a no-nonsense climb, and was quite a challenge surrounded by dozens of inching, wobbling racers. The peloton-feel persisted for my first zesty descent, and finally I found some space as I began the next climb.
Stage one of this three stage event went suspiciously smooth and fast. Soon I discovered that–as per usual– I came out too hot. The second leg was a brute– the longest, hilliest, and most rugged, capped off with my personal least-favorite trail on the mountain: “Whoopsie Woodle”. By the end of this choppy, baby head-filled abomination, my legs were beginning to cramp. The heat of the day and my lack of electrolytes and salt were doing me in as I pulled to the end of stage two. Luckily, my partner, York, was staged here for support.
York offered me a seat, an 8oz Sugar Free Redbull, and a DaVincci’s Famous Breakfast Sandwich. I knew the combo may very well make me vomit and never stand up again, but I scarfed it all down anyway and waged on. I soon realized the salty carbs and caffeine boost were exactly what I needed. The sun scorched my pale skin for the entirety of leg three. As I burnt to a crisp, I regretted not applying the sunscreen that York had kindly offered. Pedaling along the final miles, my legs teetered on the edge of seizing with cramps. Luckily they never gave out, and I finished strong. Over the finish line, I tumbled off my bike and lay on my back, legs in the air. The cramps finally had their way with me and it took several minutes of cold water and massaging to be able to stand again.
This experience was a real treat. As always the organizers and volunteers were amazing, and I was grateful to feel right at home throughout the event.
Ski to Sea 2025
After a winter of preparing for a marathon, I was eager to set aside my running shoes and hop on the bike again for spring Ski to Sea training. On a particularly exciting excursion, I honed my quads on a stunning ride up to Washington Pass on highway 20 (before it was opened to cars for the season). The high-speed plummet back down got my mind right for the Ski to Sea’s similar heart-pounding hill bomb.
My former team dissolved in past years, and I was happy to find a new group– Aging Disgracefully– looking for a cyclist. These wisened fellows were inspiringly fit and well established in their respective local athletic communities. They are also supremely friendly and excellent teammates.
Race day was warm and bright–even at 5am when I first met up with the other mountain-leg fellows. The morning was particularly calm and cheerful– As I waited at the road cyclist starting line, I brewed a cup of joe, basked in the sun, and chatted with several friends. My past experiences in this event plus my growing Bellingham friend group naturally added to the morning’s ease. I sure am grateful for the life I'm slowly building here.
The first runners started trickling in and executing their cyclist handoffs. My number was called surprisingly soon after, and I shoved off down the hill with just over fifty folks ahead of me. While I was happy to be in such a competitive class, the lack of other cyclists on course prevented me from finding riding partners. Without drafting, I acknowledged that I was working harder and moving slower than my previous race. Upon finishing I was noodle-legged and pooped. Though I gave it my all, I did not achieve my target time, and unfortunately I dwelled on that failure more than I probably should have. I still pushed myself and came away with a respectable time of 1:58.
The rest of Aging Disgracefully performed spectacularly. We achieved second place in our division (Whatcom competitive mixed) and celebrated with ales. With this event being my third race, it was easier to appreciate the festive buzz and shared passion for this event around town. More than ever I was simply happy to be a part of it all.
Whatcom World Cup 2025
When I first arrived in Bellingham, I learned of the Whatcom World Cup and was both intrigued and intimidated. This race series takes place over several weeks in early summer, and each event is a single downhill race on Galbraith Mountain. Each season, my schedule wouldn't quite allow me to race, and I felt under qualified to participate anyway. Finally this year the stars aligned and I mustered up the courage to give it a go. Thankfully, the races ended up being casual, fun, and an excellent community builder.
I was able to participate in the first two races. First up was “Mullet” and “Cheech and Chongs”- one of my favorite trail combos up there. The race began on a sunny wednesday evening. Nearly 200 bikers gathered at the trailhead and waited their turn. Every 30 seconds a cowbell would jingle and another rider would begin their plummet. My heart was thumping as the bell rang for me and I began my first mountain bike race ever. The course went smoothly. I think it was the fastest I had ever ridden that trail. I got a beer and a burger at the finish and went home happy. While I was satisfied with my time, I was shocked and impressed to see that the first place finishers clocked in a full minute faster than me (on a roughly four minute course). I always thought I was quick on a bike, but this was a total reality check– there is always someone faster, and especially in Bellingham.
Race two was quite a different experience. A week after my happy, sunny first race, I headed back to the hill on a chilly, drizzly afternoon. I ended up nearly last in line to race, and by the time I dropped I was shivering and the trail was mucked up. Unlike race one, these trails– “Irish Death” and “Prison Love”-- were all new to me. I took them with speed anyway and the slippery, unfamiliar terrain almost tripped me up a number of times. By the time I splashed through the finish, I was devastated to learn the burgers were gone so I left cold and hungry… though satisfied with my thrilling descent.
Both races were good experiences- The first was a positive introduction to racing mountain bikes, and the second gave me practice handling adversity on the course (which was my goal as the “Galbraith Supreme” loomed ever closer). Naturally I should not have been so nervous to give this event a go. Racers are friendly, laid back, and sometimes in costumes. It is a great way to meet people, and you do not have to be a pro to have a good time.
Bridle Trails Marathon 2025
My marathon journey began mid-winter when my partner, York, and several other friends signed up for marathons of their own. A combination of feeling inspired and left out forced me to commit as well. By the time I was on the roster for the Bridle Trails Marathon near Seattle, there were two months before race day. Though most training plans I skimmed called for a few more weeks than I had, I was honestly happy to get it over with a bit more quickly.
Training went mostly smooth as I pushed into new realms of physical and mental challenge. The majority of my runs were done around a 2.5 mile loop at Lake Padden Park. Eventually this route became a personal purgatory and made me dizzy. I also took some practice laps on the course itself. During peak training, each long run was a first-time distance for me. Occasional overworking of my hip flexor and knees were a worry at times, but learning to rest and recover properly was part of the process too. When I first signed up, I hoped to manage 10 min miles in the race. After my last long training run, my confidence was high and I secretly hoped to complete the race in under four hours.
Race day was cool and dry– a welcome surprise following a rainy spring week. York and our housemate joined me on my journey down to Bridle Trails park that morning, and they watched as I shoved off into the forest around 8:30. Quickly the 19 of us racers spread out– only one person blasting off ahead of me, and I did not see another marathon runner until I caught up to the more casual participants on my last lap (The course consisted of four equal loops around the park). I came out hot and stayed strong for two and a half laps. Toward the end of number three I hit a wall, and spent the remaining ~8 miles battling with my burning quads. As the miles ticked by, my sub 4 goal remained tantalizingly close. I embraced a second wind in the final stretch and made it to the finish line in 3:56:48– mission success!
A big shout out to York and Gramps for supporting me and making excellent signs. Bridge 4 for life– strength over weakness (do yourself a favor and read the Stormlight Archives). Nutrition-wise I ate one GU and nearly a dozen snickers bars on-course, along with water every 3 miles and electrolyte drink every 6. Chipotle was the celebratory meal on the drive home. My four loop splits in order were roughly: 55 min, 56 min, 1hr 4 min, 1 hr 1 min.
Photo 2, 3, and 4 credit: Somer Kreisman (@somerrunner)
Ski to Sea 2023
As spring rolled around in 2023, I was excited to be back with team "The Tall, the Short, and the Ugly" for another shot at Bellingham's quintessential event: the Ski to Sea. I would once again be racing as the team's road cyclist as well as our "Ugly" representative. When race day came, I felt I had made good improvements from my previous year's effort. In addition to more training, I had fewer and more appropriate layers for this year's ride, and better fuel. Even the weather was a big step up from 2022 with mild temps and sunny skies. It should have been expected, then, that at least a little something should go wrong.
I stretched as I waited at the transition zone between runners and cyclists. Coming out of a "yogi squat" a bit too quickly, I felt a sudden burning pain outside of one knee. The joint swelled up and had no chance to recover before my time came to ride. The incident caused little pain as I pedaled, but the excessive swelling made for awkward motion. Most impactful, I could barely hold my weight while standing in the saddle. Despite these challenges, however, the ride went as smooth as it could have. I was able to link up with a line of riders for most of the race. A new skill for me, riding in a group was refreshingly comfortable and efficient. I pulled my fair share. In the final stretch of the ~42 mile endeavor, I lost my group as my knee flared up on a punchy climb. I finished as strong as I could and reunited with my riding buddies for a picture. It was another super fun event, but with some regret about my silly injury and what could have been.
Our team raced in the Competitive Open division finishing 24th in our division and 71st overall with a time of 8:09:39. Amongst the road cyclists I finished 15th in our division, 56th overall with a time of 1:49:08.
Wallace Falls Trail Run 2022
Looking for a challenge in the fall of 2022, my partner, York, found the Wallace Falls trail run which includes a half marathon, a 22.4 miler, or a 50k ultra-- all with plenty of elevation. Inspired, I decided to join in and try the 22 miler. The runs were scheduled for November 5th. This date seemed just fine with us- two transplants unaware of what late Fall in the PNW can become. The morning of our race, we woke up well before dawn and checked the weather. On the docket was cold, wind, and a downright monsoon- nothing could have sounded less appealing. Nonetheless, we drove down to Highway 2-- wipers on full blast-- to meet our destiny.
Dawn had not broke when we arrived. We checked in to the small event with headlamps ablaze. A single tent and a line of orange cones denoted the start line. Eventually, an official called for my race's start, and along with twelve other runners, we were off. Our route climbed up the Wallace Falls trail and around the park two times, totaling 22.4 miles and 4000' elevation gained. Though the course was beautiful, the weather did not let up for the entire race. At the lowest point there was drenching rain, while atop the climb, inches of snow gathered on the trail. The freeze/thaw transition tightened my quads, making the downhills particularly impactful. Though straining at times and soaked to the bone at the end, the toil made finishing all the sweeter. York was successful in her half marathon, battling the same elements and finishing third in her division. My time for the 22 miles was 4:28:21. I placed third overall (out of 13...) and second in my division. My power for this adventure came from pure Vermont maple syrup, courtesy of my Burlington- based brother.
Ski to Sea 2022
The Ski to Sea is a quintessential Bellingham event. Winding from Mt Baker ski area down to the ocean, each of the race's seven legs showcase the region's epic and varied terrain. Shortly after I moved to town, I was invited to compete on a Ski to Sea team as their road cyclist. Though more than comfortable on two wheels, my experience on bikes up to this point was nearly exclusively on trails. Eager to take place in this legendary relay, however, I said yes.
Each May, Ski to Sea kicks off with the cross country skiing leg. Next comes the downhill ski/snowboard, then the run, and then the road bike. Cyclists wait on Mt Baker Highway about 10 miles west of the ski area for their runner's hand off. The bike route begins with a steep plummet down the mountain highway before flattening out and winding toward the small town of Everson. After the 42 mile ride, batons are passed to paddlers positioned beside their canoes on the Nooksack river. Finishing out the race is the cyclocross ride, and finally the sea kayak.
Well before dawn on the morning of the race, I hopped in a car with my team's skiers and runner. They dropped me off at my starting point in the dark and drizzle, and continued up the mountain. As it was my first year, I was unprepared for the pre-ride loiter. After a few hours waiting without rain cover or proper layers, there finally came an announcement that runners were close. Though there would be a bit longer to wait, I got so excited that I warmed right up. Finally I heard my number called, found my way to the hand off zone, connected with my runner and flew out of the corral. The first ten miles of downhill were thrilling with my adrenaline high and the roads slick. Eventually I found my groove, and biked admirably considering my lack of experience. Being part of the team and getting to compete was as fun and exciting as I hoped for. I learned a lot during the race about pacing, layers and nutrition, and was immediately eager to give it another go.
My team was "The Tall, the Short, and the Ugly". We raced in the Competitive Open division. Our overall time was 8:19:19. We placed 22nd in our division and 69th (nice) overall. My time on the bike was 1:53:23. I placed 15th in our division and 64th overall.