This is the forty-fourth edition of The Duluth Runner Interview Series, where I get in touch with (mainly) local runners and athletes to share a bit of their story while inspiring others to pursue an active lifestyle.

Intro

“My name is Diana McFadden. I grew up in Northern Wisconsin playing team sports (volleyball, basketball and softball). I hated running and I only rode my bike to get places – not for the exercise or sport of it.

In my 20’s, I dabbled in running and in-line skating, completing 3 (running) half marathons, a few 5Ks and 7 in-line marathons. When I turned 30, I joined the Y and started attending spin classes. I loved them! Not only the workout but the people. A couple of the women from class invited me to attend a group ride sponsored by Twin Ports Cyclery (TPC). I bought a road bike and was hooked.

Then a friend on the TPC ride let me borrow a mountain bike and took me on my very first mountain bike ride. It was awful! Mountain biking is hard! Which only made me want to try it again (….and again). I started attending the Monday night Ski Hut rides. I was in way over my head. I left every ride bloody and bruised. But everyone was so nice and encouraging. I kept at it and started racing.

I have been racing bikes – road, mountain, gravel and even a couple races on a tandem – for 20 years. Yes….if you did the math, that makes me 50. It’s hard to believe. I don’t feel 50. I just hope I can stay healthy and continue to stay active.”

Interview

Why is biking/exercising important to you?

There are so many reasons!! I exercise (mostly biking) for my health (both physical and mental). I love the outdoors and being in the woods. I met my husband (Todd) through mountain biking and we introduced our son (Bodee) to it as soon as he was big enough for a Strider bike. Now it is something our whole family is passionate about. I have met some rad, cool, like-minded people through biking. It is my community.

What are the top two or three things that you do to prevent injury? Have you been susceptible to certain injuries in the past?

Besides biking, I do strength training 2 to 3 days a week, making sure I have a healthy dose of core work included. I have struggled with low back/hip pain over the years.

I have had multiple MRIs and have seen multiple specialists. It wasn’t until I found Annita Winkles at In Motion Therapy that I got relief. (A little plug – Annita is AWESOME!!! She is so passionate about what she does and freaky good. She enjoys treating active people…so if you ever find yourself in need of a good physical therapist, check her out!).

I also practice deep breathing and have a few stretches that I try to do every day. Lastly, since biking is low impact, I make sure to get out on regular walks/hikes to keep my bones and joints strong.

What keeps you motivated when you don’t feel like heading out the door for a workout?

Friends!! I have a bad a** group of female friends and riding buddies. We ride year-round in all conditions. We bundle up, adjust our attitudes and make the most of it. Some of our most memorable rides have been in adverse weather conditions. In the summer we hit the mountain bike trails. If it is wet, we ride gravel or pavement. In the winter we ride fat bikes. If the conditions aren’t favorable for fat biking we cross country ski or snowshoe. If it is below freezing, we make sure we choose routes with lots of climbing to keep us warm. I never regret a workout.

However, I do regret when I don’t workout. This is especially true now that I am working from home. I could go days without setting foot outside if I wanted to. But I crave the outdoors and fresh air!

Who is in your workout support group (training partners, people to bounce ideas off of, etc.)?

My husband Todd and I used to ride together all of the time. Then our son was born and in order for both of us to be able to get out for rides, we had to tag-team. Todd doesn’t mind riding alone. In fact, he thrives on long solo ultra-endurance type riding. He competed (on a fatbike) in Arrowhead 135 multiple times and completed the ITI (350 mile Iditarod Trail Invitational) in Alaska – two of the world’s most challenging winter ultra-marathons. His idea of training took a different path from mine.

While I like riding my bike in the winter (for a couple of hours), there is no part of me that wants to attempt a winter ultra. And while I sometimes enjoy riding solo, I prefer to ride with other people. I was lucky enough to find my support group (see the question above). The women I ride with provide a social outlet for me as well as share training ideas, motivation and sometimes a little friendly competition.

When/what is your next race?

Great question. With COVID it is tough to know. If all of the stars align and the Canadian border opens, I hope to go back to the Canadian Rockies this summer with my family. We would like to check out Kamloops and Sun Peaks. We have been all over BC and pick destinations that offer lift-served downhill trails with jumps and drops for our 13 year old son and cross country mountain bike trails for me and Todd.

I have raced (mostly mountain bike, some gravel and some road) for almost 20 years and while I enjoy the community that racing cultivates, I am ready to focus on spending more time with my family and making memories with them.

Do you prefer roads or trails and why?

Trails!!! I love being in the woods and riding singletrack. Sometimes I like the fast flow trails like Mission Creek where I can rip. Sometimes I prefer to test my technical skills by riding Piedmont or Brewer. I still do some road riding when the conditions force me off of the trails but with so much distracted driving these days, I am always nervous to be out on the roads on my bike.

What do you think about while you bike?

Nothing! One of the reasons I like to mountain bike so much is because you have to stay in the moment. You have to watch the trail, problem solve and ensure you keep the rubber side down. I find that when my mind wanders and I lose focus is when I crash….and I have had my share of crashes!!

What is your most memorable race or biking achievement?

I can’t pick just one. There are a few for different reasons. The race result that I am most proud of is finishing 3rd at the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 which is the largest mountain bike race in the US. There are over 100 women who compete in this race every year and there is always a handful of pro women who show up to race so I never imagined that I could finish on the podium.

It is a mass start where the men and women race together so it is very difficult to know your position during the race. At the mid-point of the race a spectator yelled that I was the 4th woman. I thought to myself….there is no way I am 4th but thought maybe I was top 10. So I just kept my head down and kept pedaling.

I passed one woman about 10 miles before the finish and when I came through the finish gate, the race director ushered me through the podium shoot. I had no idea what was going on until the race director told me that I was 3rd. I was shocked and stoked!! It was so unexpected and such a rush.

The toughest physical achievement of my career was finishing a 7 day stage race with Todd as my co-ed partner. The race, called TransRockies, traversed 350 miles of the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia and Alberta where we experienced every type of weather imaginable – heat, rain, snow, fog. Todd was a great partner, both patient and supportive.

I crashed on the second day resulting in scrapes and bruises. I was sore but kept on going. I pushed my body harder than I ever had thought possible. This is one of the few times that I cried when I finished. I was so happy to be done!

The most memorable event for me was SingleTrack 6 where I traveled to Canada with a group of 7 women. We raced for six days on different trails every day in 4 different Canadian cities – Fernie, Cranbrook, Kimberly and Golden. Rachel Howard and I competed in the female duo category and took 2nd place. Our friend Lisa Krayer was competing solo and ended up riding with us every day. It was so much fun! We finished the final stage together and our finish line photo is one of the best photo bombs of all times (photo attached).

Name one racing experience you would like to forget (please describe).

I did a mountain bike race in Hixton, WI many years ago that was part of WORS (Wisconsin Off Road Series). It rained just prior to the race and the trails were clay. The mud stuck to my tires and began to build up so much so that my wheels didn’t have enough clearance to turn so I couldn’t pedal or even push my bike. The wheels wouldn’t roll. And with the mud build up on the bike, my bike was so heavy, I couldn’t carry it. It was maddening!! I wanted to quit (most people did!)….. I was out there for a LONG time. But I finished!!

What is something non-endurance related you would like to share with readers?

In December 2020, my family rescued a 2 year old (almost 3) French Bulldog named Roz. She is a funny, stubborn and unique little dog. She gets little bursts energy that we call zoomies, she hates the cold and most of all she loves to cuddle. She has been a great addition to our family.

Closing

Many thanks to Diana for agreeing to stop by Duluth Runner and share some of her knowledge/experiences with everyone. I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Interview Series – stick around for more to come!