Cathy Crawford is known for being one of the original “fast women” in Sonoma County. NorCal Velo caught up (barely) with “Fast Lap Cath” to find out a little more about what makes her so darn special.

 

“My brother Miguel and all his buddies were doing it! I got a mountain bike, and after having it for about one month, a crew of guys were headed to some big race. Every one of them was racing either Pro or Expert, so naturally I chose to race at this level. The only other women there were Susan DeMatei and Sarah Valentine. I remember that they all ate pastries in the morning and drank wine after the race, so I knew it was a good match for me.”

 

“The original scene was the ‘Hardware Store’ ride, which started from Snap’s brother’s store in Occidental. Then Snap opened Gianni Cyclery across the street. This was about 1990 or so. The shop soon partnered with Ibis Cycles in Sebastopol and that marked the beginning of the Ibis Mountain Bike Team. I was the youngest one on the team by nearly 10 years until Leo Autuori and Jesse House showed up. I recall going to a race at Lake Berryessa with Leo, who gave me the advice to ‘just eat as much food as you can before the race’. We raced all over Northern California and made lots of trips to Moab and Downieville (before there were maps).

 

“One time in Moab, we did a hundred mile mountain bike ride from one part of Canyonlands to another and I got lost in a box canyon. Then it started to rain – there were only 2 other people in the group who made the mistake and the first person to show up was George Hope, who would never leave me alone in the Wilderness. The other was my brother Miguel, who would never live it down if he did. We bushwhacked our way out of there somehow, but this is how things went back in the Ibis days – like Dan Harting’s buddy who had 17 flats and no pump. Mary Bracken and I had to rescue him.”

“I bought my first cyclocross bike in 1994 because I wanted to go on these fun Pink Palace Adventure Rides that were happening. So I ordered a custom cross bike with a 38 cm seat tube. Of course the triangle was so small it was virtually impossible to shoulder. I rode it that whole winter in Annadel because it was so challenging.  I found that it improved all my riding skills and so I decided I wanted to race it. The fluidity of racing a ‘cross bike is unlike anything else; if mountain biking makes you feel like you’re giddy and 12 years old, then cyclocross makes you feel 10! And it’s a good antidote for taking yourself too seriously because no matter how good you are, you’ll always crash spectacularly.

 

“Around 1994 Gianni started the West Pole Cyclocross Series in Occidental – but it was more like Jungle Cross – and we were also driving down for the original Surf City Cyclocross Series. I ended up 5^th in series’ women’s A field 1998 and I won the State Championships in Reno that year, when a blizzard kept lots of folks back in California.  I placed 9^th at Nationals in 1999, but then shifted my focus elsewhere.”

“Yes, I rode my bike around the room – that’s how I used to give spelling tests.”

 

“In 2001 I went back to school to pursue an Administrative Credential while working full time. Since then, my administrative jobs have kept a tight rein on my time, but cycling is what keeps me sane. As Principal of a high school for students with special needs, riding and racing puts things in perspective for me now more than ever.”

 

“If something seems scary to me, I have to try it – that’s what appeals to me about racing criteriums. Last year at the Giro di San Francisco, I experienced a huge competitive thrill when I found myself sprinting and taking 3^rd. It was as if I was on the sidelines watching myself do it. I started doing crits with this fear that other girls would push me around because of my size – this dissipated when I realized that I could push them back!

”I’ve also been enjoying all the local racing we have here in Sonoma County. Racing events like Boggs 8-hour Relay and the 12 Hours of Weaverville has been incredibly fun. I really like these endurance-based events where you work together with a teammate or friend. It’s a great grass-roots scene.

 

“And of course the Grasshoppers – I did all of them this year, as I promised Miguel I would. I raced these back in the beginning and this was the 10^th Anniversary of the series!”

“Cycling is the most important piece in keeping my life balanced. All my best friendships were formed through cycling. It keeps you fit, quiets personal angst, and nurtures that lifelong competitive spirit – there’s nothing like shredding single-track after an exhausting climb…when nothing matters afterwards but having tacos and beer with your buddies!”

By Claire House