Getting to Know North American Enduro Cup Winner Kate Lawrence

If you haven't heard of Kate Lawrence, it's probably time for you to put her on your radar. Kate is one of the U.S. enduro scene's fastest women, and she seems to get dramatically quicker at every race. She started this season with a big win at the Windrock Tennessee National Enduro, then showed us that it wasn't just luck by taking the top podium step in a stacked pro women's field this weekend at the North American Enduro Cup.

With a background in both XC and DH Kate has a wide range of talents that will help her out in all kinds of situations, and that applies to her life off the bike, too. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, she recently graduated with a physics degree from MIT, where she was the mountain bike team captain and raced all the available disciplines. Next, she plans to attend Stanford to pursue genetics research.

Kate is currently in Italy for the first EWS races of the season. We look forward to seeing what comes next for her, and we imagine it will be impressive.

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Who is Kate Lawrence?

An enthusiastic human who likes riding her bike, being outside, seeing good dogs (all dogs), and really tall trees. I also love science and I'm an aspiring biophysicist.

Where are you from and where do you live now?

I grew up in Boulder, Colorado. Right now home is a bit scattered. I never fully moved out from my coop, pika, at MIT when the pandemic hit, then I spent some time in Boulder living with my parents, and now I'm living in Folsom, CA.

How did you start mountain biking?

Growing up, my primary focus was on riding horses. I didn't own a horse though, so it was tricky to compete. I did have a mountain bike and my junior year I decided to join the high school's mountain bike team. I think I showed up to the first practice with a rack and basket still on my bike! I was hooked pretty immediately and spent the next few years racing XC. I got very invested in the collegiate mountain bike scene and was the captain of the small but mighty MIT mountain bike team for three years. Collegiate races are really cool because in one weekend you have an XC and short track, but also a DH or enduro and dual slalom race. I love racing, and more racing is better right? So I started doing all the races each weekend (initially doing the DH on my XC bike which was a bit sketchy). My focus was still on XC up until my Junior year of college when I decided to sign up for an enduro on a whim. I loved it so much the night after the race I went home and canceled all the XC races I was planning to do and signed up for a full enduro calendar and it's been that ever since.

Who are your sponsors?

I'm part of the GT Coalition. I also get support from Industry Nine, Ion, Julbo, Fox, Honey Stinger, Kuat, Cushcore, and Maxxis.

What bikes do you ride?

My primary bike right now is a GT Force. I also ride my La Bomba dirt jumper and my old XC race bike from time to time.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Honestly hard to say, every day is a bit different. Especially with race season picking up I feel like every day these past few weeks has either been traveling to a race, practicing or racing!

What riding accomplishments are you most proud of?

I'd say my recent win at the North American Enduro Cup is the result I'm most stoked about right now. I'm also proud that I was able to go and race at the Trophy of Nations in 2019 while I was still in school. Balancing my studies with riding that season was full-on.

What are your strengths?

I'd say anything steep or raw. I love a good chute!

What are your weaknesses?

Bike park berms and sprint power are two things I'm really trying to work on this season. Off the bike, sometimes my method to get a bunch of work done is to get myself really stressed out as motivation which isn't the best. Working on that one too.

What do you do for work outside of mountain biking?

I'm hoping to become a research scientist or professor. I graduated from MIT with a physics degree in May 2020 and I'm going to pursue a Genetics PhD at Stanford as my next step on that path. Right now though before school starts again, I'm lucky enough to be riding and racing full time.

How do you balance riding and racing at such a high level with the other things in your life?

At the moment, much less of a balancing act is required than usual. When I'm in school and also training, a bit more thought is definitely necessary to fit everything in. I think my riding and my studies actually complement each other really well. Several times, I've had the insight I needed into a particularly difficult pset (problem set) while out on a long training ride. It's good to let your brain take a break once and a while!

What's the best part of being an enduro racer?

The community of incredible people, and especially the other women I race with. They're such a kickass group and I love the comradery we all have at races. Enduro racing lends itself to that because you spend so much time with your competitors on the transfers just hanging out, riding together and getting to know one another. I love that I have a network of friends all over the country I could call up randomly and go for a ride.

What's the hardest part of being an enduro racer?

Pedaling.

Where is your favorite place to ride?

Highland or Santa Cruz.

What has been your worse crash over the years?

Back when I raced XC, I dislocated my right shoulder at a local Boston race. Then a year later, at the same race, I dislocated my left shoulder. Definitely never racing there again! Unfortunately, neither injury has really healed properly.

What do you enjoy doing away from biking?

This is going to give me away as a nerd but I actually really like learning and doing research. It's so satisfying to solve a hard problem and that feeling is super addictive. I also enjoy backcountry skiing, hiking, reading a good book, and exploring new places.

Do you have a favorite motto or saying?

"The most effective way to do it, is to do it." Amelia Earhart

What do you think about the future of enduro racing?

It's amazing to see more and more women coming into the sport. I think especially with the high school leagues pretty well established, more and more kids are getting into mountain biking and racing. I'd love to see that growth continue and see mountain biking become a more inclusive place for all.

How do you want to be remembered?

As someone who left the world a better place than I found it.

What does the future hold for you?

Hopefully more riding, more racing, and more chances to explore amazing places on my bike. I'm also excited about starting my PhD program at Stanford!

Find Kate Lawrence on Instagram at @itskatelawrence.

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