Kim's story: Crank the Kanc

BaseCamp athlete Kim Pzegeo shared her experience at the 2025 Crank the Kanc bicycle time trial hill climb in New Hampshire.

This event has slowly become one of my favorite springtime events—even though the weather seems to get worse every year! It's always a great time, because my local club turns out in full force (which is impressive, since it's three hours away), and the support and camaraderie make it all worth it.

I'd been looking forward to this one for months, especially after putting in consistent winter training and feeling strong heading in. Crank the Kanc takes place in the White Mountains—21.3 miles with about 2,400 feet of climbing—and it's as beautiful as it is challenging.

This year, though, Mother Nature had other plans. It rained nearly the entire time, the roads were soaked, and the fog made it feel like riding through a cloud. Classic spring in the mountains! Even though I felt fresh at the start, my legs just didn’t have the power I expected. So the day turned into one focused on process goals—staying present, keeping a smile on my face, and tackling each stretch of road one at a time.

In the end, I was proud to stay mentally strong and share a few encouraging words with other riders along the way. Hopefully next year brings better weather—but rain or shine, this one's definitely staying on my calendar!