Tracy's story: Gravel Worlds

BaseCamp athlete Tracy Ellwein shared her experience at the 2025 Lauf Gravel Worlds bike race in Nebraska.

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree, a long time ago." This was the quote in my hotel room (The Graduate) in Lincoln. This was next to a portrait of a rodeo queen in an 80s pantsuit and long brown hair (IFKYK). As I put my bike together, that quote kept running through my mind (thank you, Warren), along with the all the cheesy western paintings; for some reason I was meant to be here for Gravel Worlds.

Taking on the 75 miler, and putting pen to paper on my "race plan" after Tim's panel chat at the venue, I was ready.

Around mile 35, feeling some lacate build up and fatigue, that quote kept playing in my head, and all the hours of training and years at being so disciplined on the bike -- the time is now. Then I did the "push" and "dig" over the rollers and caught up to 3 women, and then settled in to rest and eat….and then just rode away from them over the next 10 miles. I pushed hard to the finish, not wavering, and amazingly was 3 minutes off my target time and nutrition was spot on.

A huge thank you to Coach Jill Gass for quietly driving me to this event and her training plan (and the yoga!), and to Tina Hart for being the welcoming party at the finish and bike soigneur. 😃 And the BaseCamp community at GW -- you all achieved new heights, and Tim Cusick and Namrita Brooke for taking on the 150 (it's good to know coaches can suffer) -- all this made GW the best race event I've done -- thank you, my bucket is full.