rider profile: meghan korol

do you race for a team?

Mafia Racing/Pabst/Felt

how and when did you get into mountain biking?

Prior to 2008 I rode a lot on the road for fun but never raced–a few years ago I started cycling as cross training for distance running, but quickly realized that all I wanted to do was ride.  To learn more about bikes I got a job at a bike shop in Madison where a lot of the employees race mountain and cross.  I first heard about WORS through them.  I always wanted to try riding off-road, but never had the time or a bike small enough to test.  In spring 2008, a co-worker told me about Sara Kylander-Johnson’s all-in-one entry that she was offering for a new woman rider, so on a whim, I applied and found out in late April that I won it!  Little did I know how it would change my life.  THANK YOU, Sara!

A week before Iola I traded a headset for a tiny bike (that a friend had used for trials riding), built it up and tried it out on the Blue loop at the Kettles with my boyfriend Dave.  The Sport race at Iola was my second time riding a mountain bike and although it was terrifying to jump into racing right away, I immediately fell in love with mountain biking!  I got a new bike when I had the chance and raced most of the WORS series, 24/9 (team), some WEMS and cyclo-cross.  Last year I had a great time racing with the Cat 1 women and upgraded to Pro this year.  I am having a blast learning and gaining experience at the national level!

favorite trails:

Kettle Moraine–southern unit, Blue Mounds, Levis-Trow, anywhere in the Chequamegon (especially the Rock Lake trail!), Pisgah and Tsali National Forests.

bikes you love:

–FELT Six LTD hardtail

–REDLINE Conquest Team cross bike

–SPECIALIZED Dolce Comp road bike

why do you race/ride?

singletrack!  pushing my limits to ride features I never thought possible.  also I love the people, atmosphere and just being in the woods…I am almost always happier after a mountain bike ride!

favorite meal before a race:

scrambled eggs and hash browns, oatmeal or yogurt and granola and coffee

favorite WORS races:

Mt. Morris, Rhinelander, Sheboygan..I really like all of them though.  I am really lucky to be part of such a well-organized series and ride with such great people!

favorite post race treat:

BURRITOS!  and maybe a milkshake or a refreshing PBR!

best riding / racing moment:

–racing: in 2008, seeing the dancing man dressed like a bottle of beer and the giant Gollum cut-out that Team Polska hid and lit up around a corner during the night lap at 24/9…I had a really old set of halogen lights that hardly worked and it was my first time riding off-road at night.  I was exhausted, alone and my eyes were playing tricks on me in the darkness.  the Gollum almost gave me a heart attack!

–riding: doing a fully-loaded mountain bike tour for a few days, over a hundred miles, on the CAMBA trails with Dave..we didn’t see many people but there were wolves and bears…