2 TO 200: THE KATHY PRUITT STORY
06.03.21 | Words by Amanda Schaper | Images by Adventure Scout Media
[This story was originally posted on TheRadavist.com. Click here to read the full story.]
It’s pretty common these days to see professional roadies make the transition into gravel. The racing and even the bikes are pretty similar, so it’s not a big stretch to make the leap. But what about coming to gravel from downhill? Now we’re talking about switching from races that are about 2-miles long with zero elevation gain to races that are 200-miles long with 10’000-feet of climbing. Race times go from a few minutes to hours…lots of hours. And that’s not even getting into how different the bikes are. The switch from downhill to gravel is way less common and a lot harder to wrap your head around…but let me introduce you to Kathy Pruitt.
Kathy is the type of person who makes you a better rider and fall in love with bikes a little more just by going on a single ride with her. She has that much skill and overflows with good vibes. If you know Kathy’s name, you might remember her as one of the world’s top downhill racers in the early 2000s. Or maybe you got a Juliana, Evil, or Canyon demo bike from her during her time working for those brands. Or possibly you’ve seen her pop-up at some recent gravel events. Either way, Kathy Pruitt is a name worth paying attention to and a person you’ll hopefully have the pleasure to meet.
This weekend, Kathy will be lining up for her longest race ever, plus her longest ride ever: the Unbound Gravel 200. Up until Unbound, her longest ride was 152 miles, so she’s officially entering uncharted territory. At 38 years old, Kathy has made the choice to pursue one of the most physically demanding forms of bike racing, and I think that’s so badass. She’s officially made the switch from standing on World Cup DH podiums to chasing gravel glory. That path wasn’t linear or very easy for her, and that’s what makes her journey even more interesting. She’s overcome some challenges and has reinvented herself in a pretty major way, but the one thing that has remained consistent is her massive smile and positive outlook.
I’ve known Kathy casually for a few years and have been super fortunate to get to know her on a more personal level over the last few months. We’re both riding on the new Flashpoint MVMNT squad, so we’ve had more opportunities to ride together and just hang out. She’s somebody I always enjoyed being around, and now that I know more about her story, she’s become a person who really inspires me. I had the chance to dig a little deeper into her story, and I’m excited to share that conversation with you. I hope you enjoy getting to know the wonderful Kathy Pruitt…
