Race: 2025 Berkeley Hills Road Race- Women’s Short Race
Race: 2025 Berkeley Hills Road Race- Women’s Short Race
Date: April 26, 2025
AVRT racers:
Hannah Chen, Chris Davis, Samantha DeWees, Kristin Hepworth, Katie Monaghan,
Top Result: Kristin Hepworth 3/42, Hannah Chen 8/42, Katie Monaghan 10/42
Course: Roughly 1.8ish laps of an 18.7 mi loop with 1,650 ft of elevation gain each lap for a total of ~34 miles and ~2800 feet. The main feature of the course is the “Three Bears,” which is a sequence of short climbs in the second half of the loop. “Mama Bear” is the first and takes about 3 minutes to climb; “Papa Bear” is the second and takes about 4 minutes to climb; and “Baby Bear” is the third and steepest and takes less than a minute to climb. There’s a short descent between Mama and Papa and a longer descent between Papa and Baby. The rest of the course is mostly flat with some rolling hills.
Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/14294321070
Nutrition: One SIS gel at the start line, Scratch gummies during the race, and two bottles of water (1 bottle had some Perpetuem mix)
Race Report: Berkeley Hills Road Race
Another huge turnout for the local women’s scene — 42 racers across the Cat 3/4/5 and Masters fields! I’d been targeting this race as one of my A races for the season, since hilly courses are where I feel strongest. Our plan was to race aggressively, stay assertive with positioning, and hold the front third of the field. With all the cracks and potholes on course, riding near the front wasn’t just about tactics — it was about safety and being ready to respond to any moves.
The race officially began at the corner of Bear Creek and San Pablo Dam Roads after a neutral rollout from the Orinda BART station.
The field stayed mostly together up the first Mama Bear climb, but things started heating up on Papa Bear. Six of us broke away and opened a solid gap on the field. I was the only AV rider in the group, alongside two Super Sprinkles, one Terun, one Eclipse, and one Sac Golden Wheelman rider. We quickly settled into a rotation, working together to break away and stretch the gap down San Pablo Dam Road with short, efficient pulls.
But after turning off San Pablo Dam Road, we made a critical mistake: we all eased up. Thinking the gap was secure, we let the pace drop—and within minutes, Katie, Hannah, and three more Super Sprinkles bridged across. Just like that, we were 11 riders again. Not ideal, but it was good to see some teammates again.
Before the next Mama Bear climb, the Sprinkles squad started launching small attacks. They weren’t trying to get away — just tire us out chasing them. It didn’t take long to identify their protected rider: Liz. It was also clear that Sofya from Terun was racing to win. I made it a point to stay close to both. I did what I could to avoid pulling and conserve energy. On just a couple of the rollers I found myself on the front, but I kept the pace steady and manageable and pulled back ASAP. I stayed alert, constantly checking over my shoulder for anyone trying to sneak up the side.
The group thinned a bit more on the second Mama Bear, and by the time we hit the base of the final Papa Bear, I was sitting third wheel. I decided to go for it — maybe a little too early — and launched an attack. My hope was to pull away from Sofya and Liz and hold the effort to the top. But all I really managed was to give them a solid draft for the first minute of the climb. They countered, came around me, and I latched onto Liz’s wheel for as long as I could.
The final minute of Papa Bear was brutal. They started pulling away, and I just focused on holding pace and not fading. My brain was screaming at me to stop, but I kept telling myself: You’re getting oxygen, you’re fine, just keep going. I glanced back and saw I had about 50 feet on Kelly from Eclipse. Not a comfortable margin, but enough — if I didn’t let up.
I emptied the tank and crossed the line 3rd overall. Looking back, I wish I’d been more patient on that final climb — maybe waited a bit longer before launching — but I’m proud of the effort.
Happy with the result and grateful for such a fun, well-fought race on a challenging course! Go AV!
