Before we approached Marla Streb for an interview, I had heard of her here and there but never actually got a full story on who she is. While researching for this interview I found out that she has led a very interesting life and there would be no way in one short interview that I could ask all the questions I wanted to. So make sure and check out this article that was in Outside magazine five years ago to catch up on her background. It is the most engrossing article I have read in a long time.

Marla is involved in all aspects of the mountain bike scene and she has a pretty full schedule this coming season. We were able to chat with her about some of the projects she has been working on along with things to come.

Blue Collar: How many races are you participating in this year?
Marla: It’s looking like about 15 races this year of myriad types.

Blue Collar: I saw you are going for the Singlespeed World Championship. What races does that entail?
Marla: It’s a one day event in PA this year. And that’s a little bit of a inside joke, as it’s not a UCI sanctioned event, but folks outside the industry assume it’s very prestigious.

Blue Collar: What training do you add to your regimen for singlespeed racing?
Marla: I just did a difficult ride a few days ago with no seat or seatpost. Brutal climbing all day with no respite. Not on purpose though, one of the other riders broke his saddle and I volunteered him mine. Showing off a bit for a sponsor who was there.

Blue Collar: So what’s the race your looking forward to most this year?
Marla: I love the Downieville Classic in California. It’s held in a one-horse town in gold rush country, incredible trails, waterfalls, and half-naked, drunken mountain bikers at every turn. What could be better?
Blue Collar: You wouldn’t be one of those would you?
Marla: Only most of the time.
Blue Collar: Then you can sleep it off in your van right?
Marla: Absolutely. There’s nothing like a VW bus. All those lifted, big tired, pickup truck drivers are always jealous.
Blue Collar: Yeah we got plenty of them in our neck of the woods.

Blue Collar: What’s the hardest race you are gonna be in this year?
Marla: Easy, the Red Bull Divide and Conquer in Colorado. It’s an extreme adventure event… kayak, trail running, paragliding, mountain biking. I’ll do the mtb part but it’s all climbing at 10,000 feet. Took me four hours and twenty minutes last year. I died a thousand deaths.
Blue Collar: Wow… how far did you go in that four hours and twenty minutes?
Marla: Only 27 miles, but it was all straight up. I had to hike about a third of it. The only downhill was at the very end, and I couldn’t even enjoy it because my eyeballs kept going in different directions.
Blue Collar: Now why would you do that to yourself again?
Marla: I’m not sure if it’s self-loathing or a chromosomal aberration. Maybe I need to pay for my sins, or possibly just part of my shameless marketing strategy.
Blue Collar: They probably work hand in hand.

Blue Collar: So tell us a little about the TopSpeed Project and how you got involved with it.
Marla: The people at Macgillivray Freeman films were looking for a female downhiller, and I think I was just the first one to return the phone call. Actually my boyfriend, Mark, jumped through hoops to make it happen. They were torn between Missy Giove and myself, and I think I just represented their version of “family values” a little better.
Blue Collar: What track did you get your 67 mph mark at?
Marla: That was at the Olympic bobsled track in Cortina, Italy during a Red Bull “Tube” race. The race was held at midnight on the ice-covered track.
Blue Collar: And it was basically just hold on and point it down?
Marla: No, it took more skill than I had imagined. Line selection was the name of the game. If you came up high on the wall too early or late, you’d crash. Or tapping the brakes on the banks would also end your ride. The bike always had to be oriented at a 90 degree angle to the ice. Also, the speed wobbles were deadly after the banks. It was much harder than I expected.
Blue Collar: take any hard falls?
Marla: Took two falls in practice, more embarrassing than painful.
Blue Collar: What’s it like to be going so fast that you are breaking the speed limit in most of the US?
Marla: As far as the speed, for me, it’s equally as pleasurable as my morning cup of coffee and the newspaper
Blue Collar: Where can somebody find the film to watch?
Marla: It’s still playing in cities like Washington D.C., but I haven’t checked the site lately to see the others. They’ve decided not to release it on DVD, I think it’s because of the controversy with Marion Jones. Or it could have been my downhilling shots in blue lycra…

Blue Collar: You’ve been dubbed by some as a controversial figure in the sport of cycling. What do you think this is?
Marla: I don’t know why, but I do know that any press is good press.
Blue Collar: What out of everything you have been involved in has given you the most press?
Marla: Toss up between the Vo2 Max television commercial running into a tree, or the nude shot in Outside magazine. Both were designed to get attention… oh and one bought me a house in Marin County.

Blue Collar: What, in your opinion, makes the sport of mountain biking stand apart from the rest?
Marla: It’s a relatively new sport that almost anyone can do, and involves self-propelled speed surrounded by nature.

Blue Collar: What would be your advice to someone just starting out racing?
Marla: Just have fun and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. If you’re a downhiller, ride the race run exactly just like practice… NOT faster. If you’re cross country, well, just go really hard in the race but still have fun. But always set attainable goals and take “baby steps” to the podium.

Blue Collar: How do you get over the fear of injury that hinders so many racers from reaching their full potential?
Marla: If you’re tentative in a section of the course, work out a line that makes you more comfortable, like going around a drop, and stick to that in the race. Call that section your “challenge” section. Then you can make up for the time on the rest of the course.

Blue Collar: What are some general tips on descending faster? How to hold your head,
where to scan, how far ahead, etc.
Marla: Your head should always be oriented with the horizon, same as when you’re walking, always keeping your chin parallel with the ground, eyes far forward, at least to the next corner. This is one of the most important aspects of downhilling. Secondary is relaxing shoulders and arms, but this will happen naturally if your head is up and eyes forward.

Blue Collar: What led you to write a book? Give us your sales pitch for why we should buy it.
Marla: I was approached by a literary agent, and I agreed to do the actual writing.

The book has a very universal theme, about taking a chance in life, like an uncoordinated, middle aged woman with no race experience, quitting her job as a research scientist to become a professional extreme athlete. The point is, it’s better to risk making a huge, embarrassing mistake while pursuing a dream, than to be timid and live the compromised life.

Blue Collar: Any last words for the Blue Collar riders?
Marla: Yeah… I have a lot of respect for the east coasters, especially after trying to live in Baltimore during the winter off-season! Also, I’d like to advise everyone to go to the store and buy Luna Bars, Red Bull, Oakley eyewear, Sportlegs superpills, and the exact bike and components that I ride. You’ll love it!

You can find out more about Marla Streb at her website as well as keep up to date on her new blog for the 2005 season.