Emily Wheeler, Black Hills Back 40 Director

Mark Warren

Emily Wheeler Black Hills Back 40 Race Director

Emily Wheeler

“Mountain biking is such a confidence booster; I am seeing more and more women out riding than ever before,” explains Emily Wheeler, race director for the Black Hills Back 40 & Shorty. Emily started mountain biking when a few women from her neighborhood asked her to join them on their morning rides. “When I started out riding, I had a really old mountain bike I had bought for $179! After the first summer, I decided to purchase a new one. A nice bike does make a big difference in ease of riding and climbing hills, and just makes the rides more fun.”

The world of mountain biking can be intimidating, but over the past few years, more and more women are getting outside and rediscovering their love of biking. It’s a fun way to exercise and reconnect with nature. According to Wheeler, “We have such a variety of trails in the Black Hills, from the Mickelson Trail to logging roads to technical single-tracks. Someone just starting out should know the level of trails they want to start out riding on. For example, Hanson Larson Memorial Park has some great less technical trails, which are easier until you get the hang of it.”

To ease into the sport, a good option is to participate in an outdoor event. The upcoming Black Hills Back 40 & Shorty on June 20th is a local charitable mountain biking race with three distances to choose from. Participants have the option to ride 40 miles (the Back 40), 20 miles (the Shorty), or 10 miles (the Mini). The event is open to all ages and abilities of riders. Wheeler explains, “For some reason, women’s participation in events is much lower in mountain biking. We usually only get a handful of women at the Back 40. We’d like to see that change and encourage more women to ride!”

What led you to the Black Hills Back 40?

After graduating from SDSU with a degree in Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, I started working at the Rapid City YMCA as the wellness director. I still work there part time teaching a group exercise class on Tuesday mornings. One of the programs I planned as the wellness director was a training group that prepared participants for the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon or Half Marathon. I decided to give the race director, Jerry Dunn, a call to see if my group could get a group race discount. He gave the discount and that’s how I met him. I continued my running and my work at the YMCA for about three more years until I decided I was ready for a career change. Jerry offered me a position as his assistant. Two years later, Jerry asked me to take over the event. I became the race director. The next fall, we started another race called Run Crazy Horse.

Last spring, Chad Meyer, one of the founders of the Back 40, called and asked if I’d be willing to take over as the race director of the Black Hills Back 40 & Shorty race. When Chad and his co-founders, Phil Busching and Joe Kieffer, created the event, they had a vision to support mountain biking in the area while being able to give all the money made on the event to various charities in the Rapid City area. Nancy Busching, who has also been instrumental in helping to organize the Back 40 event every year since its start, explains it best: “Mountain biking is a great way to stay fit and not put so much wear and tear on your body. You can enjoy it for life! It is super fun and it distracts you from the awesome workout you are getting. Being in nature is good for the soul. The Black Hills have some of the best trails in the country.”

Since its start eight years ago, the Back 40 race has raised over $100,000 for local charities, including Black Hills Habitat for Humanity and Cornerstone Rescue Mission, and this year all proceeds will be donated to Black Hills Trails. I love organizing events, and becoming the RD has been a fun way for me to be involved in a mountain biking event. With a growing event and wanting to see it grow more, it was a good fit for my 10 years’ experience organizing marathons.

Describe one of your favorite moments you’ve experienced since becoming the race director of Black Hills Back 40.

I would say my favorite moments are being at the finish line of the events. The participants have so many inspiring personal stories and things they have overcome in training and finishing the race. I love being able to congratulate runners at the finish.

Why do you believe it is important for women to be involved in mountain biking and other confidence boosting activities?

I think especially outdoor physical activities are important for women because it offers a distraction from everyday life….mentally, you have to focus on the trail and obstacles along the way. It’s a great way to meet new friends, and it's a confidence booster because it’s such a great feeling to master a trail, get up a hill you couldn’t the day before, or ride down a tricky slope for the first time. BHW

Christopher Wenger, MD Assistant Medical Director at Black Hill Urgent Care, Call: 605-791-7799 Located at 741 Mtn. View Rd.