Wildflower Mountain Biking

	Meet the Leaders *For the on-trail application segments*

	Kathy Coutinho	Send email.
"I am in the right profession, as I both can empathize and relate to my many athletes as they enter my practice for care of injuries I have no doubt somewhere along the line suffered myself!"	Kathy is a Sports Certified Chiropractic Practitioner and has been practicing in her own business called Positively Chiropractic and Dynamic Kinesiology for more than five years. Kathy, her staff, and partnering businesses help their patients achieve their goals by providing preventative, therapeutic, and maintenance treatments. Kathy started mountain biking 10 years ago in Victoria B.C. Canada on the beautiful island mountains that have since been converted to the more down hilling style of riding. After much riding with good male friends, Kathy caught the "race bug" and now races as much as her schedule or the weather permits! The premiere race for Kathy these days is the XTERRA off-road triathlon series. In her first and only two years in this race so far, Kathy won her age group at the Richmond, Virginia Xterra, thereby qualifying for the World Championships in Maui, Hawaii! The Xterra in Maui is the true combination of pain and pleasure as it really challenges you as a mountain biker more than in any other Xterra race, having to battle the islands volcanoe for 19 miles both riding up and then back down (YEEEHAAA) around many cacti and lava rocks!

	Nancy DeVore	Send email.
"The word endurance has taken on new meaning for me since racing and pushing my bike across the Alps. I've come to realize patience and perseverance are a big part of mastering the sport of mountain biking."	Nancy grew up on a farm in Kansas and still prefers to spend her time now in the sun and dirt. She recently gave up a job in international ag trade to start her own consulting business and spend more time focusing on bikes and her community. She recently joined Fitness Concepts as a mountain biking coach. Nancy started cycling in Iowa during grad school, and has been on a bike since, with diversions into rock climbing occasionally. Mountain biking became a focus after she dove head first into the 24 hrs of Canaan by signing up a team without having ever ridden off-road previously, and endurance mtn biking has been her main sport since. Some of her favorite racing events are off-road 100 milers, with a highlight being on the first US women's team (2 person teams) to complete the TransAlps race, a grueling 8 day mtn bike race across the Alps. Most recently she finds herself focusing more and more on teaching and advocacy activities, working as a state advocacy director to maintain sustainable trails and open new areas to mountain biking opportunities. Giving back to the sport that has taught so much about challenging herself, overcoming fears, and feeling like a kid again is now a high priority, helping to teach other women mtn biking skills and sharing some of the long process she went through to go from a rank newbie who walked everything to international racing.

Susan Musante

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"I've learned that I can challenge myself, that I have limits and need to respect them, but also that most often my limits are in my head and I can push my limits and grow!"

Born and raised on Long Island, NY, Susan rode her first bike down the driveway of her parents' house in Mineola. Susan majored in biology and has spent her career sharing that expertise through various training and education positions. She has taught biology in the classroom, SCUBA off the Florida Keys, outdoor adventure in the Smoky Mountains, and fitness classes at a local club.

During the week, the bike is Susan's commuter vehicle. On weekends, the bike is Susan's recreational vehicle. Her favorite places to ride are Michaux, Pennsylvania, and the George Washington National Forest in Virginia. Technical mountain biking is her favorite game to play! Susan loves to race mountain bikes, and has raced in the expert class both locally and in NORBA nationals.