Life Outside Spring 2018 - 10

The Nutcase(s)

CYCLING ' TWINS'
NAME: Carla Williams
SPORT/ACTIVITY: Mountain biking/

cyclocross
AGE: 31
JOB: Emergency Medicine Physician

at Carilion Clinic
* National Ultra Endurance (NUE) series
elite women's champion 2016 and 2017
* Women's 30-34 Cyclocross national
champion 2017
*2018: 2nd place, open women in 24
hours of Old Pueblo in Arizona
* 2017: 1st place in elite women's field
at Cohutta 100, Wilderness Trail 101,
Crotched Mountain 100, High Cascades
100, Mohican 100
* 2016: 1st place at Cohutta 100, Tatanka
100, WT 101, Fool's Gold 100

GOOD START
Carla Williams (bib
776) starts with the
field at the Pisgah 111K
Mountain Bike Race in
Pisgah Forest, North
Carolina.

10

Spring 2018 \\ LifeOutside Magazine

C

When Carla
Williams and
Lauren Cantwell
are away from their
jobs as ER docs,
they are as often
as not on their
bicycles, which
often carry them
to medal-level
finishes in serious
competitions.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARLA WILLIAMS

ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

ARLA WILLIAMS AND LAUREN CANTWELL

aren't related, but they could be cycling twins.
The pair of ER doctors are some of the
region's most elite riders. Together, they log
nearly 20,000 miles per year on two wheels,
competing-and placing -in events around
the region, country and world.
Williams is the reigning 30-34 cyclocross
national champion and won elite races at
both days of the GO Cross cyclocross race
at Fallon Park in September.
"I like the adventure of biking," she says.
"I have been to some incredible parts of
the U.S. I would never have traveled to if it
wasn't for racing. I like being outside. I like
being in the woods; the methodical cadence
of biking helps de-stress from work. I am
also motivated by racing and by pushing my
limits to see what is possible."
Cantwell, who is in her first season back
on a bike since college, placed at multiple
events in 2017 and even finished third overall
in the Blue Ridge Half Marathon last year.
Life Outside Spring 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Life Outside Spring 2018
