It’s March already (how did that happen?!) and races are inching closer, and the women of the Ride Fierce Racing scholarship are hard at work training for their events. Here’s a short update from each of them!
Wormhole
Tasha Roemer
I’ve been training hard for the wormhole race in April. I got a short break from the cold in Sedona and got to work on some technical skills.
Follow Tasha’s journey here.
The Black Bear Enduro
Jenna Burke
Training is going well overall, but this winter has not come without its challenges. We’ve had more bad weather than usual making it difficult to get technical or even just trail rides in (the ice/snow/freeze thaw has been bad!). I’m also currently battling my second round of illness so there have been a few setbacks. However, I’m doing my best to remain consistent and jump back in when I get off track. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous because my race is coming up quick! But the training program combined with the Skadi Sport Psychology class is helping me to feel more prepared than I have for races in the past.
On the positive side, I’ve really enjoyed getting into a workout/training routine and incorporating weight lifting with cycling. It has definitely been helpful. On rides I have been able to get out on, I do feel like my endurance is continuing to improve along with the power to climb tech. Looking forward to longer and warmer days and ramping up my training!
Follow Jenna’s journey here.
Middle Mountain Momma
Brittany Nave
I am dreaming of warmer weather and missing the fitness I had 6 months ago from climbing all the hills in the Dolomites.
The trails have been wet here like many places in the southeast. I’m back on the gravel bike during the weekends to try and build fitness.
Overall my mileage is down compared to the past last winter but I have consistently been in the gym (and warm sauna) two days a week in exchange for a little less riding volume. I am hopeful this will help my legs as I add on bigger days as we roll into spring.
Follow Brittany’s journey here.
Mackenzie Faust
Training is going good it’s been a rainy and cold winter here in East Tn. I’ve been chasing miles on the indoor bike averaging about 40 miles a week which is a mental feat in itself (iykyk haha) Next week we head to Honduras so I’ll be swapping riding for swimming and diving. Can’t wait to get back and get on some trails pending that East Tn Spring rain.
Follow Mackenzie’s journey here.
Julie Harner
Winter training: The snow in our area was totally annoying!! It was so hard to get outside for a ride. Having structured trainer workouts and a strength training plan helped keep me feeling productive while being indoors. And now that the snow has melted I’m so eager to refocus on mountain biking.
Follow Julie’s journey here.
Eva Van Hook
I started this journey with an explosion of energy and focus. Then life happened. This past month has been a series of challenges including bad weather, getting sick, and travel for work. I’ve navigated these rough and unpredictable waters and managed to only miss one training ride, all the while taking care of myself and not pushing too hard. The effort seems to be paying off as I continue to notice small gains. I look forward to a trail ride this weekend that will be a true measurement of how far I’ve come. I am forever grateful to the Ride Fierce Racing Scholarship for empowering me to reach goals I didn’t think were possible.
Follow Eva’s journey here.
Brittany Hendricks
Training has been going really well, and I can genuinely feel myself getting stronger each week. My endurance is improving, my efforts feel more controlled, and I’m starting to see the consistency pay off.
This week was especially exciting because I was finally able to get outside and ride trail for the first time since starting the program. Being back on the trail felt incredible — it reminded me why I love this sport. I could tell the structured work I’ve been putting in is translating to real performance gains.
I also PR’d on both of my rides this week, which was such a confidence boost. Seeing measurable progress reinforces that the training is working and motivates me to keep pushing.
Follow Brittany’s journey here.
Monday Lick Enduro
Jesse King
So far training for me has been tough to get in with winter weather and work deadlines and required some adjustments. Replacing rides with runs to keep working on cardio and sometimes hopping on the bike at the gym to get in some rides has been necessary, but I’m getting it in and can feel I’m making progress. I did my first test race to start to experiment with rest, nutrition, hydration and mindset last weekend and had a blast and learned a ton! Excited about the time change next weekend so more outdoor riding can happen!
Follow Jesse’s journey here.
Emily Webster
Winter training is tough! I’ve been trying to love the trainer as much as I can. I came in first in the women’s open for my first race of the year, Monstercross in Richmond , Va. It took all I had, but I’m feeling motivated to go harder.
Follow Emily’s journey here.
Kourtney Rusko
Winter training has definitely challenged my consistency but it’s pushed me to build discipline and give myself grace when needed. With the support of a structured training schedule and my sport psychology course, I’ve been able to create more routine within the chaos and stay intentional about my preparation. Learning on the go and prioritizing indoor and outdoor workouts. When I don’t have access to my bike due to travel for work, I’ve utilized indoor trainers, and also maintain endurance and building strength through activities such as snowboarding, trail running, hiking, climbing and lots of yoga sessions.
Overall, this training has taught me adaptability and mental resilience, and I’m feeling stronger and more prepared heading into race season. Each day I become more and more appreciative of this opportunity and continue to work towards overall mental and physical well-being.
Follow Kourtney’s journey here.
Off-Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell (ORAMM)
Bridget Brown
What a way to start the year! Things felt a little bit overwhelming in the beginning. The most I’ve done up until this point has been logging my rides with Ride GPS. I usually focused on hours of riding each week and it felt like a lot to get the heart rate monitor, power meter and gps all working with Training Peaks. Things have been settling in though and I’m really starting to like the structure of the training plan. Some of my rides are shorter than what I’m used to but I feel like I’m getting more out of them because I’m not just riding but working intervals and training for different areas (higher cadence, hills, endurance, etc.). Sometimes I’m so busy with work and other hobbies it’s been nice to feel like I can progress and still train without always having to do a super long ride. I’m excited to keep going, get more things dialed in, and see how I progress in the upcoming months!
Follow Bridget’s journey here.
Kate Crockett
It’s definitely been a weird mental shift for me to do so much indoor training, but it’s meant I’ve ridden my bike a lot more than in the winters past. I’ve actually grown to love how little preparation time there is for indoor riding vs outdoor riding. I just put on my bib shorts, socks, shoes, and a sports bra, then make sure I’ve got enough water and I’m all set for training. I’m also learning so much from the structured training, ESPECIALLY with cadence work. I’ve always had a slower cadence and never really done much work with it (except for when I was in spin class way back in the day), but it’s brought more awareness to my movement and it’s a challenge to try and remain smooth while also ramping up the speed of my legs.
The race day this past weekend has me hopeful for what this training will continue to do for me! Especially since the sunlight is about to shift soon, and the warmer weather is on its way. I know here in Georgia it gets exceptionally hot in the summer, but the spring riding is gorgeous and I can’t wait to spend more time doing long prep rides on the weekend this spring.
Follow Kate’s journey here.
Madison West
Training is going well so far! It’s so nice to have a training plan to follow and not have to come up with my own workouts! However, I am having a hard time sticking with the schedule everyday due to lots of work travel and some personal things coming up. But I’m trying to get the miles in where I can and am looking forward to getting my schedule more consistent in the next few weeks. I went for my first outdoor group ride of the season this past weekend and it got me so excited for spring. It’s so nice to be pushed to work harder than I otherwise would. I found a short section of single track near my house that has been a nice change of scenery from road riding.
Follow Madison’s journey here.
Julita Sulinskaite
I love having a structured programme even if I can’t follow it 100% it makes me train twice as often as I would without it. I believe being part of this scholarship is the best accountability point I needed, I found ways to train with Lukas (my two year old) and found strength and motivation on the days that I would have chosen to rest instead. It makes me proud of myself as a cyclist but also as a mom who’s an athlete and this is the biggest win already!
Follow Julita’s journey here.
The Shed Enduro
Heather Nowell
I feel like training is going really well! I love having a set schedule and plan, even if I have to adjust things a bit because of work and all that. In January and February I’ve done about 50 hours of strength training and ridden just over 300 miles— over 250 of that on the gym bike! I can’t wait to be able to ride regularly outside! I am currently starting the process of working with a nutritionist to supplement my training and I’m looking forward to my first event coming up in April!
Follow Heather’s journey here.
Slatyfork Enduro
Kate Schrock
One of the biggest things I was hoping to gain from this scholarship was structure in my workouts. Before, I was mostly training on vibes alone and often beating myself up for not doing “enough” without having any real metrics to measure that against. Having a clear plan changed everything. I’ve really enjoyed settling into a consistent routine, and it felt far less overwhelming than I expected.
The weather definitely threw some curveballs, but I learned how to make rollers fun and even mixed in some alternative workout days like snowboarding. One unexpected highlight was how weight training at home pulled my kids in too—especially during the stretch when schools were closed and we were all stuck inside. Apparently, if you lift weights in your living room long enough, your kids will want to join in too.
I’ve included a few photos that pretty much sum up the season: riding below freezing, rollers in the laundry room, weight training in the family room, and some brakeless fixed-gear Garage Racing for some extra spicy fun.
Follow Kate”s journey here.
Michaux GRVL
Katrina Lyddane
So far, training has been going really well. It’s helped me stay consistent through the winter months when motivation can be tough, and it’s built a lot of confidence in my abilities. Because of that progress, I’ve signed up for my first gravel race this March and am also planning to take on my first mountain bike race the same month. I’ve really come to value the sense of accomplishment, community, and encouragement that this group provides — it’s made a huge difference in both my mindset and my growth as an athlete.
Follow Katrina’s journey here.
Tia Moore
I am three weeks into my training plan and building strong momentum. My focus has been on consistency—both on and off the bike. With extreme weather in the area, I’ve been logging most of my rides indoors, but making the most of every opportunity to train outside when conditions allow. I’ve also begun applying principles from The Ultimate Guide to Race Day, incorporating process-driven goals around nutrition and hydration to strengthen my overall race preparation
Follow Tia’s journey here.
Karen Good
I have been training on gravel and switching from skiing to biking which will be awesome. I will go to the club where there is a spin bike and I will do some workouts I will follow the workouts starting now.
I just rode some gravel at the Western slope and I’m going to ride gravel at the shed. I’m planning on using my hardtail.
Follow Karen’s journey here.
Stacey Libbert
Winter training meant a lot of time on the trainer while the ice and snow kept me inside, but the work clearly paid off. When everything finally melted, I was faster than I’ve ever been on the bike, and I felt stronger than I have in a long time. My husband couldn’t believe it— not only was I able to hang with him for the first time ever, I was actually pushing him to go a little harder. I can feel my strength and endurance building, and it’s given me a new level of confidence heading into this next training block. I made it out to some new mountain bike trails earlier this week, and although I did eat dirt on one rocky section, it was still one of my best rides. The structured training plan from Abi has made all the difference.
Follow Stacey’s journey here.
Again, thank you to the sponsors who have stepped up to help support these women, as well as the race directors who are a part of this scholarship:
Ride Fierce Racing 