This is the mantra that Erin Ayala, of Skadi Sports Psychology, helped me identify in the lead up to the Enduro National Championship, but also one that has kind of “stuck” ever since. The idea was that racing isn’t about “proving” myself, but about putting the skills, fitness, etc. that I’ve worked so hard for…
Author: Abi
Elite mountain bike racer, data science student, former teacher...
Just Have Fun
This is what I told myself as I pulled into the parking lot for the start of the 2025 ORAMM race. My most recent XCM event (Nationals) put me far enough in the hurt locker that it left me reconsidering whether I even wanted to race these endurance events at all, and ORAMM wasn’t far…
2025 Ride Fierce Women’s Scholarship: It’s Almost Race Day!
For the women of the Ride Fierce Women’s Scholarship, it’s almost race day! Megan: racing ORAMM on July 27Annie: racing The Shed Enduro on August 3Abby: racing Slatyfork Enduro on August 10Nicole: racing Shenandoah 100k on August 30 If you happen to be at any of these events, make sure you give these women a…
Endurance MTB Nationals–in ROANOKE!
Though I was very much on the “fringes” of the team that spent the last several years working to bring Endurance MTB National Championships to Roanoke, I was involved just enough to know that it was a possibility…and then, eventually, that it was really going to happen. There’s not much I like better than showing…
We’re All Scared
This last weekend, I had the opportunity to speak at the 2025 Take Aim Women’s Takeover at Bryce Bike Park. The title of the workshop was: “Overcoming Anxiety in Mountain Biking,” but as I got thinking about it, I felt like a more accurate title should have been “We’re All Scared.” Excuse the phone-only recording……
Living my best life
Last fall, as I was recuperating from shoulder surgery, I started dreaming about the potential of making a road trip to the Pacific Northwest to ride and race. I knew that the North American Enduro Cup happened in late June in Kellogg, Idaho, and that it was a race I wanted to prioritize in 2025….
Finding Balance
That title sounds like I’m about to write some kind of self-help blog, not a race report, but c’est la vie. One of the mantras (in addition to the ever-present “stay curious”) that I’ve added to my top tube this season is “Balance.” In one of my skills lessons earlier this season, Harlan (of Take…
2025 Ride Fierce Women’s Scholarship: Early Summer Update
The four recipients of the 2025 Ride Fierce Women’s Scholarship have been hard at work, despite the inevitable setbacks, challenges, and obstacles that come with any attempt to reach a goal. Here are some short updates from each of them! The Shed Enduro: Annie Chapelle My journey has had a sidequest of healing. I was…
Transylvania Epic: 5 Days of #EastCoastRocks
It’s no secret that I love everything that is East Coast mountain biking: the rocks, roots, and jank. The 5-day Transylvania Epic (TSE) stage race serves this up in spades. I raced this event coming off of a knee injury back in 2023, and had a blast. Even though I was taking grad school classes…
Enduro, bro
I’ve been pretty open about how much of a mental challenge it has been for me to transition into enduro racing from my cross country background. Coming back from injury, I’ve tried to step away from the high performance expectations that I put on myself and find a place where I can be freed to…
Ride Fierce Racing 