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…
Tag: cycling
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…
Mama, I’ve been wormed
Choosing to do back-to-back XCM (cross-country marathon) events on the weekend following Rockstar isn’t anyone’s idea of optimal, but I had committed to both the Wormhole 100k and the Middle Mountain Momma XXC events long before I had planned to have anything to do with Rockstar. In fact, they were part of my original objection…
What if…?
Earlier this year, some friends mentioned to me that they were going to do a “stage race” version of the Rockstar Trail, a local point-to-point ultra endurance event, during the grand depart in April. I was intrigued, mostly because the fact that the Rockstar route starts in Harrisonburg and finishes in Roanoke with 270 miles…
The Stable Cyclist Podcast: Rebuilding Confidence After Unintentionally Going Viral
Thanks so much to JP at The Stable Cyclist Podcast for the opportunity to share a bit of my story of learning how to overcome anxiety on the bike, and the experiences that have propelled me into becoming an advocate for getting more women on mountain bikes and the importance of mental health.
2025 Ride Fierce Women’s Scholarship: Spring Update
In the last two months, Annie, Megan, Nicole, and Abby have been diligently training and preparing for their selected races. All four women are registered–so prepare to see them at The Shed Enduro, ORAMM, The Shenandoah 100k, and the Slatyfork Enduro this summer! Here are some short updates from each of them! The Shed Enduro:…
Spring is Here: Finding Balance in Life’s Seasons
I’ve been thinking a lot about balance lately. It’s no secret that many athletes at the highest levels have openly renounced balance, claiming that its necessary to go all-in on their chosen sport in order to be successful. However, others are pushing back on that idea, Kate Courtney and Sonya Looney among them, claiming that…
The Long Road Back
If you’ve ever gone for a hike, you likely have experienced the false hope of thinking that your destination is “just around the next bend” or “over the next hill.” My recovery from shoulder surgery feels much the same way. Back in October, when I first had surgery, I was looking forward to my first…
The Beginning of an Epic Story
In one of my past lives, I was an English teacher, and so, I can’t help but love a good story. If you think back to your middle or high school English classes, you might remember learning about the building blocks of a story, represented by the ever-present plot diagram. Ok. Take a trip down…
