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bike talk
Bike Talk: Mental Health And Cycling
10/12/2018
Mental health issues can affect us all in varying ways, but whether you suffer from anxiety or depression - or any mental health condition in between - we could all benefit from making more of an effort in investing in our mental and emotional state the way we do our physical. Just like with physical health, investment in lasting mental health takes time, commitment and thought.
As a student in university, I started cognitive behavioral therapy after an major life event to help me manage anxiety and stress. While I don’t have a history of depression or anxiety, I do have moments when I feel overwhelmed and burnt out. Often what that looks like is low energy and days when I don't want to get out of bed. I won’t give you a lengthy story about those moment but I know most of you can relate. What I will tell you is how cycling and other mindful practices have helped me overcome those moments when all seems to be hard to understand and manage.
Exercise, primarily running, had become a huge release for me before I started cycling. It made me feel strong, it helped me push myself further than my mental and physical boundaries and it allowed me to escape the outside world for a while. There is nothing more empowering and motivating than realizing the sheer strength of your body, and all of the incredible things it is capable of. Once I started cycling, it quickly became, and remains to be, my daily act of discovering and reclaiming my power.
Nothing has ever served me the way cycling does, and it didn’t take me long to realize that it is about so much more than just a commute or workout, so much more than just another fitness brand. Cycling was – and still is – a space in my head for freedom, a haven, a comfort, a release. While cycling has become a compulsory act of release and fun, it’s in moments of low mood that I start to feel cyclings challenge, drive and ambition to be more than I was the day before; to be the strongest, most powerful version of myself I could possibly be in that single moment. I suddenly feel the urge to never settle, to never assume I am incapable of doing something and to never push past my limits.
Whatever day I’m having, whatever emotion I’m experiencing, whatever achievement I want to celebrate, whatever fallback I want to work through. Whatever happiness I want to share, or sadness I want to release. Whether I need inspiration, a push, some wisdom, encouragement, or just something to remind me the world is so much bigger than whatever I may be feeling in that moment; each ride provides me the safe space to do so. Every time I get stronger in my body, I become stronger in my mind, and the stronger I am in my mind, the braver I can be to look back on that time and continue to move on.
I don’t think there is anything more beautiful and powerful than that. That moment where you feel your heart beating and your skin getting warmer and your blood pumping – that’s the moment you realize you’re alive, and that no matter what, you can survive and get through almost anything. That even when you want to give up on that climb, your body will pedal you through, it will hold you, it will preserve you, it will protect you.
Our stories and rides are not about the final destination. Your story is about your journey. Your journey is your life. Unfortunately, not everyone will always understand you, and unfortunately there will always be people who simply only read the blurb of your story but profess to know every page. But never let them make you feel anything short of the person you are. No one is allowed to judge the person you had to become in order to survive. Find the people who will love you when you cannot love yourself, and who aren’t there just for your best bits, but for the dark bits too. The bits you don’t see on social media, or when the doors are closed.
In this journey though there are things to be mindful of that can help you seek the right type of help if you really struggle with anxiety or depression. They say our minds and bodies are linked. When we engage all parts of ourselves we can truly experience a healthy orientation in our lives that we feel when we ride.
I’m a true believer in investing in my mental health and I’m committed to it. When I’m healthy in my mind and body, I am able to give the world the best parts of me. While there is no quick fix, there are certainly little bite sized hacks that can help and every little bit goes a long way…
Exercise
Exercising gives you immediate benefits in the form of an endorphin rush - those happy hormones that give you the feeling of being high on life after a bike ride or run has profound impacts on keeping our mental health in check. Research data tells us that physically fit people are generally healthier and happier while their counterparts generally suffer health issues and forms of depression and anxiety. While there are grey areas in the middle, I’m sure the more aware we are of taking care of our bodies, the greater our minds benefit.
Eat Healthy
Eating habits are a way to either activate self-care or self harm. When we’ve had a bad day, it’s tempting to comfort eat that may make us feel sluggish and unpleased with ourselves. If you’re low on some nutrient levels, chances are your mental health can be affected. Your diet is a great way to practice self care when we are feeling worthy of being fed nutritious food.
Gratitude practices
One of the best ways to appreciate the wins in your life is to step back and actually see them. It’s easy to forget that friendly conversation with a stranger you had in the coffee shop, or that smile you exchanged on your commute. But these interactions all build onto one another, having a chain reaction that leads to feelings of positivity and gratitude. Even saying thank you for the little things will instantly help boost your mood.
Pay It Forward
Ever heard of paying it forward? Taking the time to pass some of those positive experiences on to others is one of the most meaningful things you can do - and it’s pretty effortless too. Make a conscious decision every time you have a positive exchange to try to continue the chain reaction. This will encourage you to be aware of the ways in which you are interacting with others and therefore be mindful about how you treat others. Making someone’s day - there’s nothing like it.
Quality sleep
From low levels of energy to unhealthy cravings, a lack of sleep negatively affects your lifestyle, robbing you of your well-deserved happiness. Make sleep a priority in your life: aim for eight hours each night, invest in some blackout blinds, lavender room spray, a sleep tracker, and pop in a pair of earplugs too if you’re easily woken. Your mental health will thank you.
Positive thinking
I’m a believer in cognitive behavioral therapy as it was the type of therapy I used in college. While negative and positive things do happen around us all the time, we can protect our minds from a disturbed state of mind by predicting and interpreting our views of a situation. CBT helps correct these misinterpretations. You can download mental health apps to help get you started on developing healthy cognitive habits, which are free! I still use CBT when life becomes stressful with apps like What’s Up and find that I can change the course of any situation to a positive experience and outcome.
Engage in Positive Community
It might sound simple, but being around people who are constantly negative, complaining and drab can be incredibly draining - you don’t need that in your life! While it’s easy to get sucked into negativity when it surrounds you, luckily the same is true for positivity.
To surround yourself with positivity, join a cycling group, spin class, or any type of group. Building relationships that inspire positive behavior is likely to help us keep our minds engaged and healthy. With likeminded folks, chances are they know what it’s like to be in your cleats or shoes!
With the fast-paced lives most of us lead juggling work, family and everything in between, it’s no wonder so many of us are finally starting to pay attention to our mental health. While cycling can tremendously help us, being mindful in our daily lives can boost productivity, get your creative juices flowing and quite simply, lead to a healthy mind. Sounds good, right?
Bike Talk: Cycling And Body Image
9/03/2018
I know a few girls out there who struggle with image that cycling often portrays - lean, muscular, fit for the Tour de France, and fitting in a size 2 in cycling kit. It's not unknown that even female cycling pro's struggle with issues like eating disorders, being underweight, and overworking their bodies to be the gold metal standard. The everyday women struggles to find form fitting kit, often berating herself because she isn't the Instagram image of a "cyclist". Unasked and unwanted comments of our abilities, weight, and skills often weigh in on our body image without us realizing how many miles we put in or how strong or happy we feel after a ride.
But what if we can use those positive feelings after cycling to change our mindset about body image? There are a lot of skills we can learn from the athletes. The physical commitment, the mental discipline, how to fuel yourself properly — these are all important factors that aid performance. But they are all just facets of an overarching principle, which is this: they treat their body like it’s their business. Whether the goal is Olympic medals, world records or sponsorship deals, athletes’ entire careers are dependent on taking care of their body so that they can perform to the best of their ability, day in and day out. It’s something they must adopt from an early age to set themselves apart from others, and it’s what allows them to push the limits of human potential.
We don’t need to be an Olympian to take on this mindset. We all have dreams, ambitions and goals. Whether it’s climbing a mountain, completing a century ride, starting your own business, or living to see your great grandchildren — health is the common denominator. In order to make all these incredible things possible, we need to commit to our health and treat our body like it’s our business. And once we make the connection between how much our health is actually linked to what we want out of life, prioritizing it becomes a lot easier.
So what can we do to adopt this mentality?
Get To Know Your Body
Understanding your body is crucial to taking care of it. It’s normal to experience symptoms of low self- esteem every now and then, but when things change from a one-off to the norm you need to take action. If you find that you’re always thinking low about your self worth, it may be time to get curious, seek advice, do your own research and find out what is actually going on. Every symptom has a cause, but sometimes you need to do a little digging to find it.
We don’t need to be an Olympian to take on this mindset. We all have dreams, ambitions and goals. Whether it’s climbing a mountain, completing a century ride, starting your own business, or living to see your great grandchildren — health is the common denominator. In order to make all these incredible things possible, we need to commit to our health and treat our body like it’s our business. And once we make the connection between how much our health is actually linked to what we want out of life, prioritizing it becomes a lot easier.
So what can we do to adopt this mentality?
Get To Know Your Body
Understanding your body is crucial to taking care of it. It’s normal to experience symptoms of low self- esteem every now and then, but when things change from a one-off to the norm you need to take action. If you find that you’re always thinking low about your self worth, it may be time to get curious, seek advice, do your own research and find out what is actually going on. Every symptom has a cause, but sometimes you need to do a little digging to find it.
Be Picky About What You Eat
There’s no avoiding it — we have to eat everyday. Multiple times a day. And the food we eat determines our mood, our energy and our health. You don’t need to embark on juice fasts or severely restricted diets — a good starting point is to take stock of what you’re eating and be aware of how you feel when you eat certain foods. Understanding how the food you eat affects your body and energy is a lifelong skill that I recommend everyone invests in. We have an incredible ability to self-heal as long as we give our bodies the fuel to do so.
There’s no avoiding it — we have to eat everyday. Multiple times a day. And the food we eat determines our mood, our energy and our health. You don’t need to embark on juice fasts or severely restricted diets — a good starting point is to take stock of what you’re eating and be aware of how you feel when you eat certain foods. Understanding how the food you eat affects your body and energy is a lifelong skill that I recommend everyone invests in. We have an incredible ability to self-heal as long as we give our bodies the fuel to do so.
Be Aware Of Social Media
Be mindful of comparison on social media. It can send you into an unhealthy negative spiral. We’ve all done it, scrolling endlessly down yet another Model/Cyclist/Bloggers photos, feelings of jealousy creeping into our thoughts when we had been fine before picking up the phone! Well, before you get too wound up hold your horses. Again, check in with yourself. If you're feeling a little sensitive that day, ease off on the social scrolling and definitely don’t look at anyone who might trigger an emotional reaction. Concentrate on doing something lovely for yourself that day. As for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram….it’s not going anywhere just pick it all up tomorrow.
Prioritise Rest
The good news is that rest is getting cool. Slowly but surely, we’re getting over the idea that you need to burn the candle at both ends and be in a perpetual state of adrenaline overload. Research has linked adequate rest to pretty much every aspect of health - mental capacity, mood, libido, immune system, physical recovery, weight management, performance, longevity. You name it, and rest makes it better to get on your bike and give your best the next ride. Ensuring that you are getting enough rest is a key habit to cultivate. Even if your life is demanding and you aren’t able to sleep as long as you’d like, taking up practices like meditation, yoga or even just good old power naps will be transformative to your well being.
Expect To Feel Great
From my experience, I truly believe that we set the bar far too low when it comes to our health. Some of us have never experienced what it’s like to feel great, to have energy, strength and resilience. So, we don’t expect it for ourselves or we feel that other people are lucky. But the body’s natural state is not lethargic, moody, immuno-depressed, injured, overweight, weak or stiff — quite the contrary, in fact. We are naturally robust, happy, full of energy and strong. Our bodies have the potential to do and feel the most incredible things, we just need to take care of them.
Change Your Minset
Images Courtesy: MNCDELEON
Be mindful of comparison on social media. It can send you into an unhealthy negative spiral. We’ve all done it, scrolling endlessly down yet another Model/Cyclist/Bloggers photos, feelings of jealousy creeping into our thoughts when we had been fine before picking up the phone! Well, before you get too wound up hold your horses. Again, check in with yourself. If you're feeling a little sensitive that day, ease off on the social scrolling and definitely don’t look at anyone who might trigger an emotional reaction. Concentrate on doing something lovely for yourself that day. As for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram….it’s not going anywhere just pick it all up tomorrow.
Prioritise Rest
The good news is that rest is getting cool. Slowly but surely, we’re getting over the idea that you need to burn the candle at both ends and be in a perpetual state of adrenaline overload. Research has linked adequate rest to pretty much every aspect of health - mental capacity, mood, libido, immune system, physical recovery, weight management, performance, longevity. You name it, and rest makes it better to get on your bike and give your best the next ride. Ensuring that you are getting enough rest is a key habit to cultivate. Even if your life is demanding and you aren’t able to sleep as long as you’d like, taking up practices like meditation, yoga or even just good old power naps will be transformative to your well being.
Expect To Feel Great
From my experience, I truly believe that we set the bar far too low when it comes to our health. Some of us have never experienced what it’s like to feel great, to have energy, strength and resilience. So, we don’t expect it for ourselves or we feel that other people are lucky. But the body’s natural state is not lethargic, moody, immuno-depressed, injured, overweight, weak or stiff — quite the contrary, in fact. We are naturally robust, happy, full of energy and strong. Our bodies have the potential to do and feel the most incredible things, we just need to take care of them.
Change Your Minset
Feeling exhaustion, winded, or sore can be a totally normal part of cycling. When it can turn negative, however, is if it is taken as a sign of weakness. We may be more likely to judge our bodies if we perceive we “can’t handle” it. Instead, remind yourself of all the things your body CAN do. Your legs took you that far and high, your eyes are helping you to see new surroundings, your senses are helping you interpret your experience, and your stomach is helping you to digest the new foods that help describe ride fuel. When we can focus on what our bodies are doing for us, rather than the things it is not, we are more likely to appreciate our experiences and less likely to critique them. It is a privilege to have a fully functioning body, and we must appreciate this as often as we can!
While intrusive body image thoughts may be present with you while you cycle, we can work to decrease the power they have on your ride. Leave your rules behind, being a part of those pictures, and loving what your body is capable of doing can also help you once you get home. These ideas can be used at any time, not just for cycling! And, having the opportunity to break from your normal cycling routine can shake up the usual way we see ourselves. Knowing that we have cycled different landscapes, with different body expectations, can remind us that we are likely our own biggest critic – and that there are many more precious things in this world than what we look like.
Shop Kit In Post
Images Courtesy: MNCDELEON
Before I go on, I do want to make clear that this is an opinion peace and this blog is monitored to give women a safe space to express their thoughts and ideas. The #MeToo movement has done the same in giving women a voice. We all have been collectively hit with stories that's make us reflect on our own uncomfortable experiences. Women are angry and hungry to break down sexism and cycling is going to have it's moment.
We have seen it, there have been countless horrendous examples of misconduct by male pro-cyclists with podium girls, coaches, doctors and others abusing female athletes in their care. A handful of brave athletes have gone on the record about harassment, discrimination and abuse: Jess Varnish, Nicole Cooke, Marijn de Vries, Petra de Bruin, Tammy Thomas, Genevieve Jeanson, and, more recently, American track sprinter Missy Erickson, who shared her story of abuse as a junior to Bicycling Magazine.
Thanks to social media and fans, the industry has not been able to ignore allegations of sexism, sexual misconduct and abuse against women in pro-cycling. Over years, pro-cycling has generated it's own backlash of sexual misconduct, abuse, and exploitation of female athletes and podium girls. The 2008 Olympic road race champion Nicole Cooke has repeatedly talked about female riders being treated far less well than their male counterparts. Pro-cycling's Lizzie Armitstead writes in her biography of sexism in the sport. Sprinter Jess Varnish alleged that the former British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton told her to “go away and have a baby” – claims he denies – after she was released from the elite program. He was suspended but is now back to the track at British Cycling. Where is the justice?
Thanks to social media and fans, the industry has not been able to ignore allegations of sexism, sexual misconduct and abuse against women in pro-cycling. Over years, pro-cycling has generated it's own backlash of sexual misconduct, abuse, and exploitation of female athletes and podium girls. The 2008 Olympic road race champion Nicole Cooke has repeatedly talked about female riders being treated far less well than their male counterparts. Pro-cycling's Lizzie Armitstead writes in her biography of sexism in the sport. Sprinter Jess Varnish alleged that the former British Cycling technical director Shane Sutton told her to “go away and have a baby” – claims he denies – after she was released from the elite program. He was suspended but is now back to the track at British Cycling. Where is the justice?
Pro women's cyclists, like Olympic silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead (now Deignan), have spoken out about the differences at the top, noting how male cyclists are paid far more and given far more support and media exposure than their female counterparts. British Cycling has pointed to the lack of female representation on its own board, pledging to recruit women board members to help even the playing field. But with years of male domination to contend with, despite the overwhelming success of female cyclists at a top level, it seems that women's moment in cycling could take some time before sexism is stamped out through all levels of the sport.
Still, women in sports aren’t the first to feel powerless in the face of their male superiors. Before #METOO, we have seen women in cycling band together to bring out allegations within the sport. We have seen women write about sexism in sport, being paid less, and above all, not having support to showcase women's cycling by the sports governing body, the UCI.
While pro cycling will have it's moment in the spotlight, the industry and community will be impacted. Already, we see women's cycling groups ramping up in support of one another and while our small community has a way to grow, we speak often about which brands, shops, and websites don't have women's specific kit, content, gear and bikes. We share what social media outlets and accounts to avoid and call out, what men to avoid in our clubs, which men are overly and uncomfortably “affectionate,” and which men go out of their way to make women’s lives hell.
A few women have told me they believe pro-cycling, industry and the community will have its #MeToo moment too and soon. A few other women tell me that they have stopped supporting brands, IG accounts, and bike shops that only sell mens products or market with sexist ads. Some think the hostile sexist environment is so endemic to the industry there is no way to dislodge. Others believe women can’t come forward about harassment until more women are in positions of power in cycling sports and media. So while the #MeToo movement continues to topple powerful men in a multitude of industries, the women in cycling will watch, bide their time, and wait. Only this time, the language is strong and women are more empowered and united more than ever.
Is this the beginning of a long-overdue shake-up in the male-dominated UCI boardrooms, cycling industries, and back offices of pro cycling? “They’re coming,” says Michael Kimmel, founder of the Center for The Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University, who predicts that a wave of accusations against sports figures will emerge. “One big difference in 2017 is that women are being believed. Women are not on trial. Their credibility is not the issue. Men’s behavior is the issue. That is the biggest change right now.”
I am hopeful that the broader #METOO movement will improve the culture of cycling. “There’s finally a feeling among women that it’s OK to talk about their experiences,” says Kimmel. “Watching the movement, the bravery of women coming forward, it emboldens others. The whole point is that the new generations shouldn’t have to deal with this.” As pro-cycling's road season comes to a start this Spring, I believe this will be the year we see big changes for women in cycling, hopefully in communities and industry too. Already, we've seen cycling ads include women, some women's road media exposure, and equal prize money to it's winners, thanks Tour Down Under. Surely, this step will open the door for more women's participation in women's cycling. And if the Future Is Female, then pro-cycling has one hell of a reckoning to contend with in 2018.
Images: Sarah Reed/SATC
As my work in blogging about getting more women on bikes grew, so did women's specific products. While I watched fashionable and functional designers enter the industry, I have also seen women's cycling boutiques, groups, organizations, brand ambassadorships, teams, and sponsorships rise as a focus to get more women and girls in cycling. Brands such as Peppermint Cycling, Femme Velo, Specialized, Rapha, Queen of the Mountains, and Machines For Freedom have each stepped up to the market and empowered women to participate in cycling as a sport and community. Women's cycling groups and organizations such as Ovarian Psycos Bicycle Brigade, Black Girls Do Bike, We Bike NYC, EncourageHer Cycling, and Friends On Bikes have all organized to reach out to communities of women/trans/femme/nonbinary of all sizes and socioeconomic backgrounds to participate in bringing cycling to their communities. With women leading the way to empower and ease the intimidation of cycling communities for many women, the future is starting to look bright for women in cycling.
However, while I think some companies and organizations are getting things "right" with women, there still lies a large opportunity for the cycling industry at large: making women and diversity an industry wide initiative. Allow me to be brutally honest, when I look at the cover of a cycling magazine I notice it's mostly men making front page and when I open that cycling magazine, I look for the women and count how many are featured, once I counted 2. When I google "women in cycling" or "women's cycling kit", I look for women like me, but what I often see in images of women's cycling apparel, bikes, or gear, are faces of white, young, and thin women, lacking the inclusiveness many of women of color, age, and shape in cycling wish to see: women and girls like them.
For 9 years, I have strayed from talking about my own identity as a Mexican-Native American woman as I wanted to highlight the support women needed to pave the way for all women. It's a very personal subject to speak of my personal identity in a space such as cycling as I always believed it to be a great equalizer, however, mine and others' experiences think the climate is right for a discussion around the lack of diversity in cycling industry, sport, and media. While I have always seen cycling as a white male dominated industry and sport, I often ignored my own discomfort around cycling clubs and bike shops that made me feel invisible. Because of my determination, I was lucky enough to build my own voice along with other women while creating partnerships and relationships with organizations, small businesses, and industries who supported my efforts to get more women in cycling.
Living in cities, diversity was all around me. When I began cycling, women's cycling groups were few. Starting out as a commuter, where style and functionality were important to me, Cycle Chic Sundays were a start to organizing rides with women in my own community to bridge the need for safer streets to get more women on bikes. Now, community organizations, clubs, rides, teams, and efforts are propping up to invite more women of all diverse backgrounds, however, the cycling industry, sport, and media lags behind. As I listened to London Bike Kitchen's Panel on how the cycling community can reflect and include more marginalised voices? I got to thinking about my own experiences. I personally never felt marginalized other than by being a woman by default. Then I got to searching for other women of my own ethnic identity and found little to none in the media. Native people are often ignored politically and socially, often steamrolled over to culturally appropriate their ideas and ways of life, so it hardly surprised me. With a political climate like today in sports and other industries calling for more women and diversity like REI's #forceofnature campaign, I wonder what the cycling industry is doing to include more trans/femme/non-binary and women of shapes, color, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Although I do see initiatives and ambassador programs supporting women in their communities to get more women on bikes, the faces of trans/femme/non-binary and women of color, age, and size are very few. Perhaps the argument for this lack is that they are not applying but one must question media outreach efforts and representation. While women are leading the way in their own right, there are a few things the cycling industry can learn from them. Here are a few things organizations, teams, media, and businesses can do to foster a more diverse and inclusive cycling industry and community.
Diversify Media
Here’s my first suggestion to the industry if you want to show that you mean it: Diversify your covers. We need more cycling women in the media who are portrayed without being sexualized. I’ve been told that there is a “model” for cycling retailers and publications—white and thin (and mostly male). The few women who make the covers of mainstream cycling magazines are equally young, white, and thin. I have yet to see a woman of color or plus size on these covers, other than in a group shot. Are there no women of color making traction in cycling who are worthy of your covers? It would be great to see a body positive woman hold kit review space or a woman of color as an individual kickass cycling enthusiast who's traveled across America by bike.
Tell Our Stories
The cycling media has enormous responsibility to diversify the stories and images that surrounds and reflects society. Diverse people, we are here - women of color and those of different ages, abilities, sizes, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Featuring people of color, people of all sizes, and abilities who can tell their stories of crushing goals or how they were challenged in a race can inspire us to participate in cycling in new ways. We all need role models, but if the media and industry continually fail to provide images and stories of people who look, sound, or live like us, we have failed huge portions of our global population and diversifying communities.
Hire Us
While inclusive marketing campaigns are surely a great first step, making systematic change in the industry will be as important in making cycling a more inclusive and diverse space. Brands and bike shops have the opportunity to become thought leaders in the cycling space by embracing diversity in their teams, sponsorship, marketing, and advertising endeavors. My hope for the future is that we can look forward to attending a cycling industry trade show who focuses on diversity, inclusion, and education events focused on communities of color and various identities where kit and gear options embrace bodies with curves, and stories about trans/femme/non-binary/women of color who are achieving milestones in the cycling industry and sport (like the illustrious Ayesha McGowan). If the cycling industry is committed to contributing to a larger culture shift in the industry and sport- a shift toward inclusivity, embracing new and different ideas, and amplifying diverse perspective will be needed to systemically reflect it in their product, sponsorships, narratives, efforts, and adverts.
Don't Ignore Us
When an industry is short on diversity it can often co-op moments that have been carried out by marginalized communities, ultimately steamrolling those that have actually been on the ground fighting day in and day out for positive change. A clear example of this was the recent effort by the outdoor industry to protect Bears Ears and designate it as a national monument. When President Obama made the decision to protect Bears Ears, the outdoor industry and many participants virtually celebrated what was spun as a well-fought victory for the outdoors community, even though indigenous groups that have been working for 80 years to get the land designated as a national monument were actually responsible for the victory.
Because of recent issues like this, I'de like to see brands respond to the diversity of their subscribers or followers by accurately reflecting the diversity of the consumers who purchase their products. A great example of this is women's cycling kit company, Machines For Freedom, who actively features women of color in their kit and shares images of their diverse costumers and community support. While it's one case to celebrate, I recently looked at two brands' social media feeds and had to scroll quite a bit to find a person of color in the images. When I did find a person of color, it was often an image highlighting a program the brand had supported as philanthropy efforts. I was disappointed that this was the message they chose to share without acknowledging the many people of color who follow their brand and use their products that are not their charity effort. I don't think exclusion is the intent - brands just don't have inclusion or diverse enough teams to help them shift with the changing demographics and times.
Do Business with Us
Cycling can be intimidating and exclusionary for those who are underrepresented in the industry. When the price for "appropriate" gear is beyond your scope and reality and you rarely see a reflection of yourself represented in marketing, cycling can become inaccessible and unwelcoming. I know plenty of women who are frustrated they cannot find kit that fits them, putting them off of cycling. I've had plenty of friends who also said they wouldn't get into cycling because it's for white guys and too expensive. This makes me question how much the cycling industry is doing to include accessibility and diversity in their products, businesses, initiatives, and efforts and tells me that more needs to be done to embrace a diverse market.
Earlier this year I applied to become to a woman's ambassador for a large cycling retailer. In my interview I was asked "What interests you to become an ambassador for women in your community?" My response was that companies and organizations don't create access for those who often exist in the peripheral landscape and I want to include them. What I meant by this was women of all ages, sizes, communities, ethnic and economic backgrounds are often faced with challenges in being active in a part of a cycling community. While a double bottom line is a huge investment for companies to put funds into, not every investment needs to be about bike and gear sales. What's even more important is to invest in our communities and promote inclusiveness and diversity in cycle culture, the money will come later if you keep the momentum. If that means building bike lanes in low income neighborhoods, sponsoring cycling education programs, diversifying ambassadorships, or setting up bike shops; making diversity in cycling an approach to a greater collective consciousness also means also tackling social issues with the same respect of business sales.
Diversity in cycling is on an incline, but this is not through a collective effort by the industry to be more inclusive, it is through the effort of grassroots efforts of people from communities of color, identities, and women taking on the challenges themselves. This has been possible through social media and efforts to build a community, as they are still continually underrepresented in mainstream cycling media outlets and efforts. We can't sit on our hands and allow underrepresented communities to do all the work then celebrate our collective diversity. It's our responsibility as a community and industry to be as active making change to cycling culture. We can't expect people to feel included or welcome in cycling when they are underrepresented in sport or community, as participants and industry, we must step up to the plate and make sure it happens.
Image Courtesy @FriendsOnBikes
Bike Talk: Cycling Along Your Cycle
11/01/2017
For the longest time, I had accepted that for a few days out of the month, I was going to struggle on my bike. I cycled through but slower, aching, and longing to skip commutes and rides. For a lot of women, the weeks leading up to and during menstruation leaves us exhausted and unable to perform our best on our rides. Many of us have written off cycling during the menstrual phase but taking a whole week off can be a damper to our training goals. Our menstrual cycles are complex, intricate, and for some unpredictable to plan training around, however, learning how our hormones affects our bodies can help us better plan cycling along our cycles.
Female hormones play a significant role in a variety of aspects related to hydration, nutrition, performance and recovery. Therefore, as women who participate in a endurance sport, it would benefit us to dig in to the science of our unique physiology and use it to our advantage. Here are some insights to knowing your flow and how to use the cycle phases to get the most your our training.
By knowing your cycle you will be able to predict the day your period will arrive. By tracking your cycle, you are better equipped to plan and optimize training and rest days. As you track it, you're able to notice patterns in your cycle as it relates to sleep, diet, training, stress, and more. Personally, I use the Aunt Flo Period Tracker and without fail, I can predict my period and track my hormonal phases for when to crank up or back off on the volume of training sessions. Our bodies are different day to day, so tuning in is essential to learning how to work with your flow.
Getting a sense of what's going on during your cycle–and how that affects your training–can help you evaluate and adjust your training and recovery. If you're needing a reminder on what’s happening physiologically during each phase... read this. Syncing training or any activity with your cycle will not just help training and recovery but also your health and wellbeing. Planning with my flow has saved me a lot of time and discomfort. When those first two days of aching and heavier bleeding arrive, I plan those as rest days. The third day after, I get back on the saddle and feel stronger to tackle my next challenge.
Now here is the educational part of the cycle phases and how to work with each. Take note that I am no expert or doctor but I am very educated on this front and part with you what I have learned from my personal experience and what I have researched from the experts to help myself. From duration, what you'll be feeling, to insights on how to use these hormonal fluctuations to your advantage, I hope these insights can help you understand your body better and plan to train to get the most out of each phase as you cycle to a stronger you.
Phases One and Two: Follicular Phase and Ovulatory Phase
Phases One and Two: Follicular Phase and Ovulatory Phase
Duration: 7-14 days, right after menstruation
Cycle Scope: You’ll experience a boost in energy levels.
Insight: This is a good time to increase mileage and intensity or introduce new challenges like hill repeats, longer mileage, and higher volume training. If you have a race scheduled during this time, take advantage of the extra pep in your step!
Phase Three: Luteal (Premenstrual) Phase
Duration: 10-14 days
Cycle Scope: Your energy levels decline slowly throughout this phase, so running effort levels may feel harder than normal. For instance, your breathing and heart rates may be higher than usual when you run your normal training paces.
Insight: During this phase it's useful to focus efforts on technique and lowering volume of intensity. Try restorative yoga, easy effort runs, cross-training, and shorter endurance rides. This is the time to tap into what your body needs–rest, recovery, and restoration. Nutritionally, consume a little more protein and branched-chain amino acid’s before exercise and bump up your carbohydrate intake through the end of Phase Four.
Phase Three: Luteal (Premenstrual) PhaseDuration: 10-14 days
Cycle Scope: Your energy levels decline slowly throughout this phase, so running effort levels may feel harder than normal. For instance, your breathing and heart rates may be higher than usual when you run your normal training paces.
Insight: During this phase it's useful to focus efforts on technique and lowering volume of intensity. Try restorative yoga, easy effort runs, cross-training, and shorter endurance rides. This is the time to tap into what your body needs–rest, recovery, and restoration. Nutritionally, consume a little more protein and branched-chain amino acid’s before exercise and bump up your carbohydrate intake through the end of Phase Four.
Phase Four: Menstrual Phase
Duration: 3-7 days
Cycle Scope: This is the most recognizable of all the phases. You may feel like avoiding your bike, tired, legs feel like they weigh a ton, or crave specific foods. Your workouts may hurt more than normal, and you may have a warmer body temperature, higher breathing and heart rates at your normal pace during the early to mid-stages of this phase.
Insight: Your body is craving rest, sleep, nurturing, so log extra sleep and take it easy on your rides. If possible, swap in an extra restorative yoga class, lower impact workout like recovery rides, walking, swimming, or a short run. You may feel more fatigued during workouts, too. This is especially true if you struggle with harsh symptoms. Although it may feel like a loss, instead, think about it more as a time to allow the body to heal and grow stronger.
An important note: If you're plagued by cramps, don't take NSAIDs or other anti-inflammatory drugs just before or during exercise since they interfere with kidney function. Instead, go for a run or easy ride to ease the pain. I know the last thing we want to do is exercise but it can help lower prostaglandins (read about prostaglandins here) which can help ease cramps and boost your mood.
While it's important to stay active and mindful of the difference in our female physiology, it's also crucial to pay attention to the full picture — including taking rest days when needed, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep to fully recover to come back on the saddle stronger.
Images 1. @MachinesForFreedom / 2. @AuntFlo / 3. @Jay_Tok
An important note: If you're plagued by cramps, don't take NSAIDs or other anti-inflammatory drugs just before or during exercise since they interfere with kidney function. Instead, go for a run or easy ride to ease the pain. I know the last thing we want to do is exercise but it can help lower prostaglandins (read about prostaglandins here) which can help ease cramps and boost your mood.
While it's important to stay active and mindful of the difference in our female physiology, it's also crucial to pay attention to the full picture — including taking rest days when needed, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep to fully recover to come back on the saddle stronger.
Images 1. @MachinesForFreedom / 2. @AuntFlo / 3. @Jay_Tok
There seems to be two minds about female grooming and saddle issues, the first being that grooming is correlated to saddle issues and the second that grooming is not correlated to saddle issues but rather hygiene. The first thought, spurred by British Cycling, has their olympic women's team taking world-class expert advice to advise against bikini waxing, shaving, and hair removal creams. The rule to not groom was encouraged when the team had been suffering from saddle soreness and warned that a lack of pubic hair was contributing to this issue - a problem hampering the team's performance. Apparently, not grooming has lead to better performance and less saddle issues.
The second thought of saddle issues comes from a term the women's cycling community has liberally used to describe saddle discomfort as "Flap Mash", taken from Emily Chappell's article in Casquette magazine, The Truth About Saddle Sores. In the article, Chappell interviews journalist and writer of Saddle, Sore, Molly Hurford, who's professional investigative conclusion has lead her to believe that grooming is not the issue while its more about labial asymmetry and keeping yourself clean by getting out of your shorts soon after a ride and avoiding chamois cream if you don't groom all your hair.
Personally, I have no issue with pubic hair but I do think it has become a political statement and for others a fashion statement. I also believe there is a societal obsession with making women's bodies "better" or "cleaner" for public consumption. The beauty industry has tapped into this offering loads of products and services to achieve "perfection" and the cycling industry is no fool to this either. While women's cycling products are coming up by the dozens, I do not doubt marketing strategies to appeal to saddle comfort while also trying to keep their female customers happy. I'm not arguing that we should go au natural but rather that we take precautions on caring for our lady bits that can affect our overall health and enjoyment on the saddle.
If you are suffering from saddle issues, don't ignore it. Regardless of what school of thought you side with, what's important is to help you address these issues. Here are some ways to help you manage your lady bits health on the saddle.
Chamois cream:
Using a lubricate like chamois cream helps to reduce friction between our skin and cycling shorts. You can find women's specific brands of chamois creams that are developed specifically to help women maintain a healthy pH balance while fighting bacteria build-up. I personally am a fan of HER Chamios Butt'r and apply on my chamois and areas of the groin that may rub on the saddle or shorts. I've been using this product for years now and have never had an issue but every woman is different, so try a few till you find what works for you! For more on chamois cream, read up on the Best Chamois Creams from TWC.
Barrier
I hear from a lot of women that they suffer from inner-thigh chafing. This happens when the sides of the saddle rub against delicate skin. You can address this by using anti-chafing gels such as Lanacane that provides a barrier on the skin from bibs or shorts rubbing on the skin. Also keep in mind that shorts with seams can also create chaffing and rubbing so try to look for shorts that don't have seams around the chamois and your sensitive areas.
Quality Chamois and Kit
From the positioning of the chamois in the shorts to the seam positioning and fit, all these can have a major impact on saddle comfort. A common mistake by cyclists is that they wear underwear under their shorts. This prevents the technical fabrics in the chamois from functioning properly and will trap moisture to the skin, risking bacterial infection so go commando, this is what chamois is for. When looking for quality chamois, look for seamlessness and take note of zig zag threading in the chamois. Machines For Freedom claims that "polymide-carbon threading makes chamois fabric ultra fast drying, bacteriostatic, and reduces heat gain during long hours in the saddle." I would also add that their bibs are my absolute go to's, quality doesn't even go far enough about how great they are from how they look, feel, and perform on the saddle.
Maintain
Grooming is a personal choice. While waxing or shaving may look nice on the beach, it can become a nightmare for irritation, friction, snagging, chaffing, and infected bumps. While it seems that maintaining a trimmed nether region is preferable to avoiding saddle issues according to Total Women's Cycling on the subject intimate grooming, if you're going to shave or wax, keep in mind to take care of delicate skin after removing hair to avoid follicle infection with a layer of antibiotic ointment and don't forget to apply chamois cream on the chamois and on your lady bits too.
Saddle Fit
Prolonged pressure between the body and saddle is obviously an issue for "Flap Mash"and while resolving it with our bodies natural barriers is one way to handle it, perhaps a change in saddle and positioning on saddle is needed too. Although finding the perfect saddle is a challenge, there are numerous bike shops that have saddle libraries for you to test. Keep in mind that although one saddle might work for a handful of ladies, it may not work you. I highly recommend getting a saddle fit along with a bike fit. This will help you manage your sitting position (60 degree horizontal recommended) on the saddle and save you a lot of trouble from these afflictions.
As one woman out of many, my saddle experiences have not been as bad as many others for all the years I've been riding. I have a before and after cycling personal routine to keep my lady bits healthy from diet, supplements, and hygiene and it has served me well for many years. One issue I use to come across more as I started road cycling is numbing before I bought my Selle Italia Diva Flow. I've seen many women with this saddle and they also boast great comfort on it. For most of the part, your saddle comfort is based on the type of riding you do so do your research and start here on How To Choose A Saddle.
So, to groom or not to groom? While saddle issues are no fun, it's important that we learn to care for our bodies on and off the saddle. The debate between grooming is one that will linger between experts, journalists, and the industry but it's up to us to decide what is right for our bodies. Their is no one-size fits all solution and while speaking up about our personal afflictions is embarrassing, it can provide great comfort knowing how to care for yourself and that you aren't the only woman that suffers from these issues. As far as if you should groom... well, that's up to you.
Image Courtesy @MachinesForFreedom
In the mid Hudson Valley, we have a cycling club and a few bike shops that serves the entire community. As friendly and inviting they are to the community, female representation lacks and from my perspective, women need to see it to be it. While I do enjoy being part of my local club, volunteering at events and rides, I often travel down to NYC to join women's cycling group rides and events. Often on these rides, I wonder why can't we have this type of community in the HV. Is it that we aren't asking? Is it that we don't have the resources? Perhaps its both and lack of leadership.
Recently, I have been reaching out to a few industries about forming a women's cycling group in the Hudson Valley and got the response I was hoping for. I also took it to Facebook to a local women's group and also got a warm welcome. While reaching out on social media is helpful and reaching out to my local bike shop has been welcomed, there still lacks a broader network of support. This got me thinking, while cities have a lot of support from industry and organizations to support women to be active in their communities, I don't want women in rural America to be forgotten.
It's easy to forget that women in rural or suburban areas care about their communities but we exist and we want a level playing field too. Starting a local women's cycling group seems intimidating, however, I feel that I have the platform, skills, and drive to do it. My goals for organizing group rides is to bring women together and grow women's cycling and exploration all over the Hudson Valley. Being #OUTSIDEISFREE and for women, nature is the most level playing field we have to be free and be ourselves together.
So here I am working to develop a women's cycling community in my backyard. If there is one thing I have learned while being a women's cycling advocate and blogger, it's to stay persistent. If there is ever a place to advocate for cycling, it's in those forgotten parts of the country. I hope you will follow along with me on this journey. More at Hudson Valley's Womens Cycling.
Bicycles have the unique ability to act as both a metaphor and a means for moving young girls and women forward. Riding a bicycle can build independence, expand one’s world, increase positive body image, improve health and increase one’s connection to her environment. In addition, bicycles provide a way of expanding a girls' environment, literally and metaphorically opening up their worlds as a means to allowing them to take themselves wherever they want to go.
I have always believed that to empower a girl, you have to develop her skills. Building skills in girls strengthens self-esteem and independence, allowing girls to develop new abilities and confidence to contribute as leaders in their communities. While girls may benefit greatly from empowerment programs, a bicycle skills program can address development and skill capabilities. Combining empowerment and bike skills, girls can learn about positive body image, healthy habits, their environment, social engagement, and problem solving.
Skills girls can learn about bike mechanics or safety also helps contribute to knowledge development and confidence in handling a problem. Girls who can fix their own bikes will feel empowered to solve problems in their lives as they will have developed the skills to keep riding over months and years to adulthood. In a program to develop bike skills for girls, we open a space where they can openly ask questions about bicycle maintenance and issues they may be facing about insecurities, aspirations, and body development.
Bicycle skill programs are powerful tools in promoting competence, confidence, and connection in girls. While there are many women's cycling empowerment advocacy groups and clubs, there is a gap between connecting young girls in cycling. I hope that by sharing my knowledge and experience in my volunteer work that I can inspire and foster a movement in women's cycling to get more girls on bikes with a few suggestions...
Girls tend to be much more positive and supportive of each other. They are much more receptive to suggestions and instructions from their female peers and need to feel that it's a "girls only club". Having a female teacher, ride leader, or peer to help teach can help them learn by example and allow the girls to talk about things related to their abilities comfortably. By having a girls-only session, teaching skills by a female leaders or peers influences their ability and boosts their confidence when they have someone to look up to. Bring in the local high school girls who ride good or a local pro who can lead them on a ride and talk to them. Embracing girl talk on our bikes is what we do best.
Educate
Building skills in girls requires education. In a bike skills program we can teach basic bike maintenance, basic riding skills, safety and road skills. Starting off easy for them to put their skills to practice to a few challenges along the way. Challenging them is important but it's more crucial that they build their confidence to take them to the next level. It's amazing to see how quickly their excitement and skills develop when they have a peer demonstrating to them.
Have Fun
And keep it fun. Girls draw energy and pleasure from the success of the group. Us this energy to keep the atmosphere light and fun to attract more girls to join. Encourage them to go wild, climb hills, stunts, or balance their bike. Let girls be girls while celebrating their smallest successes with cookies, bike bells, or a certificate of course completion at the end. Other ways to have fun in educating them is by organizing a few races where they can show off their new founds skills and confidence, obviously with some prizes in the end.
Special thanks to the Girl Scouts of Hudson Valley, our club partners and sponsors. A true team effort on the part of Westchester Cycle Club, the Girls Scouts Bike Rodeo program achieved it’s mission. The girls had a great time and left with information and skills that will empower them to become safe and happy members of the cycling community, and who knows, maybe even future racers!
Without that announcement, I would have never known there was women's peloton cycling. There is no denying that women's cycling is underrepresented in the grand scheme of professional cycling. While women's representation in professional cycling is beginning to gradually change and become more pronounced by the rising support of women's cycling in the industry, there is also the rise of women joining in competitive cycling. While more women are out on the road and trails riding their bikes, not many follow the pros and watch their races. Generally there is a correlation between professional sports and growth of amateur participation in a sport, yet, paving the way for media coverage, pay, and industry support of women's cycling still has a long way to go.
I don't want to go down the rabbit hole of why, this is another post for later, but I do want to raise attention and provide resources on how you can get the latest news and info on women's pro-cycling. While there are sites like Podium Cafe and Cycling Tips that report on the biggest races, there are smaller races that don't get all the coverage you need. That's where I come in to guide you to the resources to find out what's going on as Tour season begins. Giro d'Italia anyone?
Below are websites to guide you through where to get news and reports on the current happenings of the women's peloton races. These outlets also update their twitter feed with current news and racing events so please follow them too!
Pro Women's Cycling
Cycling Podcast Feminin
Ella Cycling Tips Race
Women's UCI Cycling Show Podcast
Podium Cafe - Women's Cycling
Total Women's Cycling- Events
Cycling News - Women
Women Cycling Fever
How to watch women's peloton races? Some media outlets require subscriptions or a VPN. Some of these links don't require such. If you're aware of other means of live streaming women's races, please share!
Steephill.tv
ITV 4 - vpn required
Cycling TV - subscription required
ProCyclingLive
Cycling Fans
1. Click through to sponsors
2. Thank the sponsors for supporting the sport
3. Always include the women’s cycling account, and use the official hashtags
4. Consider buying products from companies that support women’s cycling – and then tell the company that you did
5. Include links in your social media
6. Click on women’s cycling media – and share that too!
7. Watch and share official videos
8. Thank media companies for showing women’s races
9. Just sharing or liking other people’s social media helps
10. Take 5 minutes and plan to go to a race in real life or volunteer!
Please do share if you have any other resources or information on how to promote women's cycling. We are in a great time of progress for women's cycling and can do a little more to help make a difference in the smallest ways.
I hope this will inspire you to take a few minutes to learn more about the women in cycling. These are great resources that include stories of pain and victory by the most elite cycling athletes and teams in the sport.
You can always follow me on Twitter @citygirlrides to get a bit of commentary and some resources of races that I will be watching. Sarah Connolly of @pwcycling is great on keeping up on these races and a great resource to look to if you want to learn more about professional women's cycling. She's also infectious with her passion and enthusiasm so just be ready to dive deep.
image courtesy @wmscycling
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