Need Some Inspiration to Get You Through the Winter? Follow These Women in Cycling

I was on a major podcast binge over the holidays and found some women in off-road cycling who really inspired me….like inspired me to the point that I had my credit card out searching for events. If you need a little inspiration to get you through the cold (or if you live the southeast, rainy) winter months, check out some of my favorites.

Lael Wilcox

I actually met Lael in Atlanta when she came for the screening of I Just Want To Ride (also highly recommended). Lael is an ultra-endurance cyclist with the most positive outlook on cycling and life that I’ve ever seen. She’s done some crazy things like break the women’s record for the Tour Divide after riding her bike from Alaska to the start of the Tour Divide in Banff.

Podcasts:
The Adventure Stache
Path Less Pedaled

Documentary

Rebecca Rusch

I’ve been following Rebecca for a while. They call her the Queen of Pain. She was a professional mountain bike racer and has all sorts of crazy accomplishments under her belt, including being the first DK350 winner with practically no training. On my absolute list to see is her Blood Road documentary. Learn more here.

What I have enjoyed about Rebecca is that at 50, she’s living life exactly how she wants to live it. It’s very en-vogue to follow your passions when you’re in your twenties but to be able to create a life on your terms as you get older is tough. Responsibilities, 401ks, and general societal norms creep in. Also, her event, Rebecca’s Private Idaho is on the top of my list of events to do in the next 3-5 years.

Podcasts:
Rich Roll
King of the Ride
Wild Ideas Worth Living

Alison Tetrick

A professional cyclist turned gravel racer, also known as the Queen of Gravel (we apparently have a lot of queens out there), Alison seems like someone I’d want to sit down with over a cup of coffee. Before you start listening to podcasts, her story in bicycling magazine about her concussion and traumatic brain injury are worth a read.

Podcasts:
The Gravel Ride
Leadville

Ellen Noble

I met Ellen at the Trek’s Women Summit and thought she was at least 10-years older than she actually is. Her poise and insight stand out right away. I really enjoyed her interview with Payson Mcelveen. Ellen spends a lot of time unpacking her history and sharing what feminism means to her.

Podcasts:
The Adventure Stache

Kristi Mohn

This isn’t a name that most people will be familiar with but she’s done a lot to help promote women’s participation in gravel events. She was the driving force behind the 200 women 200 miles Dirty Kanza initiative and the growth of women’s participation at Dirty Kanza is directly related to her initiatives. I’m excited that she has the resources of Lifetime behind her to continue this evolution.

Podcasts:
King of the Ride

Sarah True

Okay, she’s not a gravel cyclist or even an off-road cyclist but as someone who still dips an occasional toe into triathlon, I just adore Sarah True. She spoke very openly about her depression after the Olympics in 2016 and has invited people into a very personal and disappointing year in 2019. She’s brutally honest and also seems like someone who would be a lot of fun to hang out with on a Friday night.

Podcasts:
Ironwomen
King of the Ride
Also worth checking out is her YouTube channel - TrueTube