Cycling Oklahoma
Inside the Peloton: Aubrey Drummond’s Cycling Journey
What if you had to rebuild your passion from the ground up, overcoming setbacks and redefining your goals along the way? Join us as we chat with Aubrey Drummond, a professional cyclist with deep roots in the sport, who takes us through her incredible journey from junior racing to the professional circuit. With personal stories that span iconic races like Tulsa Tough, Gateway and many more, Aubrey offers a heartfelt look into the life of an athlete dedicated to her craft. Her narrative not only highlights the physical demands but also the emotional and mental resilience required to thrive in competitive cycling.
Aubrey opens up about the unique dynamics within the Peloton and the critical role of team communication and family support. We delve into her family's passionate involvement in cycling, including her mother's influential role in USA Cycling. But it's not all smooth rides and victories; Aubrey candidly discusses the challenges she's faced, such as the disappointment of not making the World's team and the struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. These personal accounts of adversity and triumph paint a vivid picture of the highs and lows in the sport.
We also explore the thrill and complexity of European racing, with Aubrey sharing her thoughts on possibly joining a European team and the logistical hurdles involved. From the excitement of racing in picturesque locations to the nitty-gritty of team strategies and equipment preferences, this episode covers it all. Whether you're a cycling enthusiast or someone inspired by stories of resilience and passion, Aubrey's experiences and insights offer a comprehensive look at what it takes to build a successful career in professional cycling. Don't miss out on this compelling conversation that showcases the heart and soul behind the sport.
Instagram
@aubreyydrummond
@gs_etfs_racing
@boydcycling
@timecycling
@cboeglobalmarkets
@safettiusa
@totally_tish
What if you had to rebuild your passion from the ground up, overcoming setbacks and redefining your goals along the way? Join us as we chat with Aubrey Drummond, a professional cyclist with deep roots in the sport, who takes us through her incredible journey from junior racing to the professional circuit. With personal stories that span iconic races like Tulsa Tough, Gateway and many more, Aubrey offers a heartfelt look into the life of an athlete dedicated to her craft. Her narrative not only highlights the physical demands but also the emotional and mental resilience required to thrive in competitive cycling.
Aubrey opens up about the unique dynamics within the Peloton and the critical role of team communication and family support. We delve into her family's passionate involvement in cycling, including her mother's influential role in USA Cycling. But it's not all smooth rides and victories; Aubrey candidly discusses the challenges she's faced, such as the disappointment of not making the World's team and the struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. These personal accounts of adversity and triumph paint a vivid picture of the highs and lows in the sport.
We also explore the thrill and complexity of European racing, with Aubrey sharing her thoughts on possibly joining a European team and the logistical hurdles involved. From the excitement of racing in picturesque locations to the nitty-gritty of team strategies and equipment preferences, this episode covers it all. Whether you're a cycling enthusiast or someone inspired by stories of resilience and passion, Aubrey's experiences and insights offer a comprehensive look at what it takes to build a successful career in professional cycling. Don't miss out on this compelling conversation that showcases the heart and soul behind the sport.
Instagram
@aubreyydrummond
@gs_etfs_racing
@boydcycling
@timecycling
@cboeglobalmarkets
@safettiusa
@totally_tish
What is up? Cycling Oklahoma. Thank you so much for tuning in to another episode. This one's a great one. They're all great, if you ask me, but clearly I might be a little biased, but thank you so much for listening to this one. This one is awesome.
Speaker 1:Aubrey Drummond. So now I have collected three of the four family members in the Drummond family, so mama Drummond is coming soon. She just has not heard my pitch and or told me no yet. So, uh, aubrey is incredible bike racer, um, and an incredible human, and I just am so thankful she took time out of her busy schedule. She had a little bit of a break in her race season to sit down and chat and was in town, uh, in Oklahoma city, from Bentonville, uh, visiting family, and so we had the chance to talk about how she got started in racing, what it's like racing at Tulsa Tough now as a pro compared to when she started as a Cat 4, racing in the juniors and the Kids Cup at Tour de Dirt. I mean, we kind of cover it all and it was a super fun conversation. The entire Drummond family is just absolutely incredible and I just absolutely love every one of them and think so much of them. So I'm thankful that Aubrey took time to hang out with us and to share her stories. I think you'll have some. So I think you'll enjoy this one because we get a little bit more insight of what it's like to be a pro traveling around, what it's like inside the Peloton when they're racing at top speed, uh, with the top racers in the country. So she shares a little bit of insights there and kind of tells about, like, how they talk to each other and how they communicate as a team and as other as a rider. So super cool. So I hope you enjoy this one and, uh, as the last, basically year of episodes, it's brought to you by more overhead door.
Speaker 1:Thank you guys so much for supporting this podcast. Um, check them out. More overhead doorcom and more as in like the city. So more overhead doorcom. Uh, their phone number is 4 0, 5, 7, 9, 9, 9, 2, 1, 4. If you're looking for, you know you're building a new house. You got the hail damage, you finally got that insurance check in from all the storms we had this year and you need to get that replaced. Or you know you got your list of summer duties to get done and uh, fixing the garage door is one of them. Give these guys a call. They take great care of us and are investing their money back into the cycling community. Uh, if we have needs for their services, we need to reach out to them and use them and let them know, uh that you heard it here, so they know their dollars are going to good use. Uh, but I can't think more overhead door enough for for taking the time and the dollars to support this cause. Um, but again, I appreciate it If you want to be on the podcast.
Speaker 1:You know somebody else that wants to be on the podcast. Please let me know and, uh, we will do our best to get them on here. Like I said, we have several that are already recorded. So no interruptions for sure for the next few months, and I hope you really enjoy this conversation with Aubrey Drummond. Thanks, all right, aubrey, this one, um, we have. I say this in a lot of my podcasts, but I have been after you for a long time to do this. Yes.
Speaker 1:Like at least a year? Yeah, probably. And you're like, oh, I'm like on the road racing blah blah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm never home when you're there, and vice versa.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, but I think, well, mama drama is the last one I know and you'll, you guys, will officially be the first family that I've all the way through.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and she probably has better stories than all of us A hundred percent, I would like to know what goes on in her mind.
Speaker 3:Let's do that. All of the racing.
Speaker 1:And she has a whole different point of view. Yeah, and she has a cool job now in in the cycling world a lot of cool stuff.
Speaker 3:Now she gets to work with all the top athletes yeah, what's her actual title?
Speaker 1:do you know?
Speaker 3:I she okay, she actually has been kind of working her way up over the past couple months.
Speaker 1:She's gaining a lot of new roles she's in you at works with usa cycling.
Speaker 3:Yes, okay, she works right under bonnie walker okay who is the head um? Because? She was, I don't know her nationals the other day. And yes, yeah um, she's gonna start doing a lot of stuff with the collegiate racing okay um, I think helping with events and stuff there's a family that's just full blast cycling yeah, I mean she's gone as much as I am now like yes, it's just Ryan and my dad at home for the most part.
Speaker 1:What's your dad going to do when Ryan hits the road?
Speaker 3:Well, Ryan's on the road too now. So if my dad's not there, poor dad, just he needs to get back into racing, I think.
Speaker 1:So then he's traveling racing with us that's true, or is he like enjoying that he has the house to himself and just takes care of the pups?
Speaker 3:and just takes care of the pups. He probably likes the relaxation, but I've actually got him working with our team. He was our mechanic at Tulsa and I think I got him lined up for two more. So I'm still putting him to work a little bit.
Speaker 1:That poor dude is wrenched on a lot of bikes.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's great, though. He's my favorite mechanic ever, so I'm happy about it.
Speaker 1:Good answer All right, aubrey, let's like jump back to the very beginning, and we kind of briefly talked about this beforehand. The beginning could be a full episode. Yes. Because you've kind of done nothing but this, this is all I've done.
Speaker 3:Yeah, have you ever played?
Speaker 1:other sports.
Speaker 3:I played basketball because I started racing when I was six.
Speaker 3:And then I went through a little phase I don't remember how old I was, maybe like eight, nine where I was like I hate this, I don't want to do it anymore. And then I got into basketball and I had a whole dream of like WNBA. I'm super into the OKC Thunder and I played basketball for like a year. I wasn't very good and I was like OK, I need to go back to what I'm actually good at. And then ever since then, it's been just cycling the whole time?
Speaker 1:Yep, okay, so introduce yourself your age. And now you're from Arkansas. Yes, okay. So go ahead and introduce yourself and just talk about how you kind of got going in the sport.
Speaker 3:I'm Aubrey Drummond, 21 years old. I live in Bentonville, Arkansas. I am a professional road cyclist for the Goldman Sachs ETF's women's professional team.
Speaker 1:That's a big sponsor. Yes, right, it's like official.
Speaker 3:When I'm walking around in our team attire at the store or the airport, like literally anywhere, people are like Goldman Sachs, like they have so many questions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's the real deal. How are you guys? A bike team? Yeah.
Speaker 3:It's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:We'll get into that later, okay.
Speaker 3:Now I have questions now that I'm thinking about it. Yeah, Like Ryan said, I'm in a family that's just full-blown cycling. I got into it when I was about six years old because my dad introduced us to it.
Speaker 1:Started with mountain biking doing the kids cup tour de dirt series is what I grew up doing.
Speaker 3:Um, and then was that, but just like he's racing, so you guys are just yeah along and jumping into moto when we, I mean up until about when ryan was born, okay, and then him and his friend transferred over to mountain biking just a little bit safer, more low key with kids around. Yeah, um and yeah, I think he just really enjoyed it. So he got us on bikes and I think, just like every parent, just wanted to see if we would enjoy it. Right.
Speaker 3:Um and yeah, it just took off. I loved going and riding mountain bikes with him. He would always take me out to Draper with him after work and it was a family thing. We would all go out and like eat dinner out there.
Speaker 1:It was super fun well, and even mama's done the 24 hour.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean she would ride with us too yeah like it was, we were a whole family train going down the trail, yeah and ryan eventually, when he was off his training wheels.
Speaker 3:Um, but yeah, so it's just been a a family thing ever since, and fast forward so you started with mountain bike cross, I did I only was doing mountain bike until maybe like 11 or 12, I can't remember exactly, um, but yeah, I went from kids cup mountain bike up until I went to Cat One when I was probably like 12 or 13. Okay, and then my dad again I think he decided to do cross and I tried it and my first race. I mean, you would have never guessed that I would end up racing cross the way I did, because my first race went terribly. I hated it.
Speaker 3:I remember just getting like tangled up in the tape at one point, like my bike was tangled. My brother was in the same race as me and I was like crying.
Speaker 1:I was like help me, and he just kept going by me. I was like I am never doing this again.
Speaker 3:Yes, it's something he would do to me for sure, um. But then I tried it again and I fell in love with cross very fast, like it became my new love over mountain biking. Um, and I did cross. I took cross pretty seriously when I I got my first coach at 13 okay, um, and I decided like this is what I want to do and yeah, did you think at that point like cross was going to be, like the dirt was going to be the thing?
Speaker 3:yes, yeah I never thought anything else like I remember being on my trainer after school and watching the like sphinis videos of.
Speaker 1:I was like crazy I was like I want to do that I'm like I have to be there.
Speaker 3:Um and yeah, we started traveling across the country when I was 14, maybe hitting all the national level races, going to nationals, and then, um, it was going really well for us and I started to do uci cross racing when I was 16. I did my first UCI race, which led me to going for the Worlds team in 2019. It was the first year they ever had a 17-18 junior race at Worlds.
Speaker 3:It was always U23 and elite only, and it was my last year as a junior, so I was like I just felt like so much pressure to do it because I knew I could do it, which, yeah, I went all in for that. That year I was doing online school because I was traveling so much I got to do some USA camps in Bentonville at the time. I hadn't lived there yet, and then, yeah, yeah, I ended up. There was a lot of politics involved with it, unfortunately is that probably?
Speaker 3:I mean, I'm guessing that's kind of how it is in all of that world a little bit, you needed a mama working for usa cycling, then right yeah um, I think it's a little bit different for what I'm doing now because like we don't go to worlds for crit racing, but I think it is like politics are really big in mountain biking and cross um for the for like the team usa stuff yes, okay, and is it same for getting on pro teams too, or is it just more of that like national level?
Speaker 3:stuff, it definitely helps like who you know. I would say it's still possible, but it is a really big part of it which is just how it is.
Speaker 3:But it is unfortunate because at the time, like we knew people but there was other girls I was racing who had like super legit connections and that's what it came down to is the. It was like down to one more spot for the world's team and someone got picked over me and like we went back and did the research and I had beat that girl at literally every race all year, except for one race where I had a mechanical and it was. I think it was just politics and it was tough when it's not results based.
Speaker 1:Yes, like you would think, something like that would be a point series and we're just taking the top like the top three. I don't know how many are. How many are on the team, is there?
Speaker 3:a lot. It varies.
Speaker 1:Okay, usually you think they would take like we're gonna take the top five and then we have two at-large bids, or whatever the number is.
Speaker 3:That's kind of how I think they took five or six maybe. So I knew it was going to be hard because I wasn't like the top in my age category, but I was always in that top five bubble.
Speaker 3:So I just knew it was possible. It's just I worked so hard and for it to come down to it like that was just heartbreaking. And I didn't have the best season either, because I let the pressure get to me a lot, um, cause I just felt like this is what I've been working for since I was 13, when I got my coach.
Speaker 1:Um, but yeah, still did that kind of like pop that cross dream, or it did.
Speaker 3:Actually I haven't done cross since and not to get too deep here, but after that season it was really hard for me. I was very unmotivated and I really wasn't sure what I wanted to do anymore. And then COVID happened right after that and we can get into a little if you want, but I got COVID really badly as well. Yeah, I definitely want to hit on that. I right after that.
Speaker 2:And we can get into a little if you want, but I got COVID really badly as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I definitely want to hit on that. I forgot about that. That was really bad.
Speaker 3:In that moment I was like I kind of want to just hang it up. I remember having a talk with my dad and being like I don't think I want to do it anymore.
Speaker 1:Because you were about 18 at this point.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think I was 17 about to turn 18.
Speaker 3:You guys were y'all in Tulsa, yes, Okay, um, but yeah, I think it was just a combination of, like my dream was crushed and then um getting sick and yeah, I was like what's the point?
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, I mean since that's brought up and that's kind of on the timeline. You got COVID and it was not, and it was when COVID was fresh and new.
Speaker 3:Yes, I got it March 2020.
Speaker 1:Um so right, when things were shutting down.
Speaker 3:Yeah, um it was. It was a very chaotic week when I got it. We weren't totally sure if I had it because you couldn't even go get tested unless you were like at risk and needed to be in the hospital, um, but I got a fever and I was just like really lethargic and I remember sleeping for like just two weeks. I was just sleeping, um, and yeah, like I said, we weren't totally sure, um, and then I mean, when I was sick, my parents would try to get me to go out and go on walks, like that was the only exercise I could do, and I would walk for like three minutes and be like I am tapped out and I would have to go home and I would sleep for the rest of the day Like it was definitely not like anything else I'd ever had. So we took the precautions of if I had COVID and I was in my own space and not walking around the house or anything, and no one else got it in the house.
Speaker 1:I don't know how, but I'm thankful.
Speaker 3:Um, and then, yeah, I thought I was better. I went back to training and, um, I did a local Tuesday night current in Tulsa, and I remember just my heart rate was so high, like higher than it usually is. I felt very weird, like lightheaded, and I was like this is just not normal for me, I've never felt this way. And everyone was like, oh, it's probably the heat, you know this that. And I was like, no, like something feels wrong. Yeah, it was like yeah, a couple months later Cause then I think it was May I finally went to the doctor, cause I was just noticing a lot of things. I was having like palpitations and shortness of like you know the COVID things, and I ended up having to go to the doc, like in and out of the hospital for months before anyone could help me figure out what was going on, like I got literally every test done.
Speaker 3:So, we went to a doctor once and they're like, well, we might have to do like open heart surgery to figure out what's going on, and we're like no, and it was pretty like I was feeling defeated at that point because I was like I know something's wrong, but like we can't figure it out. And it's been months now and we got to get in touch with this doctor in New York who was specializing in COVID at the time and, like to be fair, no one really knew everything, because it was so fresh so it was hard to be frustrated at doctors.
Speaker 3:But I wanted them to just tell me if they didn't know instead of like doing all this other stuff yeah. And what it ended up being is. I had mitocarditis which is inflammation around the heart is. I had mitocarditis, which is inflammation around the heart, and, um yeah, they put me on a beta blocker cause they thought it would help because my heart rate was just so high Like sitting here now my heart rate would have been like one 35.
Speaker 3:It was scary, yeah, like all the time all the time, Um like it never dipped down below's so scary, yes, and which made me really tired, yeah, and my chest, I had like bad chest pains and all kinds of stuff. It was like it was pretty painful, just like every day yeah. But yeah, they put me on a beta blocker and ended up making me more sick, so I went off of that. And then, yeah, we got in touch with that doctor and he was like it's just gonna have to run its course, kind of like we don't have anything we can give you to make it go away and we're like when or how long?
Speaker 3:yeah, and I was like well, I mean at least we know now like that's okay and I can be prepared it wasn't gonna get worse or it's just gonna be what it's gonna be they didn't really say if it would get worse.
Speaker 3:I just don't think anyone would knew. But they were like we don't know how long it's going to last, we don't know when it will go away. They're like your heart rate might go away, it might go down over time, we're not sure. Oh my gosh, so scary. But we ended up just like doing.
Speaker 2:My dad did a lot of research and saw that like vegan diets really help with inflammation.
Speaker 3:So the whole family shout out to them uh, buckled down and we did a vegan diet for like half a year. Okay, and within two weeks of this vegan diet, like, I started to feel so much better it like cleared everything up within a month probably crazy, which was amazing. Yeah, um and yeah. Then, like once we did that, I was good again and I don't know, if it was, that's just how long it ran its course. Or like a combination?
Speaker 3:yeah, of the diet too, but I was not on a bike for like nine months. I was able to start training january of the next year. Wow Again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's like starting all over.
Speaker 3:Yeah, during it, though, I was like I don't think I'm ever going to be able to raise my bike again, like how am I going to do this? But yeah, we're good now. I still have really high heart rate. Like it never really went away, okay.
Speaker 1:Um so like your resting heart rate's naturally higher now.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's high in the races, it's very high. Like max heart rate higher. Yeah, my max heart. Well, my max heart rate is two, 15, which I set after the COVID stuff. And that's what's funny. I show my teammates my heart rate after the race and they just can't believe it. Like sometimes I hold like 200 for like a minute or two in a race and I don't really notice it in the race, it's just my heart rate is very high now.
Speaker 3:And what was it before? Do you remember? I don't know, I don't remember, but it was definitely more normal like averaging one eighties in a race, but now it's always like one 90 upper, one brothers, like that.
Speaker 1:So my brother's, four and a half years older than me, and I remember we would ride together some cause he got into bikes later and he never really. He raced a few times but um, but we, I remember we did a Thunderbird cat three mountain bike race and it was his first one and we got done and he was like, yeah, my average heart and I can't remember exactly my average heart, it was like in the one nineties and I'm like, tracy, you're going to die Like, are you sure? He's like, and I'm like what the heck? And? But we would go ride and it would be the same thing. We'd be riding along and I would be like you know, it'd be like 175 and his like 190 and I'm like, are you okay?
Speaker 3:but he would hit 200s and I'm like, dude, I would fall off my bike, but his just some people it's just naturally higher I think that's crazy, like my teammates or even my dad in the race are like oh, my gosh, my gosh, my heart rate is 170. And that's high for them. And I'm like that's crazy. That's like an endurance ride for me, yeah.
Speaker 1:We used to have a buddy that used to live here and his was on the low side, so we would go out and like, do Mount Scott. And we would get done. His heart rate would be like 152. And I'm like strange, wow, yeah, because his max was like in the 160s would be his max heart rate, and he was, like I don't know, a couple years older than me but this was 10 years ago. Yeah, yeah, his wasn't like.
Speaker 3:Naturally weird how everybody's so different.
Speaker 1:So you can't take that stupid like whatever 220 minus your age or whatever the algorithm.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, that's when I first started training. After having it, I would freak out like looking at it my heart rates when, like it took me, it was a big mental block afterwards but now it's just what, like I just know yeah it's okay not to panic when I look down and see like 202 in the race. Just like keep going you're good.
Speaker 1:You're like sweet, whatever, I should be. Yes, perfect. After that time frame you had nine months off. Were you refreshed and like so excited to be on the bike, or were you just like I don't think. Maybe I'm just over this chapter?
Speaker 3:yeah, I finally like got it back. Um, and I I'm not sure. I almost wonder, now that I'm saying it, if it was like when I was sick. That scared feeling of not being able to do it again made me realize how much I actually love doing it, because I mean, yeah, like I said, I wasn't able to ride during all of this. So once like November came around and I was starting to feel a lot better, I was pretty antsy to get back on my bike, which is great. And then I remember going out. One of my first couple of training rides was I went out and did like an FTP test. I know. Right.
Speaker 3:But I was, I was excited and like it went really well and I was like okay, I'm back, we're good and then, how much did you lose from your FTP test in January of 20 and your FTP test in January of 21. I think it was higher actually.
Speaker 1:What.
Speaker 3:I don't know how, but I didn't lose any. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Weird.
Speaker 3:I was super rested.
Speaker 1:No kidding, tapered right into it. Yeah, because.
Speaker 3:I think I did maybe like a couple little rides.
Speaker 1:But still December, or something. That wasn't training at all.
Speaker 3:No, it would take months to get yeah ready for that I don't if it was higher, it was just by a few watts, it wasn't like I didn't blow it out of the water, but but you would think it'd be like 30 percent lower.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're 40 percent lower, like you're starting from scratch yeah, so strange yeah maybe you got superpowers like spidey senses.
Speaker 3:I know I gained something, yeah, interesting. That's what I'm going to tell myself.
Speaker 1:People licking doorknobs trying to get COVID.
Speaker 3:Don't recommend. No.
Speaker 1:Wow, okay. So then you started training again, and this was in 21.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And then were you like I just want to do road stuff now, or I did actually join a local team, okay, in arkansas.
Speaker 3:Okay, um, because this was after my cross season. I was feeling very over cyclocross racing and I joined a road team called breakaway cycling were you guys living in arkansas.
Speaker 1:We were in Tulsa.
Speaker 3:But I messaged the director of this women's team one day. It was like December, it was really cold, it was sometime in the winter and she was like, we're actually having our team camp right now. If you want to come over to Arkansas, ride with the team, see if you like it. And my mom drove me to Arkansas the next morning, just like I've never done anything like that ridiculous I know they're amazing.
Speaker 3:Um, and yeah, I ended up uh racing with them a few times. Covid was still affecting the racing a little bit um were they just like a local arkansas team? Or kind of like a regional team or.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was. Well, there's actually a few people from Tulsa who were on the team, but it was mainly Arkansas based. So I was kind of like in a weird zone of like, not really sure what I was wanting to do. I had always loved doing crits in the off season, but I had only ever done it locally and then I ended up. Well, then we moved to Benville after that I believe.
Speaker 3:Um and I ended up going to college at Lindenwood University in Missouri. Um and I was racing on a cycling scholarship and that's when I really got into road. Um, I was still planning to do a cross season, but in September they had gateway cup and it's just 20 minutes from the school, so the whole team does it. I went into it with zero expectations. I hadn't been training like I usually do, just because, like the adjustment of going to school trying to find roads, like it, was just a really big slap in the face of like, how do I balance all of these things? Um, and yeah, I went into it with zero expectations, even though it's going to be my first pro crit ever.
Speaker 1:So you were racing pro. Going to race pro at this point?
Speaker 3:Yes, Um, and I think I just did it because the whole team was doing the pro race and it was a one-two and it was a cat-two. So I was like it just makes sense, but I wasn't like going into it serious. I was being super like goofy with the girls beforehand. You know, just a fun race. And Friday night I ended up getting seventh place, which I could not believe it. I was celebrating like I had won the race.
Speaker 1:I remember just like it's one of the biggest races in the country yeah, and that's what.
Speaker 3:Like legion was there, like all of the big teams were there, and I remember the last three laps of I can't remember hardly any race, if you ask me that I'm like I don't know. It's like you black out a little bit um, but I remember the last three laps of that race very well and just being like, oh my gosh, I'm here.
Speaker 1:How is this happening?
Speaker 3:And being like, okay, you can do it. I think it was the first time in my life where I was like you can do it. Because, even in cross. I always lacked some confidence for some reason, and with road racing even local, local stuff just in the off season.
Speaker 3:I had this like crazy confidence I just didn't have any other racing, um. And so, yeah, I was like you just better be ready to fight, because friday night of gateway is super dark, there's like hardly any lights on the course scary. And I had never been in that position before of like bumping with those girls in the final lap Like it's no joke. Like you get bumped around for sure if you don't know how to hold your line and keep your wheel.
Speaker 3:And yeah, so I got seventh and I remember just riding around the course like I can't believe this happened and, like the first thing I did, yeah, the first thing I did was call my mom and dad as soon as I got off the and dad, I was like crying. I was like, do you see it? Oh, so yeah, that was like huge for me. And then so I went into the next day like, okay, we're gonna do it again, we're gonna try to do it better and I don't remember. I think I got like fifth or sixth oh wow, so then I was like oh okay, okay, this is easy, I got it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, in that race it was a downpour our last like few laps it was crazy. Yeah, um, and then yeah, it was. It was a really good week. I ended up having a crash on the last day, um, on the last lap, which I've always told people. I'm usually pretty confident in career racing. It's's very fast the corners, and I remember in this crash we were going into a corner. It was the last lap.
Speaker 3:I was like fourth wheel. I was ready, I was like I'm going to do it and I remember going into it and thinking like we are going so fast. I was like I don't know if we're going to make it out of this corner. And sure enough, like none of us made it out.
Speaker 1:Oh, everybody went down. Yeah, everybody just slid out.
Speaker 3:We were just going so fast. Yeah, like one person slid out and on that last lap you're so close Like we just had nowhere else to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And I was fine thankfully my first big crit crash, but it was great. That weekend honestly changed my life because then I had a lot of pro teams reaching out to me like the next week and I was just like I didn't even train for this race. Like I'm in college Um so what is that?
Speaker 1:Okay, so let's cause I want to get into some of the college stuff too, but like, what's it like whenever they do? They just like randomly find your number or find you on Facebook and start messaging you and saying, hey, this is what. Like how does the courtship, I guess, of a team athlete because I don't the average person doesn't know is like you reaching out to them or they're reaching out to you or they like giving you like a sales pitch, like how does all that work?
Speaker 3:yeah, it is very different when you get reached out to cause, when you reach out to a team, you're making a resume, you're trying to look just like I said, as professional as you can, yes, exactly. Um, so the fact that they were reaching out to me was like wow, like this is so cool.
Speaker 1:Um cause you were some new no name that they had never seen before. Yeah, because you were some new no-name that they had never seen before. Yeah, the coexist girl.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I ended up going with Lux Cycling, but the director reached out to me just on Instagram, like I happened to just check my message requests one day. Right.
Speaker 3:And there was like a message like do you want to join the Lux team? So I'm glad I checked that that day. But there were some people who reached out to me like friend of a friend. I had a friend who was racing for a women's team that had been running for years and she just gave them my contact. And they reach out to me that way.
Speaker 1:Do they say, hey, is the message coming in? Is it like, hey, are you interested in joining a team? Or is it like, hey, we're interested in you, here's what we have to offer. Is that upfront or is it? Do you have any interest? If so, let's talk details.
Speaker 3:Yes, okay, we notice your result at Gateway Like we're interested in having you for the next season. If you're interested, we would love to set up a call.
Speaker 1:How many teams did you actually talk to like legit that year?
Speaker 3:I think three. Okay, because I actually had there was a team who reached out to my college coach before or right after gateway, okay, and they're like it's a crit team. You'll go to europe, which I was really interested in, and so that was my first option and I was already ready to be like, yes, let's go to Europe.
Speaker 1:And race of course.
Speaker 3:And then yeah, and that's when I got the other few who reached out?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then, as far as talking to them, is that how you decided who you were going to go with?
Speaker 3:Okay, which it was really hard because I had never been in that position before. Um like cross, my dad had his own, like SPCX it was a team he started with one of his friends in Tulsa, so it wasn't like I had to apply to be, on a team.
Speaker 3:So I never been in this experience before. Apply to be on a team so I never been in this experience before. But I called all the teams and I had a notebook and I wrote down everything and, um, yeah, I just had to like figure out the pros and cons of everything and what were the it? Was exciting, but like knowing what is actually best for me to do.
Speaker 1:You know and now and you don't have to say names of the other teams but like what were the cons that made you say, like I don't think that interests me, or whatever?
Speaker 3:Well, so I actually I talked to a couple, and then that's when I saw the message from the director of Lux and for people who aren't familiar with Lux cycling, it's it was the biggest development team for juniors in america. Um, there's like a handful riders who are in the tour de france right now who are from lux. Um, so when I saw that like it was just as a junior, that was the team to be so once that came in, it was like I was pretty certain on what I wanted to do.
Speaker 3:Um, because? Not? Because not only is it, it's like the best development. Everyone wants to be on it, but it really is such an amazing program. The support that I had on Lux I've never had with another team Like in what way?
Speaker 1:what kind of support? Um like, what do they do?
Speaker 3:Um, we had a Swanee who like not to sound, sound spoiled, but she cooked every meal for us. She helped us with the laundry, she gave us massages after every race, like we never had to worry about so they run like a real deal it's like very high level how they're running it is it just because they have the funds to be able to do that?
Speaker 3:I think so they had a lot of funds, but I think they also just knew what it took because we were just juniors. But I think it says a lot that Lux was always winning everything and had hundreds of national championships. And they have riders in the world tour now, women and men, yeah, um, but yeah, like I've been on professional teams the past two years and lux was like it was amazing yeah um, not that the teams I were on the last two years weren't, but it was very smooth.
Speaker 1:You got like cycling the top level right off the bat. Yeah, yeah. And so how long were you with them?
Speaker 3:only Only one year, sadly, because it was the last year that Lux was a team. Halfway through our season they told us that they were pulling the plug on the program for the next year. I think it was like a little bit of funds. And also the owner, roy Nickman, I think he was just he's been in the cycling industry for so long and Lux has been industry for so long Like yeah.
Speaker 3:And Lux has been around for so long. I think he may have just wanted to do something else, something else I wasn't like, which is totally understandable. It's completely gone and it's so sad. I just hate it for even the juniors now, like there's still hot tube cycling, which was an equivalent development team, but it's only men's. So, junior girls don't have the opportunity we did on Lux.
Speaker 3:Um, but yeah, I'm so sad I would have definitely stuck around for another year or two on Lux, I think just because they sent us to all the races we wanted to do, we went to Europe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how was it? Let's talk about Europe real quick.
Speaker 3:How was?
Speaker 1:getting to fulfill that dream of going to Europe.
Speaker 3:It was amazing because, like I said, even when I was 13 doing cross, my dream was to always go to Europe and it didn't work out for cross racing. So when I had that chance for road, I was like, like it just felt.
Speaker 1:I felt so relieved, I was like like it just felt, I felt so relieved.
Speaker 3:So we were based in Siddard in the Netherlands and we were back and forth Netherlands and Belgium a lot. We were doing Kermesses there. And then we went to Italy for a stage race and Ireland for a stage race.
Speaker 1:How freaking cool I know, and so you were, it was even cool being able to like fly from like belgium, to italy, like on the plane. It was a whole different experience like, so like I've made it like I was kind of scared on the plane flying from belgium to italy, but I was like, but it's kind of cool it is super cool. I'm getting to do this, yeah, yeah, because you were like 19, 20, I was 19, okay, yeah, um and yeah, just being american like riding around.
Speaker 3:People are amazed by you and specialized bikes are also not popular in belgium, netherlands gotcha so everyone came up and inspected our bike like every part of it. It was so funny they had so many questions yeah it was really cool. Yeah, it's like oh made it. I'm such a big deal we were there for five weeks, I think which was my biggest trip away from home.
Speaker 1:That's a long time to be away from home.
Speaker 3:And I was nervous about getting homesick, but I was so like just entertained and busy that I didn't even think about racing.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's just racing in Europe in general. How was that different? And then follow-up question was it different racing in different parts of Europe compared to each other, or is it just like Euro racing is Euro racing?
Speaker 3:I think Euro racing is Euro racing. It was different Like the first race I did. I was, I feel, like I was just wide-eyed in the race the whole time by. Like this is so cool. It's exactly what I thought it would be. We're on the narrowest road you can think of.
Speaker 3:It was raining super hard, cobbles, everyone sliding everywhere and you're just so close in the pack. Career racing is super tight, yeah, but that was just a whole different level, I feel like, because there are so many people racing and we're going so fast and they're. They're aggressive over there. More aggressive I would say, um, but yeah, I was. We did a couple the first week we were there and I think the second one. Like Voss was there and like like the whole Alpecin women's team was there.
Speaker 3:I was freaking out. I was like on Celine's wheel at one point in the race I was like this is insane, like I just want to go up and say hi to her right now. It was so cool though, but that race, which just seems very Belgian to me, like the experience. It started raining really bad and one of the roads we came in on was totally flooded, like the water was halfway up our wheels and they were still running the race, and I was like that's just how it is here, I guess, but they ended up pulling the race.
Speaker 3:We had one or two races that got stopped due to rain, but yeah, I feel like every race I was just like in awe of the crowds, like even when it was a downpour, everyone was still out cheering you on like they did not care fun yeah, and on the start line, just so many people along the fence, right in your face, looking at just every part of you yeah, like did you feel like so pro, or were you just?
Speaker 3:so scared out of your mind I, I wasn't scared, I was definitely like soaking it all in, um. I mean, yeah, you do feel pretty cool in that moment, um, and they just, yeah, they're so excited to see you which makes you feel autographs yeah was that so fun? Yes, yeah you really just feel like like everything you've worked so hard for you, like it's this is why yeah um did that experience make you want it more?
Speaker 1:or did you just validate, like I'm on the right path it.
Speaker 3:It did. In some ways I still am wondering if I want to go race in Europe. Like I get asked that question all the time and I've always just saw like I'm not made for European racing, Like the big stage races, like I'm definitely built more like a sprinter and not a climber. But the races we did there I was really surprised by like how I was able to perform, and the race we did in Ireland I was able to finish in like the top few every day. Like the best result I got was like an 11th place or something and I would have never thought going to Europe that I would have gotten 11th place.
Speaker 1:Especially with, like, the lack of experience that you really had, yes, for sure, on that level of racing, because it is very different.
Speaker 3:The lack of experience that you really have, yes for sure. Level of racing, it is very different. Um so, when I think about that and like if I just do the style racing I want, to do like I am interested I would say, um, yeah, I just. It is a big commitment, though, to think about joining a team and going to europe all year long and like you're never home, Because I do have friends who have done that and they were really unhappy.
Speaker 3:So I want to just be careful with what decision I do make. Because, yeah, one of my teammates last year he joined us midseason because he was coming home from being on a team in France and he just did not have a nice time. It's very different there.
Speaker 3:The culture of all of it, Um, it's not as relaxed and it's serious here, but it's not as relaxed and fun, you know cause it's such a big deal there, yeah, so it's almost like I am feel like I'm kind of protecting myself a little bit, cause I don't want to go there and have that kind of experience and then lose my love for the sport. Yeah. When I'm pretty content with where I'm at now.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:In current racing.
Speaker 1:Going over there would you have to take a step back, like in your trajectory or on your, on your level, because you're an american with no experience over there, and they're like, hey, rookie, get in the back of the pack, like for sure you get your like rookie level contract.
Speaker 3:You get rookie level everything and you gotta build that momentum again because that is how it is if you're an american going like you're the last in line for everything you know, even with the team. It's like you're not gonna go over and be their superstar or anything. Um, so I do feel like that, yeah, because I'm happy with where I'm at in crit racing now. Um, like I've had last year, I had several results I'm super proud of and I feel like I can just keep growing on that, like this year, we'll talk about it.
Speaker 3:My role is a little bit different in the racing, but I feel like I'm learning quickly with the crit racing because it's only my second big year of doing it yeah, um, do you want to keep doing the crit stuff over the road stuff? Yeah yeah well, even in america, like we don't have that much, there's not a lot of road opportunities. Like we have the redland stage race and the joe well, we had the joe martin stage it didn't happen this year I'm not sure if it will come back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they ended up canceling it just like a few weeks out yeah, I didn't realize that but like, as far as that goes, I just it's not my kind of racing. Yeah, yeah, um, cause, like I said, it's like I'm not really built for that kind of racing, so I don't really have a chance at like winning a stage of Redlands Unless you went to, I mean you would have to do like a central Euro team, like a yeah yeah.
Speaker 3:It would be a very big like. It would be a complete change in my life. You know to do that, so if I wanted to do road it would have to be in Europe.
Speaker 1:When they take Americans, not necessarily women, but like so, like your teammate who went over there, and are they just paying for you to live there? Or I mean, are they paying you anything when you are like bottom on the team, coming over fresh? On a on a like a I don't know what they call them on a conti team or whatever in europe? Do they make any salary or anything?
Speaker 3:they do. Um, I haven't been around so I'm not totally sure.
Speaker 1:But if you're like bottom line new american, you're not going to be making right, maybe a lot can live yeah, there's like because I'm assuming you're probably staying in an apartment or something with a couple of racers and and it's probably very small apartment like you're all living on top of each other.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's like you're not living like a luxurious lifestyle whatsoever. It's like college dorms exactly, at best, exactly, yeah that's a tough life yeah, especially if you don't know the language and the culture. Exactly. That's why I'm like not totally sure, because I mean even my, you know, being able to hear his stories from it. It almost helped me a little bit, Like oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Like I don't really think I want to do that for a few years just to be unhappy. Do some of the things like you did in the past, where you can go over for a handful of weeks and do stuff. Is there programs like that?
Speaker 3:there is there's quite a few teams in america actually who will do a majority of the crit series, and then they go to europe for like a month or yeah, more than a month or something, yeah um, and I've thought about doing that again because I would like to go back over for like another month or month and a half block again, if you want just to see it again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's so freaking cool. Yeah, go to Europe and somebody like pays for it. It's pretty awesome.
Speaker 3:Honestly, even if your racing isn't going good, it's like you. It's really hard to be upset because it's just really cool to be there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's way cool.
Speaker 3:It's super cool, like in these cool places, yeah it was great.
Speaker 1:What was the? What was the favorite place that you got to ride your bike while you were there?
Speaker 3:um, what was it called? I might have to look at what it was called actually where was it at? It was in the netherlands, oh utrecht okay yes, I don't know why I totally blanked on that. That was my favorite place ever. I want to go back. So bad. It's like this little town and they have a canal in the area we were in. There's like a canal running down all of it and they have like little stone bridges like throughout the water and just these beautiful flowers everywhere.
Speaker 3:Everybody's riding their bike like Like. There's women in like super long sundresses and they're just riding their bike to the store or something, and I think it's so cute and like old couples riding. There's like no cars, just little coffee shops along the water.
Speaker 1:It's like fake.
Speaker 3:It felt very fake.
Speaker 1:Like a movie set. I was like this place is—exactly.
Speaker 3:It looks like something out of a movie and, yeah, we went on like a coffee spin when we were there and I'm just like drinking my coffee by the water and I was like I don't ever want to leave here, Like this is the best moment ever.
Speaker 1:How's this real? Yeah, I loved that place. That's pretty awesome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's just like yeah, it's just one of those places you're like is this even real? It's so perfect, everybody's happy, I loved it yeah.
Speaker 1:And you go to a place like that, you're just like in awe that someone like lives there every day. Yeah, how do you live here these every day?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know, and then I'm over here like taking pictures looking like such a tourist.
Speaker 1:They're like oh yeah, one of those. So all right, so you, we went through your cross, and then then your gateway, and so now you've your own lux, lux folds. What's the next step?
Speaker 3:yeah so, and we were told lux was not going to be returning before we were about to start intelligentsia cup, which, for those who don't know what intelligentsia cup is, it's a 10-day crit series, so 10 days straight of crit racing.
Speaker 3:It's, yeah, it's brutal, but it's fun um sure, but yeah, we were told the day before we started racing that which it was a very hard time to hear that, but it was also good, because we're going to be at this race for 10 days and we had, like, plenty of opportunities to talk to people and introduce ourselves yeah, that's good I think it was hard on us as a team because we were all the same age. It's like all a bunch of 19 year old girls because you got to go like yes sell yourself over your friend very good friends.
Speaker 3:Um, we did work really well together as a team, but that it just was like it was hard on us, because then we had to go behind each other's backs is what it felt like and try to take each other's spots on all these teams, because there's limited options and there was like six, seven of us, so that's tough. That's a lot of girls to find a spot, you know. But yeah, it ended up working out for everybody. Everybody got a really amazing opportunity, and then we still had our Europe trip after that, which was great. It was just such a good group of girls. I'm glad we got to end it on a good note.
Speaker 1:Real quick step back. When you're on Lux, on a development team, like that, do you make money.
Speaker 3:We're not getting a salary, you're just getting your winnings. We're getting race winnings, okay yeah.
Speaker 1:And they're providing coaching, training equipment Like what are they providing as a team?
Speaker 3:They provided everything. I've never been on a team before where we got coaching, but we did okay. Through lux, we got to use a coach from carmichael training systems, which I've actually used in the past, and I really enjoy their coaching, so I was very happy about that.
Speaker 1:Um, but yeah, they provide all your travel equipment and everything travel how many bikes did you get One or two?
Speaker 3:I had one on this team.
Speaker 1:A road bike? Yes.
Speaker 3:Okay, yeah, sorry. Sorry, I didn't rail you. No, you're good.
Speaker 1:So now you're shopping looking for teams. So talking to everyone at the races, I'm assuming directors knew that you guys were going out, so were they trying to come to you guys.
Speaker 3:Nobody knew actually trying to they nobody knew actually, but I've talked to people now, um, that were like at those races and they're like we had a feeling something was going on because, like all the lux girls were talking to all the teams yeah it was kind of hard to hide it, um, but yeah, I ended up getting in touch with three or four teams that I was like starting to weigh my options on, and this was in July.
Speaker 3:And I mean, you're really wanting to like tie down your team in July for the next year. Um, a lot of the teams had already secured their roster and it's like this season isn't over yet. So I'm glad we knew then, cause any later it would have been a lot harder for us.
Speaker 1:That'd have been pretty crappy yeah.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I had four people or four teams that I was considering and I was communicating with a lot of them, but when I got home from Europe is when I really like worked hard on figuring out what I wanted to do wanted to do, um, and it was a very tough decision because then I was looking into teams that would. I would get paid Um and I was taking this opportunity from Lux folding to take a step up Um because, like I, was still very fresh into road racing. Yeah.
Speaker 3:But I felt like I did learn a lot on Lux and now I kind of wanted to put myself in like the pro category, even though we're racing pro on Lux, I fully consider. I was like I'm a development writer, right, I'm a junior, like I'm just like figuring it out as I go, but I wanted to use this to be like okay, now my career is starting.
Speaker 3:So I ended up signing with a team in October which is much later than I wanted to, but I had kind of secured my spot with them by like um August ish.
Speaker 1:So, and who was that team that?
Speaker 3:was the austin aviators which is um under the williams racing development which is run by justin and cory williams. Um, and it was a first year for the austin aviators.
Speaker 1:Okay so, so it was cool to be a part of that. Legion is like the big, the, the team, yes, and then they have the austin, they have the, then they have the Miami Blazers Miami. Blazers.
Speaker 3:Who came a year or two before the Austin Aviators, so they were only a men's team the Miami Blazers and I heard a rumor they were having a women's team. So I actually was in touch with the Miami Blazers director at Intelligentsia, okay, and I was very interested in joining their new women's team that was happening. And then, um, just a couple days later it was actually at intelligentsia. I heard he was starting a new team based in austin texas, which is much closer to me, and like I felt like I could be a part of that community more. So I got in touch with Justin about that and he was like yep, we're really interested in having you. And I kind of just had to hold tight for a couple weeks because, like I said, it was a brand new team.
Speaker 3:And with that comes a lot of moving around.
Speaker 1:It's not smooth the first year of a new team, so they were just starting like, were they not like? I mean, I wouldn't call it like their minor league teams, but are those kind of like their development teams?
Speaker 3:or is it?
Speaker 1:just like we were going to have a team in a different part of the country so he wants to have a team in a few of the major cities.
Speaker 3:Yeah, makes sense and I know he was wanting to add some more teams, um, and I don't know if he's still doing that or when that will happen.
Speaker 3:But yeah, austin aviators was definitely like at the bottom of the list because we were brand new and I feel, like we had to build up the name because legion has been around for so many years and they're just such a good dominant team, like everyone knows they have the name, yeah and then the miami blazers came around and I mean they were pretty good off the gun, but like I would say this year, this year and last year, like they really have started to like I mean live up to the same hype, I would say, as Legion, they've proved their point, they've made their spot. And then, yeah, we needed to kind of do that last year which yeah, it was hard.
Speaker 3:It's hard to get on the same level as Legion, but that just comes with. Like it's so big Part of the sport. Is the social media part of everything and do you want getting that name out there Do?
Speaker 1:you enjoy doing the requirements for a pro athlete now Because you're not an outgoing loud person, Like no drumming is allowed. Outgoing personality. Yeah. But now in this world, like I would assume I don't know for sure, but I would assume that, being a pro on a team, they're going to say, hey, we need you. I mean, you got to plug your sponsors, you got to plug, like we need to show some things, or they're not going to give us money, like that's the whole point, that they give us money.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Do you enjoy that part of it, or do you, or is it a hard for you?
Speaker 3:But also, being younger, you've grown up in it a little bit more.
Speaker 3:So I would say it's pretty like 50, 50, like last year, I would consider myself a pretty shy person but, like last year, forced me to like get out of that and I'm much more comfortable now with even like when we go to events we would have some kind of like ride with the pros or meet and greet or you know, sponsored dinner or something, and it really forced me to be like a people person or not a people person, but just like getting used to talking to people I've never met and being like totally open.
Speaker 1:That part of being a pro To just keep going yeah and then yeah.
Speaker 3:Like every team, lux was actually one of the more strict ones on it on social media, making sure we were posting like X amount of times plugging the sponsors.
Speaker 1:Is that like in your contract? Like okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and like we, you know, everyone has a file in their notes and it's like all the sponsors you have to tag Um, and yeah, I don't dislike that. I think it's totally part of the game and like. I think everybody knows that, so I feel like it's just yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm used to it.
Speaker 3:I do sometimes like go a while without posting on Instagram, and I don't realize it though. But yeah, I don't know. I think I just go in waves of like posting a lot and doing that's the right thing to do. And then sometimes I'm just kind of quiet on there sometimes. But I do try when we're at races to kind of post a decent amount of content when we're there, just like what it's like.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Kind of like not a day in the life, but just the things we do while we're there.
Speaker 1:That's the more interesting stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And everyone at home wants me to share where I am and pictures, so yeah, but also that's the stuff that I follow is like. I mean, I totally like man crush on like.
Speaker 1:Matt beers like big time. So there's a couple of guys that I totally man crush on. He is at the top of the list right now, but it's one of the things like I want to see him out riding and training or being on some random road in south africa or when he's training with uh keegan, and like I don't seeing the race pictures and stuff. I can see that stuff everywhere, yeah, but I want to see like I like watching the vlogs of the yeah, the ef racing the best, because it's the behind the scenes, like on the bus, getting on the trainer, like all of that kind of stuff. And nino's got a great show that just came out now he's like my top man crush.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, dude, that's not a bad one, no no, I will own that to the end, because the last, the last stage, is a cape. He's in stellenbosch and he has a house there and they're like the uh, our babysitter. She was like, well, it's right up here and I was like where, where is it? And they're like I think it.
Speaker 2:No, I need to know, did you get to see it?
Speaker 1:Well, we drove down his street, but they pointed it out after we had passed. They're like it was right back there and I was like which one was it? They're like the one on the left. I'm like well, I saw it, I just don't know which one.
Speaker 3:It was. You were there, I was there, that's all that matters I know, he didn't invite.
Speaker 1:See exactly, you want the invite next time, so yeah, one of them needs to reach out to me. Yeah, but like beer, I like Matt Beer's stuff and I like Blevins.
Speaker 3:He does really good behind-the-scenes stuff.
Speaker 1:Keegan does good behind-the-scenes stuff.
Speaker 3:That's the stuff I want to see. What I remember is like I do have some people who do like tell me they really like following along with that stuff. It's pretty easy to get caught up in just posting about the races and, like I always do, like a pretty good race recap because I think it's fun to share like your experiences instead of just being like fun weekend at this race, you know, like no one really knows what's going on.
Speaker 1:She does good stuff. I love following her too.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Cause her rides are ridiculous.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:There's always up in the mountains.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, views and views. She rides with her dog, which I love.
Speaker 3:That's good content. She's a good one to follow too.
Speaker 1:So now you're on the Austin Aviators. One of the questions I have for you when you're on a team because it's with all your teams at this point you're not in the town, you guys aren't together how does that work? Because Austin Aviators but you live in Bentonville is like the headquarters in Austin, or you have team camps and you set up shop in Austin, or how does that work? Or does it matter? You just show up at a race in St Louis.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean I would say it doesn't matter too much. I mean you do see the teams in Europe. I think it's different for them, the importance of needing to train together all the time. But for Austin Aviators, example, the team's based in Austin. We did have four or five people who lived in Austin, so they were Austin Aviators and they actually lived there, which was great to have some people represented in the community at all times.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 3:Um, but we had our team camp there. Okay. Um and yeah, we kind of like just tried to get it established while we were there. We were there for like a week in March and did some community rides and races and like the normal media stuff. Right.
Speaker 1:Um, and then yeah is you just all over the place, but you just like know what your race is.
Speaker 3:And yeah, we get the schedule at the beginning of the year and we would usually fly out to the race like two days before. Everyone gets to ride together for two days before. Um, but yeah, once you start racing with the team, like our team was a little different last year just me and my one teammate, joyce, at the bigger events we had two in uh austin who kind of held down the four in austin and did a lot of the local races there.
Speaker 3:But I think once you race with a team you know each other pretty fast.
Speaker 1:So it's not like you're not losing anything by not training together all the time you kind of learn everybody's strengths and weaknesses pretty fast and yeah, yeah, okay, and once you join each other again, even if it's been like a couple weeks off, it's like nothing ever.
Speaker 1:At this point, nothing's ever changed do you kind of know everybody that's going to be there. So when people switch teams and stuff, like you kind of, or is it such a big group of people that people are always coming and going and you just haven't been in a long enough to know everybody?
Speaker 3:in our races or in the races? No, in the races.
Speaker 1:So like when you show up at St Louis, if you run a different team, would you pretty much know. I kind of know who who's who and who does what, and their strength, their weakness. So joining a new team's not like you're starting from, like I've never seen these people.
Speaker 3:No, not at all. Um, yeah, it's just the same like this year. I joined a new team, but nothing's changed, you know? Um, everybody, there's just so many people in our peloton who have established their name and spot in our racing that you have your core group of hitters and, no matter what team they're on, it's like always going to be the same, you know well, let's, before we get into some of your some race and other questions, let's talk about your new team yes, it's exciting yes did how?
Speaker 1:how did this happen? How did you get hooked up with this team because I mean goldman sachs would mean when you really think about your three teams, the just three that you've been with uh yeah, okay, like they've been all been like heavy hitters. Yes, like what the heck?
Speaker 1:yeah, you've come out of the blocks hard yeah so now you have a big team, good group that travel with and, yes, like I've seen your pictures of, like your training camp stuff, I mean there's a good group of ladies with and, like I've seen your pictures of, like your training camp stuff, I mean there's a good group of ladies. Yes, so it was just two of you. Now you have a good group. What is it like and how did this team come about?
Speaker 3:Yes, so um, our director Ben. I actually talked to Ben um the year prior when I was looking for a team when we found out Lux had folded they were known as CWA at the time, okay, so I was communicating with him about possibly joining their team and I ended up joining the Aviators. So I did have a contact with the team already and I was in touch with them and this team is just such a well-established team. This is our 10th year. They've been very consistent, always really well-funded. I just felt like it was a very safe place for me to go, because the industry is also crazy. News just dropped that DNA Racing is no longer going to be around after this year.
Speaker 1:And they are a very big, not Oklahoma City. Dna. Chad lives forever. Hold on. Let's clarify that.
Speaker 3:People get confused when I say that sometimes that's hilarious. Yeah it's a women, a pro women's team. And they have like a pro Europe squad and everything Like you just never know, like a pro europe squad and everything like you just never know, um. So, yeah, I joined this team and I'm very happy on this team. Um, I was happy last year too, but it's just. It's such a big difference when you have one teammate or two versus having a full squad of teammates.
Speaker 1:So how many are on the actual team, like all in all?
Speaker 3:We have nine.
Speaker 1:Okay, how many typically go to races?
Speaker 3:Only six.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:So it's definitely hard on us sometimes because our director has to choose a roster for every single race. Yeah, every race. The limit is six people. I don't really know why. I don't know if it's like a safety thing, keep the field sizes smaller.
Speaker 1:I'm not sure.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but yeah, we started out with we had like 10 in the beginning of the year. We've lost a couple the beginning of the year we've lost a couple and then we added two people because the ncl teams, their whole organization, fell through in april yikes, which was a really big deal because racing had already started and it was like 40 people left without a job.
Speaker 3:All these people were salary paid, like they had families. A lot of them have moved from other countries to be in the us and they just woke up one morning and they didn't havea job anymore oh and we were about to start speed week, which was like a huge first race of the year.
Speaker 3:And, yeah, we were able to pick up two of the girls, which I'm really happy, because it just wasn't fair what happened to those people. It's really sad, um, and the two people we picked up are very experienced riders. That I was really excited to have them because, as a younger rider, that just means I get to learn from their experiences and you know, they give me tips and lead me around in every race, so it's I'm learning something new every time I'm with them.
Speaker 1:Well, going into the learning thing, so because I don't, I don't create race, I don't do any of that stuff, and they, you know, and I I get it. You're always learning and you see things different, especially the more experiences you have and things like that. But at what point do you feel like, like how much more can you learn? Like what is it that you're learning Is much more can you learn Like what is? It that you're learning? Is it just like because I I don't know what I don't know? Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I don't know what there is to learn, Right? Because I? I listened to it. You know they're talking about like like Cavendish just wins, you know like he just won that final stage, but they're like, yeah, I don't have it anymore, but I, I'm smarter. It can be. You know I can do it without being the best about being the fastest. So what is it that you're learning from these more mature racers that you're like? Oh, that's good. Or that's a good little tip.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think that's a good way to put it too. You might not like you're just getting smarter and like career racing. There's so many different things that can make you so much better, Like what Like, for example. Well, there's like the skills involved too, which I would say that's kind of I am blessed to have come from the background I have, because it makes me I'm a pretty skilled and what feels like experienced racer in our peloton, just because I can handle my bike really well.
Speaker 3:But and I think it depends to what role you're wanting to learn as, like for me, I want to be a sprinter, like I would love, in a few years, to be a sprinter on my team. And with that it's like you have to be smart in so many different ways. You're wanting to race but use the least amount of energy you can until those last I mean really the last lap. But and it's all about like patience and what wheels to follow and how far back you actually want to be in the pack at specific times, like, for example, kindle ryan on legion.
Speaker 3:Um, she's an amazing sprinter. She's like the best sprinter in our peloton and I love riding on her wheel in the races because I love watching her and learning from her. She's so smooth and like she knows exactly where she needs to be. She knows if a move goes do I need to go in it? Do I not need to go in it? And if you are a sprinter, like those things can make or break your race. Like if you see people go and you get antsy and you go with them, that could have been like your match for the day. So for me, those things this year I'm not a sprinter. I'm not sprinting for our team, but I'm still watching those things in the races because it's all things that I can apply at some point.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, just do you learn at this point? Are you still learning any equipment, setups and training and uh like recovery and any of that kind of stuff, whereas at this point that stuff's kind of pretty dialed and it's just doing more it of pretty dialed.
Speaker 3:I would say it's pretty dialed. I've just been doing it for what feels like so long.
Speaker 1:Right, so it's more of a tactic in the race.
Speaker 3:Yes, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1:Positioning and those kinds of things. Exactly Okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's just like car racing is. I feel like some people just think you're going super hard like the whole time and you're not really thinking like to actually win a race. It's, there's a lot of thinking that goes on.
Speaker 1:A lot of chess moves that happen, yes, yeah, yeah. So, now that you're on this new team, how did they set up the roles? Because there's six of you racing, so, like you said, you're not the sprinter yet, but how did how did the roles get divvied up on the team?
Speaker 3:yeah, um, I was wondering this going into the year because when I saw the roster that we had, I was like we have a lot of good sprinters who is going to be the sprinter, and every sprinter will say it, like every sprinter wants to be the sprinter. It's very hard to not be that person and when we first did our first few races, we have a rider Eveny who is an Olympian in speed skating. She won the Olympics a couple of years ago.
Speaker 1:That's cool. I know it's really cool. She's been to the.
Speaker 3:Olympics, I think three times, oh my gosh. And she'll be going to the next Winter Olympics, yeah. Amazing, where's she from?
Speaker 3:Canada, she lives in Calgary, yeah, yeah. But with that being said, wow, she has an insane sprint, but she also has a. She's just very strong all around because they I mean they're always training their legs but, they do ride bikes as part of their speed skating training and she had a really outstanding result last year at a big race called Gastown. She got second behind Kendall Ryan. I remember watching the race on TV and being like who was that girl?
Speaker 3:who just sprinted, got on the podium. So we kind of just tested her out the first few races as our sprinter and she totally delivered like, got on the podium. She was always right there like bike throwing for second first. She was very consistent and we kind of just rolled with it because, I mean, it was hard for me at first. I was like I want to be doing that, but the is like which. I haven't got to experience this this much because, like last year I didn't have. This is when you start working for someone and they do like deliver and get on that podium or they get a win or something you feel like you want to because you helped be a part of that. And it also creates this huge trust between people Like me, and Eveny had this really big trust and connection right off the gate. Sorry, because I told her before the first race. I was like I got you. I was like I know you're nervous because it was a lot of pressure on her. She isn't.
Speaker 3:she's very new to cycling. She did that one race, had a great result, but other than that she hasn't done a lot of the big US crits, so it's like if you need me like just tell me what you need and that's what I've done all year is I just put her where she needs to be. I put her where she needs to be in the last couple laps, like I feel, like I'm kind of like a little sidekick.
Speaker 1:She's just stuck on your will. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And it just has created like a really good bond and trust between us, which I think is so special and I feel like she's like my little egg.
Speaker 1:I need to take care of in the races.
Speaker 3:And yeah, just it feels really good.
Speaker 1:It feels even better than being in that sprinter role that I get to help her carry us to a good result for the team, and do you have set people that are there or designated beforehand?
Speaker 3:like break goes, you have to chase it down or you got to go on the break today or try to spice things up, yeah so at team camp it's not like we assign all the roles yeah at camp, because for this year this team was a pretty much a brand new roster there was two returning riders and everyone else is brand new, so they did have to learn us a little bit.
Speaker 3:Um, so we have a pre-race meeting before every race and we come up with dream scenario and reality we're like this is what we want to happen, but worst case, you know we come up with like ABC plans and, um, yeah, we have breakaway riders assigned, so if a break goes, then we have like one or two people who need to go with it and if you get off the front you're allowed to roll it. Because if we have a rider in the break and we know they can't win in a sprint, then there's no point like we want it to come back, yeah, um, so we like have a breakaway rider.
Speaker 3:We have riders whose job is to cover all the moves in the first 30 minutes, which I do a lot. So, from the gun, like, whatever goes, go. Like, if you get off the front, you do. If not, great, you didn't let someone else get off the front right and then we have our sprinter um and, ideally, a lead out, a few lead out riders for the end, which are people who protect that sprinter.
Speaker 3:And if it goes great, we're at the front making the race hard, which keeps her safe because she's not in the chaos of the back.
Speaker 1:And then, yeah, ideally is to like deliver her to the last one, or two corners and hope for the best Worker magic.
Speaker 3:How?
Speaker 1:do you? Because I was just talking about this. I don't know. It was just like this week, the pressure that must be on a sprinter.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Because, they have crushed themselves for you, yes, for sure.
Speaker 1:How is that?
Speaker 3:like yeah, is that?
Speaker 1:like something, a sprinter just like, naturally like craves and wants, or is it like you realize it?
Speaker 3:yeah, I think it depends, because I mean, even me last year it's like I didn't have that pressure because me and my teammate it was really like we were both going for a result, because a two man team isn't going to do anything over a six man team, right?
Speaker 1:So it's like kind of freestyling all day Good day Great.
Speaker 3:If I did great, we couldn't be upset with each other because you didn't do like it was just. That's just not how it was. So I didn't feel like it was just, that's just not how it was. So I didn't feel like I had that pressure. But I think it just depends with how experienced you are, because, like Eveny, for example, she does get really nervous and she knows it's a lot of pressure because she hasn't been around it a lot, so she is seeing all these people use every last match for her, and I think over time that just you get more comfortable. Like there's still a lot of pressure, but you get more comfortable and confident in yourself to deliver Because it's just yeah, yeah. I think every sprinter is always going to be nervous, though, because you just have so many people putting so much effort into you. You just have to be calm and confident.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:I watched it today, I watched the tour today and I was just the tour sprinter.
Speaker 3:Yeah, nuts, that's really yeah.
Speaker 1:And the last, like cause I, when there's a sprint stage, I just fast forward to like the last, like 5k, yeah, k, yeah, fair enough, all that matters, and so, and then just watching, with five K, and there's still, you know, like 30 guys in the lead out, part of the sprint train and the bumping and pushing, and that's on a straight road with like some roundabouts, that's not with tons of corners. How much talking happens inside the bunch, how much yelling at each other happens, how much like feelings get hurt and like all of that stuff is happening in the pushing and bumping and all that stuff. How much of that is happening in in a group in a race?
Speaker 3:a lot. Um, especially well, especially when it comes down to the important parts of like. The last five laps is usually when you want to start finding yourself in position. You have the lead out trains and in order to run a lead out train the right way, your whole team should be yelling and communicating what the sprinter needs. So if you're not going fast enough and you're starting to get swarmed like whoever's in the back needs to be yelling all the way to the front, like up faster, you know, left, if some someone's coming on the left, right, someone's going on the right, so that's how you would want to run a train. So there is a lot of yelling from all the teams who are doing that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how do you pick out your voices?
Speaker 3:you just kind of know if yeah, I mean, I think you just know, like something in the moment, you just you, just you know who it is. Yeah um, and then in the last, like two laps, all of the girls are fighting each other. So if you get in someone's space you're gonna get to get pushed and you're going to get yelled at and like it's not nice, like they're mean for sure, and luckily, like I haven't let that stuff get to me, which I'm kind of surprised- how much of it you're like screw off a race.
Speaker 1:I'm like all the time yeah.
Speaker 3:I never take it personally and it takes a lot for me. I never chirp back, but it takes a lot for me.
Speaker 1:Do some people chirp back Not?
Speaker 3:to yeah, there will be those people who are like bickering in the race, which I think is just. You're just like wasting energy, like there's no point. People are going to yell at you if you get too close cause they'll get scared. Or like, if you threat, like some people use it as like a legit tactic. Yeah, I would think so, if you yell at someone, depending on who it is, they'll get scared and they'll let off the brakes.
Speaker 1:And that's your spot Like it's just part of bullying A lot, yeah, I mean, is it people that are like you, just like now? You're like Susan, she's such a ass Like yeah. I mean, is it like that, like where you know there are certain people you're like, here she goes again. There is, there is okay, I would say there's everybody kind of just like. There's like three or four girls who just do it every race and everybody kind of like part of it.
Speaker 3:You just roll it off your shoulder like there she goes again and everybody's like behind scenes, like this one, yes, exactly, have you ever you don't have to name names.
Speaker 1:Have you ever had a teammate that's been one of those people? Um and or a friend who's been with and you're like listen, lady, you gotta calm it down um, I have, I mean what?
Speaker 3:there's some who are like my acquaintances I'm not like best friends with them, but yeah, and I'm just like I think and those people do, I think, use it as like a tactic of like if I yell they're gonna listen to me, kind of thing.
Speaker 1:That would make me do the opposite. Yeah it should.
Speaker 3:You can't let it like this year. One of my teammates experienced that a bit and I just had to be like, look like, this is part of the game.
Speaker 1:Like people are going to yell at you, I think I would just laugh at them. I know, yeah.
Speaker 3:I think I have before and like, even if you're like in a breakaway or something, there's going to be teams who are yelling at you to try to get you to do what they want you to do, and that's happened to me a lot this year. And you, I just literally hear them and I just keep doing my thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're like pull through, like. No, yeah, exactly I mean, what are you going to do to me?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I always think it's funny whenever somebody you see some like a race on TV and somebody starts trying to tell everybody what to do and I'm like, why would you do that? Yeah, like you can yell at me all you want.
Speaker 3:I'm not, which I think yeah, you just have to be in like a different mindset, I think in the race, Because, yeah, if you're being yelled at, some people can't handle like that, and I've seen a lot of that too.
Speaker 1:Have you ever seen anybody fight God that'd be hilarious. Women. I feel like women, men's fights have happened I would. A woman's fight would be significantly more deadly, dangerous and look like a fight than yeah, the men yeah because those are the most beautiful yeah slap fight like internet entertainment of ever.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like I'm sure there's been some like words said yeah of course you've never seen somebody like get. I've never seen anyone get in like a fistfight or anything Interesting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you think it would happen more often.
Speaker 3:Honestly yeah, because yeah, there's some mean girls in our race Like just and I don't know if I would say mean, but just they're serious and they're there for like one thing you know we're riding bicycles.
Speaker 1:I understand that's a job, but come on, yeah. Well, one of the final things that I definitely want to talk about was now that you're on your new team and you, I'm going to say you're originally from Oklahoma City, but you lived in Tulsa and you've grown up in the sport. Is Tulsa tough? I wanted to highlight that because it just happened recently. What's it been like?
Speaker 3:racing, because you said you've raced it what like 10 times. Yes, I did the math this year and I realized it was my 10th year racing Tulsa Tough, because I've done it in every category. I did it as a junior for a couple years, and then the 3-4 women's race for a couple years and this is my third year doing the pro women's race, which I was so excited to do it as a pro. The first year it was when I was on Lux, because I even had friends in Tulsa that I watched do the same thing as me. Um, like, I had a really good friend, tori Knizer, in Tulsa, and I remember watching her as a pro at Tulsa and she was also a Tulsa junior and I'm just like this is so cool, so special.
Speaker 3:You have so many people out here rooting for you and it's like it's your peak moment, I feel like as a home race especially because Tulsa is such a big event. It's not like yeah doing the pro field at a local race you know and I remember the first year I did it, I was just like in shock because I could hear my name throughout the whole course every day and it just it was such a special feeling and so motivating too.
Speaker 3:Um, and that was like one of my best Tulsa's I had as a pro, like I was able to just do so much work in the race because I was fueled up by all the people supporting me, and even this year with my team, like we would go right around or at the race. They're like oh my gosh, you have so many fans out here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was like I know it's just, it's so cool because you get into such a routine of being at all the pro races across the country and you have all your friends who are racers, but it's not like you don't have that community feeling which I really, really enjoy, especially in Oklahoma, like Tulsa and here in Oklahoma City. I love the community and like support and just love people have for each other, so I get to feel that once a year when I go to Tulsa and I don't know.
Speaker 3:it just always reminds me of, like, why I do it and the people who've helped to get me there, cause a lot of people in Tulsa have put in a lot of work to help me as a junior.
Speaker 1:All of your races at Tulsa tough. Now you're racing at the top of it. Which one of which one was the most fun? Is it the most fun being a pro, or was it like the most fun back in, like your three, four days?
Speaker 3:I'm going to say being a pro because I would say several reasons, like the thrill of just being in the pro race, like Friday night.
Speaker 1:I was going to say how was Friday night?
Speaker 3:Oh, my gosh Well, this year didn't go well for us All. Were caught in a crash. It's a pretty bad crash four to go um but other than that it's like.
Speaker 1:It's just, yeah, so thrilling like that was like the first one you saw it's like, it's just amazing. It's like no other feeling you know and um how often do you hear the crowds when you're racing?
Speaker 3:Not like if you were to ask me afterwards, I'd be like I have no idea what you're talking about, cause when you are like, really focused and in the zone, you don't hear any of that stuff.
Speaker 1:Interesting.
Speaker 3:But it's like if you have any moment of weakness I can like if I'm having a, if I'm hurting or something, but yeah, when I'm really in the zone, I can't.
Speaker 2:I don't pay any attention to it. There's too much going on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, um, but yeah, it's like even the finish and like when you're lining up, there's just so many people and you're just like this is so awesome, like all these people are so excited to watch you race. And then I finally am 21 this year for Tulsa Tucks. So I got to go into Sound Pony Bar for the first time which is a big deal for me, because I grew up in Tulsa and I could never go to Sound Pony Bar and everybody did, and this year I finally got to go in there and my dad's jersey is on the wall.
Speaker 1:I did. I took a picture of it.
Speaker 3:It was pretty cool. That is cool, but just to finally be able to go in there and be like I went into Sound Pony that's awesome yeah, and just, I have like built so many more friendships too at this point it's like being able to see everybody and race at that level really hard and have the successes some days. It's just, it's all cooler, you know, yeah because, we did get a second place the second day. Okay, teammate got second. That was really cool. To get a podium at tulsa is awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. Do you guys and I ask everybody that's ever either current pro or past pro do you guys pool your money and split it up that way, or does? Whoever gets it gets a bigger piece.
Speaker 3:No, we split evenly, yeah, I always think that's interesting. Yeah, and it's kind of on you. If you feel like you didn't do your job, if you feel like you weren't helpful for the team and you were just kind of like surviving, that's when you should speak up and, you know, pass your piece for the day, which is going to happen at some point, like you can't be perfect every day.
Speaker 1:But, yeah, every race, if everything goes good, we're splitting it evenly through everybody. Um, all right, you're ready to get into some hard-hitting questions for yard sale?
Speaker 3:oh gosh, yard sale makes me so nervous well it should.
Speaker 1:I've been around when you had one yard sale, oh my gosh at thunderbird.
Speaker 3:That was bad you almost died.
Speaker 1:I know that was that was the worst.
Speaker 3:I've had one or two concussions.
Speaker 1:That was the worst one dude I was out for like two weeks because I rode those for people that don't know, at thunderbirds, at mountain bike trail and norman. There's this little section.
Speaker 1:I think it's a quadzilla or yes yeah, and there's these like three little humps. Well then they put in three giant humps. They like rerouted the course because the little the humps had gotten worn down and they were super sketch. And the first time I hit them I did the same thing you did. I was like that is bad news, somebody's going to really get hurt there. And it was like a week later you really got hurt there. But I've been with another guy who's gotten really hurt there too Sorry.
Speaker 1:I have heard about several crashes there, so at races now they block those off.
Speaker 3:That's good. I wish it was blocked off when we were pre-riding.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they should just take the tops off of them, because they're like six foot tall straight up, straight down.
Speaker 3:I was going to say I fell from the top directly onto my head.
Speaker 1:It's a long ways.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I knew like as soon as I hit the ground I was like this is bad, Like I knew immediately that I was going to be in rough shape. Yeah, I ended up in the hospital and got back to Bentville. Oh, really Because it was like worse and we were nervous about my neck. Yeah, I had to get x-rays and stuff. But yeah, and it was also, just like right before, my Austin Aviator team camp too.
Speaker 1:It was great, Because you were just going to do it. What did you want to do with your brother?
Speaker 3:Yes, as a relay. Yeah, it was just going to be like us doing like three hours each for fun endurance day.
Speaker 1:And they block it off now for all races?
Speaker 3:Yeah, they just needed me to seal the deal for them. We all appreciate that. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:My work for y'all. Um, I don't even know where to start with. Uh, for one. Um, let's, because this'll be a little bit different. Uh, nutrition, how often do you pay attention to that? And uh, like, do you have specific things that you pay attention to when it comes to your nutrition?
Speaker 3:um for my diet in general. I don't really follow a certain diet um just because when I was younger, like I think every young athlete, has a story, but I was paying attention to too much, I think at a young age and it gave me, you know, some issues like I just ended up lacking some vitamins and stuff, which really affected my racing at some point.
Speaker 1:That's's a scary thing for women as well.
Speaker 3:I mean, yeah, there's a lot of consequences that can come from it, and I'm glad I realized it at a younger age I was probably like 15 or something around that time and then after that I was just like I'm just going to, like I'm an athlete, like when I'm hungry, I'm going to eat you know, I don't eat a bunch of junk, Like if I want a sweet treat. Sometimes I'm going to have one, of course, but I don't follow any specific diet. When I'm hungry, I eat.
Speaker 1:You're not all into weighing everything out and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 3:I don't ever weigh anything On the bike I don't have on the bike I don't have on the bike is kind of similar.
Speaker 1:um, my training, as like just doing crits, is not huge huge hours, so it doesn't uh, that was one of my questions is how many hours a week on that when you're in it? How many hours a week?
Speaker 3:in racing or like in a big training.
Speaker 1:When you're in a training block.
Speaker 3:Maybe like 15 or so. I actually like I don't do huge 20 hour weeks or anything.
Speaker 1:You just have a lot of intensity.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I work with a coach now who kind of believes in quality over quantity. I'll do like tomorrow. I have like four hours to do tomorrow.
Speaker 1:So that's like a big ride, yeah, okay.
Speaker 3:But during the week I will just have like a pretty intense workout, but it's only hour and a half okay, two hours long okay, which I actually enjoy that kind of training a little bit more than just long rides all the time, because I mean, yeah, really for like racing, I don't need to be riding like five or six hours, because your races are what?
Speaker 1:an hour? 75 minutes max. Okay, yeah, mobility training. Do you do anything for that?
Speaker 3:I do do a lot of gym work. Okay, I work with kind of like a one-on-one coach in Bentonville and he actually used to do cremese racing in Belgium, which is really cool so he knows the kind of stuff I need.
Speaker 3:Um. So I usually go in there during off season when I'm training um base. I do like three times a week. So I'll go in like 20 minutes stretching, which I try to stretch like every single day, which can be hard, but it's, it is so worth it. Um, and then, yeah, like weight, I actually just do like full body stuff there and it depends on the day. I do a lot of core work, um, and then like back and forth legs and arms.
Speaker 1:Um, what's your favorite exercise, or which one do you hate the most? Let's do that one.
Speaker 3:Oh, he makes me do these things, that he calls them cycling squats and you stand slanted on a weight a uh what is it called?
Speaker 1:Yeah, You're like a.
Speaker 3:it's like a slant board or you just have your heels up and your heels are up and you have a squat, rack, rack a squat rack with weights on and I do a half squat pulse and then go up so, yeah, you go down all the way at little pulse and go up, and that's one. He makes me do a lot of those and it is so painful next day, I mean even in the moment. Yeah, those are really hard mentally for me to get through, but Okay.
Speaker 1:I like it.
Speaker 3:They work.
Speaker 1:Well, we'll roll that into, since you love talking about power numbers. You know me. Aka. She hates it yeah.
Speaker 3:What's the? Highest power number you've ever seen on your I actually hit my highest power number this year. So as a sprinter, I'm always like I have to hit a thousand Watts one day and I've never like last year I had some pretty big sprints and I never hit a thousand Watts. I was like what the heck? Like why can't I do it?
Speaker 3:Like not that I'm super big to where like I should do it, but this year, right before nationals, I finally hit a thousand and I think it was just over a thousand like in a race. No, it was a training Like one of my last training rides for nationals. I was like this is great. I'm on it I hit like a thousand, like 58 Watts or something. But then we went to a race a couple of weeks later and we did street sprints was part of the event, which is so cool, I loved it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I hit like a thousand, one hundred or something and that's. That's the highest I've ever hit. Yeah, it's a pretty big number, yeah, okay, do you have a?
Speaker 1:goal number that you want to hit now.
Speaker 3:No, I just wanted to hit the thousand watt mark. Yeah, all right, just to say I did it. Now you need to hit it in a race I know, yeah, all right, that's a good one.
Speaker 1:I think you just said your hardest gym workout. Do you have a? What's your favorite type of intervals on the bike? And what's your? Least favorite intervals on the bike.
Speaker 3:My least favorite are any long intervals. I don't, I don't know yeah, right, I was about to say my favorites for intervals, my least favorite, like in the base season, when I'm having to like three by 20 minute efforts oh, I just, I don't know, I think never gonna end just yeah, I don't know, I just don't like those, something about it. And then yeah, I love like 30, thirties or 15 by 45. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Shorter and harder the better.
Speaker 3:I do a lot Like, even if I have an endurance day or an active recovery day, I always do like three or four activation sprints, if they're just like 15 seconds, and that's my favorite because I love to sprint and um, yeah, I think it's just easier to do that like I can switch in my intervals to be like this is a race effort when it's sprinting, whereas the longer ones I'm just like I can't wait for this to be over.
Speaker 1:Can't wait till I get to the good laps. Yes, um, I think we heard your favorite place that you've gotten to ride your bike. Um, what's your favorite race you've ever done? And it could be experience. It doesn't have to be results, so it doesn't have to be um, or it could be, like you know, tulsa tough or whatever.
Speaker 3:It could be anything like that yeah, um tough or whatever it could be anything like that, yeah, um, there's a couple of the crits that I like. Gateway is always a really good one for me. I've had really good experiences there and I think the courses suit me really well. But, environment wise, like I did, athens tw Twilight for the first time this year, which is supposed to be similar to Tulsa Tough is what I was told and Athens is just a one day race and it definitely lived up to the hype. The courses around like sororities and frat houses, so the whole crowd is similar to like Sunday of Tulsa, just college kids.
Speaker 3:So the whole crowd is similar to like Sunday of Tulsa just college kids but the thing that I really liked about Athens versus Tulsa is the people at Athens were very interested in the bike race Like Sunday of Tulsa. If you've ever done it, they have no idea bike race is even going on. No, but at Athens you couldn't. We couldn't even ride like through the crowd to get to the start line because it was so packed.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 3:And every person you rode by would stop you and ask your name. What team. Are you on that's? Cool they were Not sober but they were super into it. And then, like I heard these random people cheering my name in the race, that's awesome and it was just really cool.
Speaker 1:That's cool yeah, that's surprising, I know, and super cool.
Speaker 3:That's why I was just blown away that they were actually that interested in what was going on and they would ask all our names and about our sponsors.
Speaker 1:Sweet yeah.
Speaker 3:What's the longest you've ever ridden um? Just over 100 miles, because yeah, I don't. Something about me is I don't love to ride long. Like three hours is like my happy mark. I am similar to my dad in that way I don't really like to ride like a super long time but me and my dad, the year of COVID he took me out. That was the first time I did my first entry ever. It took me a long time to do it.
Speaker 3:But yeah, we went out and we did just like 105 miles or something. That was the longest.
Speaker 1:How long until you can beat him. It's got to be close. If you guys were sprinting it out, it's got to be close, you know.
Speaker 3:I would be interested to put us in a crit together, uh-huh.
Speaker 1:And just See what happens.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because, like I said earlier, it's like Do you ever jump in?
Speaker 1:It's tactical. Do you jump in and do any like in Arkansas, like jump in the guys races and stuff?
Speaker 3:Yeah, haven't got to this year because I have literally been gone since april. Um, this is my first time being like at home for more than a week, so I missed all the local races, sadly, but um the last two years, every time we do have some and I'm home, I go and I do like the men's a group um which we have done together, but I think I've come a long way since doing those.
Speaker 1:So I would be interested to put us in one and see what happens pops may want to like slow his roll because he can't be getting beat by everybody in the family.
Speaker 3:I know he, he guilts ryan sometimes when he beats him, he's like oh, just meet up on your old man and Brian will start to feel bad for him. It's really funny, sweet boy.
Speaker 1:I know Well this one. We took off the price for you because, as a pro, thank you. As pros. Don't Jeez Tell you what I know. Spoiled rotten. What's your? Favorite piece of equipment. Favorite piece of equipment Price is. I forgot.
Speaker 3:You're gonna ask me this um like clearly can't be like my whole bike, but like favorite thing. Okay, I don't have them this year okay I had them last year, but blips um I only.
Speaker 1:I got them like halfway through you put them under your hoods or do you have them on the top?
Speaker 3:I had him like if I was in my drops. I had him right where my thumbs rest which I really liked, I had him just like the half season and it's like not that it's a huge inconvenience to like shift normally, but it does make a difference being able to just rest your hands where they're totally comfortable.
Speaker 1:Especially when you're at full speed in a corner.
Speaker 3:And they're, they're fast, like I think you can react much quicker with them. So yeah, that's probably Do.
Speaker 1:You have electronic shifting on your bike now, uh huh. So what? Okay, we'll get to that in a second. Well, why doesn't you know people in the industry, aka your dad? Yeah, I can probably get you some blips.
Speaker 3:I know we do ride SRAM, so I mean, maybe we should just. I'm just saying I could have thought to just ask the SRAM person, but you know. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Luke Short, yeah, calling you out. Right, I saw him just the other day. I should have been like he needs to take care of his local riders. I need a favor.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, luke, you need to drop some by. Before we get off the subject, plug your sponsors. What bike are you riding?
Speaker 3:I'm riding Time.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, interesting.
Speaker 3:Which is a first for me, but I really like it. I mean, and SRAM components, yes, um, but I really like it, um, I mean, in shram components and, yes, shram. We have boyd wheels, which our team is based in greenville south carolina, which is where boyd is. So that's really cool. We got to go do a tour of the factory and meet boyd. Um, it's just cool to have like those actual relationships and connections with your sponsor. Um, we've got to meet a couple of them at Speed Week. They were there.
Speaker 3:Some are time rep and Boyd. It just makes it more like personable and you feel like you're giving to them more than if it was just like you're just tagging them in the pictures you know Goldman Sachs hasn't dropped by any like gold bars or anything.
Speaker 1:No, no gold bullions, not yet, not yet in the pictures.
Speaker 3:You know goldman sachs hasn't dropped by any, like gold bars or anything.
Speaker 1:No, gold bullions not yet.
Speaker 3:Not yet now that you said that maybe I can talk to them, and I think so.
Speaker 1:I mean they're gonna get listened to by like hundreds of people, so I mean I think they should pay you back I agree.
Speaker 3:And, gold boy, I'm plugging goldman sachs right now exactly um, all right, last two questions.
Speaker 1:Uh, do you listen to music or podcast when you ride? Yes when you listen to half to listen.
Speaker 3:I can't do a ride without something um music wise it depends. It vary all over the place, like pop, pop, country rap, Like I kind of listen to everything Taylor Swift, of course is my favorite. That's what I listened to this morning on my ride.
Speaker 2:Grapple Talk would be so happy it just never gets old, I know. And Chad right yeah.
Speaker 3:I think I've talked to both of them about Taylor Swift before 100%, you have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, music I kind of just just it just depends the mood I'm in, um, and then is that what you majority listen to when you ride? What is music?
Speaker 3:oh yeah, um, sometimes, like I've listened to your podcast on rides before, good, yeah, answer good answer yeah, I don't do a lot of podcasts, sometimes, like I watch Moto Racing with my dad, and there's a few that I've listened to for that, like writers that I'm really interested in or want to hear stories about, I'll do sometimes, but mainly music.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, all right. Last question you have time to think about this one, something that you think is, or something that people think is cool, that you think is overrated, and there could be multiple answers.
Speaker 3:This is a very hard question.
Speaker 1:You can be nice. This is a very hard question.
Speaker 3:I will be mean if I need to be, because I feel like there's like you can hurt feelings, it's fine.
Speaker 4:There's several things, but something that I said come came to my mind is, a lot of people think it's really cool to brag about their power numbers and I personally do not care.
Speaker 3:Okay, I know, I talked about the thousand watt thing, that's the only power number I've ever cared about. I personally just don't care about power numbers whatsoever and I don't think they matter, unless you're doing maybe a time trial or you're a pro road racer in Europe or something Like. In career racing especially, it does not matter.
Speaker 1:Like you're either there or you're not.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like you're, just because you can hold this amount for this amount of time it's like. That doesn't mean you can corner at the right speed or be on the right wheel and sprint at the right, like you know.
Speaker 1:So if you're in a break or chasing a break, do you look at a number at all? It doesn't matter.
Speaker 3:Nope, okay, I mean some people probably do yeah and sometimes when we're talking about our race plan, they're like cold tempo. But I don't like I know based off of feel. I don't ever look at my computer in a race unless I need to know how long we've been racing, but I know, based off of feel, pretty much like all my zones in a race, so I do know how hard to go if I'm chasing something down just based on like what it feels like right.
Speaker 1:Um, okay, so power numbers.
Speaker 3:Okay, so I use them to train, of course, but other than that, like I don't know, okay, do you have any?
Speaker 1:other answers be mean. Do it be mean? Okay, I think for like I wish like people could see how uncomfortable you are?
Speaker 3:I know my face is probably red, isn't it?
Speaker 1:And squirming.
Speaker 3:For, like recreational riding, I think, having like the best equipment, or like have good equipment Treat yourself, of course or like all the aero dynamic gear for not racing. I just don't get it, yeah Like aero socks, helmet, like all this stuff. I'm like well, if you're doing, like I said, a time trial, that's super important, but if you're not, then I don't know.
Speaker 1:I think it's and this is going to probably. I mean I've pissed off.
Speaker 1:Numerous people do that you're so uncomfortable, it's great I have pissed off numerous people with what I've said on this episode, on this podcast sometimes I've heard you say something like yeah for sure this will be another one when, uh, people are doing like hot laps at the lake at lake hefner, if you're not in oklahoma city but like, especially, triathletes again, it's my background, so whatever but when they're all arrowed out with their arrow helmet on and I I don't think like I saw an older gentleman today riding with an arrow helmet on. It was like the old school one, I think that's just his only helmet, so I get that, yeah. But when I see triathletes, that I know I'm like, dude, that's not your only helmet, and they're just like ripping across the dam in their aero helmets and all this stuff and I'm just like, come on, man, yeah, like it's too much, it's too much.
Speaker 3:And they look at you like you're. You have no idea what you're doing. I rode around Draper today and I saw a couple people like that. And like it's kind of gave me a look like I waved to everybody too, and they can't even. They don't even give me the time of day. I'm like, okay, that's fine, do.
Speaker 1:I need to do. I need to drop you real quick.
Speaker 2:We need to prove this point of who's the best, we can do that, whatever yeah.
Speaker 1:That's a good one. Um well, this is a bonus question, Cause I thought of it when you were talking about looking at your power stuff or in a race.
Speaker 3:What do you have on your data fields in a race? On your computer I have a default screen that I have set up for training and it is my time, my lap time, because unless I'm doing an endurance ride, it's not often that I need the full thing.
Speaker 1:So I always do lap time for intervals and I do have my lap um heart rate, watts, cadence and speed and that's what you have on during a race.
Speaker 3:But I don't look at it. Yeah, I don't know. I just, like I said, I feel like I can do it all very well based off of feel. And if I do look down and see that my heart rate is super high or something, or like even my watts, like I've done races this year where I normalize a very high number because it was super hard, but I don't want to look down in a race and see that and let it get in my head at all, yeah, I just I don't want to be like, oh, my heart rate's like at the limit, so I must be hurting, and like start thinking about it. So yeah, unless I'm feeling really bad, I might look down and be like is something going on?
Speaker 1:Well, you brought up time trial. I know I keep saying last question but didn't you? Crush a time trial like two years ago.
Speaker 3:Oh, are you talking about nationals? Yeah, oh, are you talking about nationals?
Speaker 1:yeah, I got fourth yeah, and you, like, didn't even. I don't think you even owned a time trial bike, right, yeah, so so is time trialing in your future or on your?
Speaker 3:I think I should go back to the idea so we did on lux, we did the redlands stage race yeah and the time trial 20 to 30 something place, which was good, because all the other days I was like 70th in the road races. But my director's like this is really good, like you should be really proud of this. I was like okay. So then nationals comes around and they're like, do you want to try the time trial? It was didn't even have a bike. I did not. I had never ridden a time trial bike ever and I rode it one time before nationals. Me and my dad went out for an hour ride on it.
Speaker 1:I had no idea if my form was good like, yeah, because he called me about getting you a fit, but there wasn't even time to do that, because you just got it and then had to leave.
Speaker 3:I was like I feel like that doesn't look terrible, so like we just went with it. So I did one ride at home, went to nationals and then I pre-rode on the bike and that's all I did and I got fourth at u23 nationals. I know I actually even this year I was like I wish I had a time trial bike because, like I said, I really like sprinting and I am a good sprinter and I also have like this diesel engine too, that I think that's why you don't want to do time trial.
Speaker 1:You're going to have to start doing more of those, I know.
Speaker 3:And that's another thing is that I want the time trial to be like 20 to 25 minutes.
Speaker 1:Like a prologue yeah.
Speaker 3:Okay, but I don't want to do like over an hour time trial. I might like it. I don't want to do like over an hour time trial. I might like it, I don't know, unless I try. But yeah, I would be interested in trying it again. I like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you, you're under your belt yeah, more results to talk about.
Speaker 3:Yeah experiences we need to get a whole family one in here and see what would happen. I know it probably would be funny. Yeah, we can do that with mom, I know all right, ryan and dad would just be getting after the whole time trash talking, I'm sure.
Speaker 1:Perfect, yeah I'll just sit back and watch yes, okay, thank you.