Louder for the Ladies in the Back

• Posted on 13 May 2022
• By Jenny
• 2

Kinda humiliated and horrified.

That’s how I always felt in junior high PE when teams were being picked. I was usually one of
the last to be picked, so even if it was a game that I kinda liked, I knew I was a boat anchor and
didn’t have as much fun.

Ladies, this post is for you today....all of you who feel like you need to be a a better version of
yourself in order to be ‘picked’ to ride your bike with everyone, who feel like a boat anchor who
isn’t fast/fit/brave/geared up enough. You know you’ve seen the posts for group rides and
thought “Oh that looks like fun....oh....that looks like it’ll be for people who are super fast and
ride really far. ((Sigh)). Never mind.” I really want you to reconsider that thought. I have a very
dear friend who falls in this category and she just got a beautiful new bike several months ago.
She works crazy hours and has a family and finding time to ride her bike - the one form of
exercise that she has found brings her joy - is really really difficult. She would love to join group
rides but is crushed when she sees the planned distance and pace; when she does show up
she feels like a nerd because she’s wearing yoga pants and a sweatshirt and everyone else is
wearing a kit. I KNOW someone who is reading this can relate, and I’m going to pull you into
the same conversation that I would have with her.

Sweet friend, NO ONE is judging you when you show up in yoga pants, #MomLife sweatshirt,
and sneakers....and that is because we ALL started out in that same getup, because that’s what
you WEAR when you’re going to exercise (or do anything else in life hahahahaha). You don’t
get super fast overnight, and jerseys and cleats don’t just magically appear on our bodies.
What happens is we ride a few times and realize that padding matters after all. So we roll our
eyes and give in to buying a pair of the bike shorts we’ve always snickered at. Then we realize
that pockets matter too, so we get a jersey because....pockets in the back. And on your way to
the jersey rack you see the silly socks that have tacos or cats or beer-drinking sloths, so you
throw in a pair of those. You’re not ready to clip in, so you can bypass the bike shoes for now,
but that’s how it happens. That’s how you suddenly look the part. Not because you achieved
any level of greatness; it started because you wanted padding on your buns after two rides. Still
scoffing at the shorts? Fine, wear your yoga pants.

But you still feel like a boat anchor and you don’t want to hold everyone up, nor do you want to
feel like you’re going to die trying to keep up. If your friends are worth their salt, or a shop ride
really wants to draw new people in, they will find a way to ride at your chill pace (or form a group
that will ride at your chill pace) so that you have fun and want to do it again. It’s my goal to be at
as many of Main Street’s weekly gravel rides as possible so that I can lead a group of riders
who are either getting their toes wet or who just prefer to ride at a relaxed pace. We WANT
newbie riders to show up, we want you to feel included and comfortable. Interested in mountain
biking but Level 12 intimidated? Join Lakeshore Mountain Biking Sisters on one of their weekly
rides, which often involves group rides and skills clinics specifically tailored to women who are
absolute beginners. We all start out somewhere - we’ve all walked up hills (and still do
sometimes), have to slow down, have to take a break to lean over our bars and catch our
breath, and we all fall. No one will roll their eyes, trust me!

But you’re not in good shape/have a potato mom bod/blah blah blah. Go to a race, look at all of
the body types - male and female - on display. Not an issue. Discussion over.
But you don’t have time. My favorite response to that is if you don’t make time for your health
now, you’ll be making time for your illness later. Get out for a twenty minute ride once a week.
It’ll feel so good.

We need more women on the trails, on the gravel roads, and on the pavement. We need each
other’s encouragement and hype and laughter. We need ways to refill our cups mentally and
emotionally, and what better way than to feel like a kid on your bike? There are no teams being picked; you’re already welcomed aboard. Bring your fear and hesitation and awkwardness and
yoga pants, we can’t wait to ride with you!