getting there by bike

I've long been a bike commuter. it began with my desire to get more training time in way back in the winter/spring of 2000. I was training for my first California AIDS Ride and felt that my weekend long rides + weekday spin classes just weren't doing it for me. at the time I was working in San Francisco and living in San Mateo. each way, the commute was about 22 miles. interestingly enough, I found that the total time commitment to commute by bicycle was similar to the total time commitment of commuting by car or taking the train. yeah, car traffic was pretty crazy + unpredictable back in the day.

so I started commuting to work. my decision to do so was pretty impromptu. I decided one Saturday morning to try riding to San Francisco from home, checking out a possible commute route and timing myself. so I bought a set of bike lights, declared myself a bike commuter, and, two days later, I jumped in.

my first commute was a great adventure. I had no plan. I didn't really have the right equipment. I had too much stuff to carry and didn't have a good way to carry it. I had nowhere to park my fancy new road bike. and once I arrived at work, I didn't have anywhere to shower or prepare for the day. I remember walking to the nearest gym (where my employer had a deal for us), proudly stating that I was preparing for the CA AIDS Ride, and expecting them to let me shower for free. the desk clerk felt sorry for me (or maybe I just stunk) and let me shower -- that one time. after that, she informed me, it would be $10/day. when I got back to my desk, I emailed our Team Schwab cycling club list to find out where there was a shower on-site. unfortunately, there was nothing in any of the buildings near me except one secret, private shower that had been built for the CEO of the company. he had moved offices and no one was using it, but my contact suggested I could sneak in + out and no one would notice. and that's what I did for months.

my commute home was equally as adventuresome. less than a mile from my office, I nearly killed myself trying to avoid a muni bus. I ended up with my front wheel in a muni track and took an embarrassing tumble onto Market Street. I got a flat tire 3 miles from home and didn't know how to change it so I rode home on it. but I survived and was ready to try again.

I quickly learned that I couldn't carry so much stuff on the bike. I started emailing files home instead of carrying paper (yes, this was pre-access-at-home days). I left three pairs of shoes at the office (brown, black, and blue pumps -- I was set for every occasion) as well as a warm winter coat. I stored a complete set of toiletries (including towel, wash cloth, blow dryer, and curling iron) at my office. go ahead, laugh about the curling iron, I dare you! and I tried a bunch of different bag systems, finally settling on an oversized lumbar pack from REI to carry just my clothes, wallet, and palm pilot.

as you can see, it took some planning. and preparation. and a few attempts before I had a seamless commute.

I continued to commute for the next year (while I was still working in SF). somedays I would ride to work and take the train home. somedays I would ride both ways. somedays I would add on some extra mileage just for fun!

and while my original goal was to increase my training time, what I learned was that there was a HUGE emotional/mental benefit to bike commuting as well. when I arrived at the office, I had already achieved something great. I was able to check something off my list before work even began. and I found I had more energy and less stress than if I had been sitting in my car, stuck in traffic, for 60-90 minutes.

since that time, I've continued to commute and errand by bike. I actually went car-free for two years -- a big accomplishment living on the peninsula (during a time when CalTrain discontinued weekend service). I transitioned to a cyclocross bike with mounted racks and panniers and eventually to a touring bike. I still have a five-mile rule: if a trip is within five miles, I dont take my car. there were some definite lifestyle changes involved in these decisions, but overall, I'm thrilled with the fact that I choose to live as car-lite as possible.

commuting and erranding by bike is a great way to save money, contribute to our environment, reduce stress, and stay in shape. but it can seem like a daunting lifestyle change. Velo Girls would like to help you learn how to make this change. one of our members, Torea Rodriguez, took my May Bike Month Challenge, and has forever changed her life. on Wednesday, December 1st, she's going to share her experience with you.

join us at Mike's Bikes in Palo Alto for our 2011 Velo Girls membership kick-off, where Torea will be our featured presenter, discussing the ins + outs of transportational cycling -- 6:00pm - 7:30pm.

you'll find details of this and all our rides + events at http://www.velogirls.com/calendar.php

put a little bang in your yin yang

energy. it's an amazing thing, right? we've got it, we don't have it, we want more of it, we have too much of it.

I have observed that the more energy I expend, the more energy I have. funny, isn't it? when I'm active, riding my bicycle, I feel energized and alive and ready to conquer the world. I'm on a roll and there's no stopping me. when I'm inactive, not riding my bicycle, I feel tired and sluggish and depressed. yeah, there's something to this energy thing.

so, I've returned to practicing yoga. my objective is to balance my physical being -- all the years of high-volume riding coupled with poor posture and bad ergonomics in my office, as well as a couple of serious past injuries. what I didn't expect was to balance my emotional being as well.

in the past, I've practiced Bikram yoga, an intense, athletic form of yoga that's practiced in a heated room. Bikram is Yang.* Bicycle riding is Yang. participating in both has created some interesting imbalances in both my physical and mental self. Bikram is physically challenging for me. there's no half-way for me in Bikram. being a wee bit competitive in nature, I push too hard, I stretch too far, and I end up sore, tired and potentially injured. and then I quit.

my favorite yoga studio, Being Yoga in Burlingame, offers 40+ classes a week. most of these classes are Bikram, but a handful are other styles of yoga. so I've decided to check out some other styles. interestingly enough, these non-Bikram classes are offered in the middle of the day, a time when my energy starts to flag and I find I need some activity to push me through the afternoon.

enter Yin yoga. wow! it's a form of deep yoga with poses that are held for a long time (some of them 10-15 minutes in duration). instead of focusing on our muscles, Yin goes deep into the connective tissue -- ligaments and tendons -- exactly where my broken + abused body really needs some focus. let's see, Yin yoga + Yang cycling = balance. that makes sense to me.

the other interesting concept behind Yin yoga is that it's very meditative. being a wired, ADD, hyper personality, I've never felt comfortable with meditation. yeah, I think a lot on the bike, but mostly my mind is pinging and ponging between a gazillion ideas at the same time. so for me to actually shut off my mind and focus on just one thought, one mantra, for an extended period of time seemed challenging. but I found that it was actually quite easy to be in the moment. and I also found that it helped my mental focus at other times, too.

balance. it's a funny thing. oil + vinegar. sonny + cher. yin + yang. it's all starting to make sense to me now.



*If you want to learn more about Yin + Yang and the theory of contrary but interdependent forces, start here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yin_and_yang

munday funday -- 22 nov, 2010

grant yourself permission

many years ago, when I first became a cycling coach, one of my clients shared this little nugget of psychological wisdom. she wasn't referring to cycling, but I found it an important lesson for just about anything in life. I immediately stole it and began using it as the preface to my skills clinics. it's simple yet brilliant.

I know you're on the edge of your seat waiting to learn what this piece of advice might be. of course, if you've participated in one of my clinics, you know exactly what I'm about to type.

"grant yourself permission to be a beginner." it's okay to not be perfect at everything you do. it's okay to go through the learning process. it's okay to be right where you are right now. it's okay to fail and try again and learn and improve. it's okay to be a beginner.

whether you're learning to ride a bicycle or race a bicycle, mountain bike, or even ride a unicycle, it's okay to be a beginner.

something happens to us in adulthood that creates a mental challenge for us to learn something new. we've become successful. we have college degrees, jobs, and healthy relationships. we know how to balance a checkbook and do laundry. we can multi-task. we find it difficult to ask for help. and suddenly, it's not okay (at least in our own minds) to not be perfect at something. we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to succeed. and when we don't find immediate success, we're embarrassed and frustrated and (all too often), we give up before we've really given ourselves a chance at success.

I always chuckle when someone says "it's just like riding a bicycle." if that were true, I wouldn't have been able to build a successful business that focuses on teaching adults how to ride and race their bicycles.

although most of us rode a bike as a child, many of us stop riding for a period of time (usually our 20s) while we're living life in other ways: college, career, family, etc. and then, when we decide it's time to ride a bike again, we're faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. something has changed since childhood. we have fear. we understand pain + mortality. we have a job to go to on Monday. we've forgotten that riding a bike should be fun. we worry about what others will think of us. we feel judged. we've forgotten what our body feels like and how to interact with a bicycle.

so instead, we try to manage the bicycle. we try to fix it and control it and conquer it. and because we don't understand how a bicycle really works and we no longer listen to our body in quite the same way we did as a child, we fail. we crash. we're afraid. and we're frustrated.

I experienced this myself. I rode a bicycle from tricycle to 10-speed Free Spirit through my early 20s. it was my transportation. it was my freedom. I rode to the playground. I rode to school. I rode to my boyfriend's house. I rode to parties. I rode to my job. I rode everywhere. and then.....I stopped riding.

in 1999, after a decade-long hiatus, I decided that it was time to ride a bike again. I had moved to California and everyone here was healthy. they worked out at the gym and they played outside. they rode bikes. and I wanted to ride a bike, too. so I dusted off my 10 year old Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike and started riding. and I failed. I was afraid of everything: cars, getting lost, falling off the side of the road, going downhill. and I was frustrated that I was afraid. and I was frustrated that I had failed. and I was frustrated that I was frustrated. how was it possible that I had ridden a bike for more than 20 years but now I was a complete failure?

but those of you who know me well know that I'm stubborn. I really, really wanted to ride my bike. I was obsessed with riding my bike. I registered to ride in the California AIDS Ride, a 7-day ride of almost 600 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I had nine months to train. it seemed impossible. I would conquer it. and I did. within three months, I had ridden my Hard Rock almost every day. I completed my first century on the Coyote Creek Trail (solo), riding back + forth + back + forth. I eventually conquered my fear of riding on the road and ventured away from the bike trails. and then I started riding with groups. before I knew it, I was commuting in the dark from San Mateo to San Francisco. and then I was leading rides for Team Schwab and for the California AIDS Ride. but I still wasn't a perfect rider and that frustrated me.

when I was given the opportunity to change careers in 2001 by Charles Schwab, I decided that I wanted to share the amazing physical, mental, and personal transformation that I'd undergone by riding a bicycle with others. so I became a coach and a personal trainer and founded Velo Girls, one of the first women's-only cycling organizations in the United States. and then I began the process of deconstructing the physics of riding a bike so I could teach others in a way that was logical and progressive. I wanted to break down those barriers that kept adults from riding, kept them from succeeding, and kept them from having fun. I wanted to help adults understand how to ride with their bicycle (not on their bicycle). I developed a series of skills clinics that I tested out on our very first racing team. those clinics were the foundation of Girls Got Skills, our racing development program, and our four-hour Bike Skills clinics.

and the rest is history.

so, if you're frustrated or afraid or embarrassed, you're not alone. I was there and hundreds of adults with whom I work each year were there, too. it gets better. but the first step in learning is to give yourself permission to be a beginner and be patient with the learning process. if you do, you'll open up a world of possibilities for yourself.

sometimes you just gotta get dirty!

I remember way back when, in March 2002 when I founded Velo Girls, I said we would never do two things. one of those things was race. the other was mountain bike. neither of those proclamations lasted very long -- I'm smart enough to listen to our members and develop programs to meet their interests. we started racing in the summer of 2002 and added weekly mountain bike rides (called the Dirty Velo Girls) in 2003.



this fall/winter, join Team Velo Girls members on our Mountain Bike Adventure Ride series as we head out to the best of northern California's mountain bike trails every Sunday. these intermediate-level rides are guaranteed to be fun-filled adventures for everyone! all women are welcome.

this week's ride is Saratoga Gap @ 10:00am. RSVP to dirtyvelogirls@velogirls.com. you'll find details on the Dirty Velo Girls Mountain Bike Adventure Rides and all our other rides + events at:

http://www.velogirls.com/calendar.php

Grab your Crayons!

It's that time of year -- time for the Velo Girls annual Club Jersey Design Contest! So pull out your crayons, watercolors, colored pencils, or your laptop and get those creative juices flowing. Your design could earn a place in Velo Girls history, worn by women throughout northern CA and the world!

Here's the 2010 winner for a little inspiration, designed by Team Velo Girls member Bonnie Osborn (and her partner in crime, Ken).



The deadline to submit your design is December 15th, 2010. You'll find all contest details here:

http://www.velogirls.com/VGjerseydesign2011VOTE.php

2011 Begins Now!

2011 will be here before you know it! What are your goals for the next cycling season? Are you planning to race road or mountain? Participate in the Cinderella Classic? How about a century or double or the Death Ride? Whatever your goals, the foundation of next season is built now!

Join Coach Lorri Lee Lown and Team Velo Girls on our new series of 2011 Season Prep Rides, beginning this Saturday, November 20th, and continuing through January. These rides are designed to help you build your base endurance for the 2011 season. We'll start with two-hour rides and increase the duration and intensity each week.

Rain or shine, join us at Woodside Town Hall, ready to roll @ 9:00am. Fenders are highly recommended for wet rides. RSVP to coaching@velogirls.com.

Please note, these coached rides are open to current Velo Girls Club, Team, and Lifetime Members only. If you're not a Velo Girls member, you're welcome to participate in one ride but are encouraged to join -- http://www.velogirls.com/membership.php

You'll find details on this and all our rides + events at:

http://www.velogirls.com/calendar.php

Sweeping the Streets for a GREAT Cause

Velo Girls is thrilled to support the 5th Annual Supermarket Street Sweep, a super-cool event that benefits the San Francisco Food Bank. Check it out, grab your bike, and join in the fun on Saturday, December 4th.

Just Added -- Bike Skills 301 (group riding) -- Oct 24th

You asked and we listened. Everybody wants to learn how to safely and efficiently ride with a group, whether that's one riding partner or a 50-person peloton. So we added another session of our ever-popular Bike Skills 301 (co-ed pacelines + group riding) clinic to the fall calendar on Sunday, October 24th.

This 4-hour co-ed clinic will teach you the fine art of wheel-sucking. Whether you’re a racer or a recreational rider, group riding skills will help you ride longer, faster, farther, and safer. You’ll learn draft theory and basic pacelines, beginning with partner work and progressing to more complex group riding skills and introductory racing techniques. We highly recommend that you participate in our Bike Skills 101 clinic prior to registering for Bike Skills 301.



Also on the calendar for fall 2010:

Bike Skills 102 (co-ed mountain bike skills) -- October 2nd

Girls Got Skills (2-day women's cycling clinic) -- October 16th + 17th

Bike Skills 101 (co-ed fundamental bike handling skills) -- November 13th

Bike Skills 201 (co-ed climbing + descending skills) -- November 13th

More details about these and all our clinics can be found at http://signmeup.com/68201

Gravity Magazine for Women in Action Sports

I know all about labors of love. When I founded Velo Girls in 2002, it was because I felt a passion to help women improve their health (physical and mental) through bicycle riding. I was recently interviewed by another "labor of love" -- Gravity Sports for Women. During my interview, the editor told me that Gravity Magazine has been two years in the making. And this week, they've officially launched! You can check out the feature article here:

Gravity Magazine + Velo Girls

And here's a little more from the passionate woman who wants to promote and celebrate the women who "do." Check out her magazine. Follow her on Facebook. And support the women who support the women who do!

******************************************************************************************

Gravity Magazine, Women in Action Sports is new on the scene so we would like to take a minute to tell you what we’re all about. Please kick back, and enjoy:

Gravity Magazine is the female reincarnation of every action sports publication ever made. Well, maybe not in the literal sense, but we dream big.

Our website is custom-built for those athletes who do not merely throw, catch or kick balls. It’s for those who jump off cliffs, scale rocks, shred powder, ride waves and grind pavement. We are compelled–in the face of an ever growing female presence–to shed light on an overshadowed segment of action sports: Women!

Not because boys are less badass than girls, or because “women can do it too,” but because women have been doing it, are doing it, and will continue to do it; they just haven’t received the proper media coverage–until now. Gravity Magazine highlights women in every faction of the extreme sports world: amateurs, professionals, artists, photographers, publishers, instructors, and everyone in between. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit publication, we are committed to the representation, empowerment and support of women in all action sports through features, videos, photos and more.

To all of the inspiring women who have graciously lent us their time to help fill the pages of our website; and to all of our generous contributors without whom this would surely never have materialized: A big resounding Thank You!!

We genuinely hope you enjoy exploring our online publication. Our company and website will be evolving in the months to come. Keep coming back for updates, events, news and dedicated coverage of extreme females in action sports. If you are a female athlete or a woman involved in the industry, we would LOVE to talk with you! Please feel free to drop us a line for inquiries, comments, suggestions or to GET INVOLVED! On the flip side, we are always looking for writers and content contributors–shoot us an email!

A note from Gravity Magazine, Women in Action Sports Editor in Chief,

Alayne Chappell