Last year was rough for everyone, but we seemed to find ways to pivot and do the best we could. To me, that is the spirit of a strong-minded and resilient woman!

I focused on cycling. I have loved the sport since I was a little girl and received my first bicycle with training wheels. I could not wait to get my training wheels off! In the beginning, I must have wiped out more than a dozen times, but I was determined to succeed because my bicycle gave me a sense of joy and freedom that fills my soul to this day!

Fast-forward a couple of decades, eager to share my passion for cycling, I became a bike ambassador for Fairfax County and a certified Schwinn cycling coach. Last year, I signed up for The Empire State Ride, a 500-mile ride across New York to raise lots of money for Roswell Cancer Research (please click here to make a donation). In 2020, ESR was virtual due to COVID, and they deferred our registrations. I have every faith that all of us riders will come together this year, and ESR will proceed as planned on July 25!

This past year I connected with other women cyclists who also registered and are training for the endurance ride. We have never met, but we keep each other motivated through Strava with our posts about the lows and highs of our journeys. I cannot wait to meet these amazing ladies in person! Of course, my training would not be as effective without my gear from Terry Bicycles. When I’m on training rides outside, I love my Terry Soleil Hoody for comfort, style, sun protection, and my trusty Terry Touring shorts. Similarly, my Terry Soleil shorts are a staple item of comfort during long rides indoors, allowing me to stay focused.

All my rides right now revolve around ESR training. Although I was bummed about the one-year delay, I’m excited to have had extra time to prepare for this personal challenge. It is my first endurance ride, and this year is extra special because a few weeks before the ride, I will turn the big 5-0 (shhhh!). The little girl on training wheels with a passion for cycling could never have imagined that she would be striving for new heights in cycling decades later.

NOTE: Terry Bicycles is a cool women’s bike apparel company owned by a woman with products designed specifically for women.