INSIGHT Magazine April 2019 | Page 20

see it play out is always such a rewarding feeling. I also enjoy the nutrition aspect of competitive cycling and the vital role nutrition plays in performance. Being a registered dietitian nutritionist, I “nerd out” on creating a nutrition formula that fits my needs and lifestyle as well as supports a complete picture of health and wellness. Athletes are a special breed of people who require specialized nutrition plans - plans that support lifelong well-being while meeting the high energy demands their sport requires. Being able to practice developing plans and meeting energy requirements on myself gives me good practice for being able to help my sports nutrition clients accomplish their goals. Seeing all of these pieces come together and allow me to get on the line each race is really special. What’s it like teaming up with your mom? My mom has always been my best friend. Growing up seeing her race and watching her come across the finish line first so any times was always so thrilling for me. Now being able to be in the races with her side by side, I get to see just how much goes into those wins. I get to see a whole new perspective on how she races and now understand how incredible it is that she raced the majority of her years as an unattached rider with no teammates. I love having one of the best mentors and biggest advocators for women cycling as my mom and now teammate. I learn something new every time we ride and race together. I am so thankful we get to share this process of building a team together. 20 How do you balance fun and passion in this competitive sport? I like to surround myself with people who support each other and are able to have fun together on the bike. We’ve built such a strong community and sense of family in Supra Cycling Club. Mom and Andrew’s vision for Supra Cycling Club was to combat the elitism of cycling and create an environment for learning and growing together, and it has played out beautifully. We have members of all ages and all levels of skill. Our group rides are always fun, even on our “death marches” lead by Andrew Crater (team director). Taking time to rest also plays a large role in maintaining my personal balance in life. I have found that I have to allow myself the time to get on my bike for pure enjoyment such as strolling down our local bike trail to a coffee shop and just enjoying nature. Or allowing myself to spend a day with friends off the bike and participating in other activities such as hiking or photography. What do you wish people knew about cycling? I wish spectators and even some cyclists knew what a team sport cycling really is. I’ve noticed over the years that so many people will ask my mother why she doesn’t win as much anymore. I’ve seen my mother give up her race time and time again over the last few years so a teammate can get in top placing. More recently I’ve seen her give up her race to set me up for success and lead me out for a win. I’ve seen this in my brother’s cycling career as well and the mental toll it took on him when people wondered why he wasn't winning. Each April 2019 INSIGHT