There is something about that first ride back in the woods after a long Michigan winter that just hits different.
The sound of tires on dirt instead of the hum of a trainer. The smell of pine trees and damp leaves instead of a basement. The way the trail forces you to be present instead of staring at a screen counting down intervals.
After months of riding inside, I am reminded of one very important truth: trainers might build fitness, but they do not feed the soul.
The past month and a half has been a mix of being sick off and on and working through a back injury that forced me to slow down more than I wanted to. It is frustrating when your mind is ready to go but your body tells you otherwise. But if cycling has taught me anything, it is that progress is not always linear, and sometimes the strongest thing you can do is just keep showing
up when you can.
So, this past week, getting back out on the trails felt less about training and more about coming home.
As we start thinking about race season, it is easy to get caught up in training plans, mileage, goals, and performance metrics. Those things matter. But what matters just as much, maybe more, is remembering why we started riding in the first place.
Not every ride has to be a training ride. Some rides should just be fun rides.
The kind where you stop to session a feature.
The kind where you wait for each other.
The kind where the conversation in the parking lot lasts almost as long as the ride.
The kind where someone says, “I did not think I could do that,” and everyone celebrates like they just won a race.
Some of the most important miles you will ride this year will not show up on your training plan.
They will be the miles where you build confidence, friendships, and belief in yourself.
That is especially true when women ride together.
There is something powerful about women showing up for each other on the trail. Encouraging each other to try the line. Reminding each other that strong does not have to look a certain way.
Proving that you belong out there whether you are fast, new, nervous, competitive, of just curious.
We need more of that.
More women inviting other women.
More “ride with us.”
More “you can do this.”
More “I will try it if you try it.”
If you are thinking about a particular race this year but you are scared…good. That probably means it is worth doing.
Do the thing that makes you nervous.
Sign up for the race you are not sure you are ready for.
Show up to the group ride where you do not know anyone yet.
Try the feature you have been riding around.
Be the beginner again.
Growth lives just outside your comfort zone.
You do not have to be the strongest rider.
You do not have to be the fastest.
You just have to be willing to try.
This season, I hope more women say yes to something that scares them a little. Whether that is their first race, their first technical trail, or simply believing they belong in this sport.
Because you do!
And if this offseason taught me anything, it is this: being strong is not about having a perfect training block. Sometimes it is just about getting back on the bike after setbacks and remembering why you love it.
So here is your reminder as the trails dry out and race season starts to take shape:
Make a plan.
Set your goals.
Train hard.
But do not forget to ride for joy.
Ride with your people.
And maybe most importantly…
Bring another woman with you!
Thank you to Heather Newman @goodtimesally_mtblife for being our 2026 Iceman Trailblazer!