We’re here. We’ve still got two wheels. We learned how to find joy and freedom on our bikes during a wild ride called 2020. The year brought us together as a planet in ways that we will never forget. For me the metaphor of climbing a gap applies: an uphill battle, a sweet ride down.
I started the year with a plan for a RAID ride: to cycle the spine of the Pyrenees in France from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. 8 rides, 495 miles, 14 cols and a few feet of climbing with a group of close friends. Like all of yours, my plans were dashed, and a new reality set in as Covid took hold of our planet. It unified us in a common experience we could never predict: separation from our families and parents, a virus that took the lives of too many, racial inequity that tore us apart, jobs lost, relationships broken, hunger, loneliness and uncertainty. And a new accessory called masks.
Someplace in that climb called Covid, we found that two pedals were a safe place to be.
In late March of 2020, I converted my dashed RAID dreams to a 3000-mile goal for the season. April gap rides in Vermont are chilly! I relied on my every woman must have Terry winter tights and insulated jerseys. As lockdown set in, my Covid release was 130 miles a week on my bike. With my two closest friends we rode “in our bubble” all summer exploring endless dirt roads we had never travelled before…on gravel bikes. We never left Vermont but experienced a whole new world of beautiful farms and pastures, sunsets and even a portage around a crumbled bridge. We stopped and took pictures…posting and sharing on Strava. It was our way to stay connected with friends in a year of distance and disconnect.
On July 18th I put my Terry Tour de France kit on, today was the day to cross the 3000-mile mark. Fittingly, I achieved it at 37.08 miles into that ride at the top of a Middlebury gap climb. On the sweet ride down through curves and landscape that had inspired Robert Frost to write poems such as “The Road Not Taken,” I moved my goal up to 3500 miles. The next 500 miles included the virtual Kelly Brush Ride, an annual century event raising funds to support people with spinal cord injuries with adaptive equipment to live active lives (www.kellybrushfoundation.org). In a year of reinventing how we did everything, KBF smashed its fundraising goal- a strong testament to cyclists across the country who took part.
I crossed my next milestone on a gnarly 4th class gravel grinder in October. With insulated Terry tights back on, we encountered 50 miles of dirt, mud, water, rocks and navigated our way through forests. With snow and winter setting in, 4000 miles called. I felt a strong drive to beat 2020, to have one defining victory in a year called terrible. I kept riding – often on my own – but stopped to take in the scenes along the way. Christmas Eve was a balmy day in Vermont, my two wheels called, and I crossed the 4000-mile finish line.
The year behind us was an uphill climb in every way we could never imagine. But we had two wheels and cycling was freedom, fresh air, exercise, and solace. We united in our experiences as moms, daughters, grandmothers, partners, and friends to take care of one another.
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4000 miles later. We’re here. It’s a new season. Hope and our bikes beckon. Maybe you discovered cycling in the last year, maybe you shared it with kids or grandkids, maybe you cried one day out on the road. Maybe you found hope, health, and happiness on two wheels. Maybe you’ll ride your bike to get vaccinated!
However you do it, ride in Terry. It’s gear made for us. Women who fight the uphill battle and enjoy the sweet ride down.
#terryfaerie #rideladiesride
Karen Marshall – #terryfaerie – is a healthcare management consultant living in Vermont, enjoying road cycling, gravel grinding, skiing, skinning, sailing and her two adult kids.
When times are tough, cycling helps us get through. Here’s how some of our inspiring Terry Ambassadors adapted to stay in the saddle during lockdowns and beyond.
Quite a few of our Ambassadors lead classes or groups of cyclists, and faced some serious changes when the pandemic forced lockdowns across the country in early 2020. Most were out of action for a while, at least until local authorities declared it safe for gyms and similar organizations to allow members to return.
Spin with a new vibe
Terry’s own Karyn Lewis worked with the Edge, the fitness center in the Burlington, Vermont, area where she leads spin classes, to completely rework the environment where classes meet. Gone is the intense, close, night club-like ambiance. Widely spaced machines in the hangar like tennis court areas have replaced it, and Karyn has had to adapt her classes to keep the energy high, even with correct social distancing and other precautions in place.
Before…
…and after.
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Karyn writes:
My last pre-Covid class was Tuesday, March 11th, the week before St. Patrick’s day. We had all made plans to go out the following Tuesday after Spin Class. By the time St. Patty’s day arrived the club was eerily shut down, and this was a first since becoming a member nearly 30 years ago (I’ve been teaching spin for 21).
The club was not allowed to reopen and many months went by, hoping the Governor would give us the thumbs up. Finally, the club got the word and slowly reopened one location at a time, with mine opening last. Lots of time, money, a new HVAC system, and safety & cleanliness protocols were all put into place for a smooth reopening.
Classes finally resumed at the end of October, and we’ve had a steady 10 person attendance rate since. Masks are required and instructors teach behind a plexiglass wall with the option to remove the mask for better microphone clarity.
One of Karyn’s spinners said this on Facebook after opening day:
Today was the first day I felt a sense of normal in 8 months. Working out at my preferred location of choice with one of my most favorite instructors for RPM live vs. virtual with my comrades. Looking forward to classes coming up with Karyn. Tuesday’s have not been the same without her. Today was Christmas in October for me. Thank you Mike and Team Edge for all that you have done and continue to do to keep us safe doing what we love to stay fit.
It is a different teaching environment, but I am so happy to be back with my indoor cycle peeps. They work just as hard as always, but I do find that they need more recovery time due to the mask limitations. I wonder if after we finally remove the masks, will we all be better exercise breathers?
Changing gears in Arizona
Claire Baragona leads cycling classes in Tucson, Arizona. She had enjoyed spinning at her YMCA so much that she trained as an instructor, and took the plunge to lead her first class in January of 2020.
Claire B. ready for spin class in Tucson, Arizona
“Little did we know, the Pandemic would literally shut all indoor classes down by March 15th of that year,” she said.
“Fast forward to January 2021, and the board of our club convinced our home owners’ association to hold outdoor classes on a covered patio.” Now she leads classes of 12 spinners in 45 minute classes, with volunteers to move and disinfect the equipment.
As Claire puts it:
We may be under a covered roof, but the daily weather certainly dictates how you dress for the occasion. It can be warm and balmy, or blow like a strong Mariah.
Every piece of clothing I teach in is from Terry. Cold days require my longer tights and warmer tops, they keep me comfy and dry.
I’m looking forward to the warmer days when I can don my favorite bike short, the Bike Bermuda ( love those pockets and the easy, comfortable fit ).
I can layer your tank top over my clothes, to access necessary things in the back pockets. I’ve even taken to wearing my bike tops on walks, where I can stash water, tissues, and lip moisturizer ( it’s dry in Tucson ! ) in those handy places.
You have to know that we women who are serious about our biking turn to Terry for the most reliable and comfortable clothing available to us.
Empire State Ride postponed
Kimberly Evering was preparing for the 2020 Empire State Ride, but plans were completely changed when the event was forced to turn virtual, with the in-person event postponed to July 25th – 31st 2021.
Kimberly writes:
This past year I connected with other women riders who also registered and are training for the endurance ride. We have never met, but we keep each other motivated through Strava with our mix of indoor and outdoor ride posts. I cannot wait to meet these amazing ladies in person! Of course, my training would not be as effective without my Terry gear. 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, and although I was bummed about the one-year delay, I’m excited to have had extra time to train 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. 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. Still, with the support of other women in my community, I have discovered that all goals are possible!
The Empire State Ride is a 500 mile multi-day fund raiser for Roswell Cancer Research. As Kimberly puts it on her sponsorship page, “This is my opportunity to make a real difference and impact cancer research from the seat of my bike.” We at Terry are happy to support Kimberly with gear for her training and participation. You can support her too, and contribute to cancer research, here, and check out Kimberly’s progress on Instagram: @gal0tgo
Canceled competition makes room for new plans
Having fun anyway, Memphis, Tennessee.
Another Terry Ambassador with competitive ambition is Stacy Dietzler. She and husband, Terry (what a great name!), were training for a series of Ironman and half marathon events in early 2020. Of course, all those plans were set aside during the pandemic, but Stacy managed to make lemonade out of those lemons. She and Terry replaced the hard core training with weekend sight-seeing rides together, always followed by bubbly and brunch. They have kept up the new tradition in all good riding weather through the pandemic, and hope to return to competition once they have been vaccinated and events are free to run again.
Because we were no longer able to train for our half and full marathon or Half Ironman events, my husband, Terry, and I started a routine of cycling together on Sundays. We found a safe route following trails and different routes through a unique community nearby. We would admire the varied architecture, and watch the seasonal changes, then enjoy a post-ride prosecco and brunch.
It became a positive and memorable period, enjoying time together. Now we look forward to the weather warming up again, so we can continue our Sunday tradition. Hopefully we will also be able to train for our next Half Ironman, which was deferred to October 2021.
Until then, my cycling continues indoors, in my awesome Terry apparel!
Stacy Recommends:
For almost a year I have maintained my indoor cycling on the bike trainer, and continue to wear my Chill 7 Bike shorts. I love them! The material feels great on my legs, and they do not ride up. There is just enough compression and cushion, and they fit perfectly!
I pair the Chill 7 with my Soleil bike jerseys, short-sleeve and sleeveless. I love the cooling feel and the comfortable fit. I would often say to my husband how happy the jerseys make me feel, with the soft material and the bright and pretty patterns!
How have you adapted your cycling to maintain your momentum through the pandemic? We’d love to hear from you!
