Newsletter ep. 105: sparkles & bikes

I’m on a plane right now, on my way home from Europe, so here’s hoping the amazing technology that is in-flight wifi lasts.

And in case you were wondering after listening to how sick I was on last week’s podcast, no, no, I was not able to finish the race on Saturday. I coughed so hard I threw up at one point, which doesn’t work so well when you’re also trying to descend a mountain in the Alps. I so wanted this race to go better, but I also probably shouldn’t overthink it too much. There wasn’t much else to do about being sick. 

We likely won’t have a new podcast this Friday either, fyi. With me flying across the globe one day and then Sara flying to a conference the other day, we’ll be back next week. Sorry. Life, it’s a thing.

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A lesson from Europe

This is a photo of bikes parked outside the main train station in Zurich. It’s not even the most bikes. Right behind me was another area with maybe three times as many bikes.

A lot of you responded to my comment last week about having no patience for people complaining about the new scooters and bike rental apps. I thought about this while I was in Europe because all those scooters and bike shares and e-bike apps seem to have simply been absorbed into existing infrastructure there. It’s not a problem; it’s just part of how the cities work.

I think that’s because the entire cities have been built from the ground up for cyclists and pedestrians. There are paths and trail networks everywhere, protected lanes and well-thought-out arrows delineating who’s supposed to go where. Buildings and parks are built with bike parking, not regular parking. Even little things like curbs that bikes can easily get up and over at certain spots. Simply put: The assumption is cyclists and pedestrians have priority, not cars. It sucks to drive in Zurich, but that’s the choice that’s been made and it’s reflected throughout all planning and social interactions.

This is what Sara and I talked about with 70.3 Worlds too. Ironman made a choice to make 70.3 Worlds a priority and then every small thing reflected that decision, from the signage and logos to course design to the pre-race events.

It’s also what we mean by the idea that if you really genuinely make a choice to attract and retain women, then it will be reflected in how you built events, in who you hired, in the language and photos you use. If you really believe and prioritize a thing—instead of just sticking a bike lane next to a bunch of parked cars—it will be evident and it will make a difference.

Kona camp

It’s Kona camp time. There’s almost four weeks left until the Big Island and that means everyone’s putting in some big training blocks (and a little bit of panic training on top). It also means everyone’s social media-ing about their training.

It seems like Kansas is the hot new Kona camp spot again this year. Sarah Piampiano, Mirinda Carfrae, Lauren Brandon and the whole JD squad are all making use of a cheaper hot and windy spot. Linsey Corbin and Heather Jackson are dealing with the heat in Tucson. Anne Haug headed to the trendiest sport resort in Lanzarote, which I really want to go to. Daniela Ryf is on Maui, which I suppose is a perk of being the world champ. And Lucy Charles has a super new blinged out pain cave, according to Instagram stories that are all gone now.

Where’s the best underlooked Kona training spot? Besides Kona.

Sparkles & dirt

Both Jessie Diggins (cross-country skiing legend) and Kate Courtney (mountain biking soon-to-be legend) posted this week about being gritty and glittery. ie. You can be girly and feminine, but also tough and badass. 

I don’t know why this idea is resurfacing so much right now. It has a long history: bits of feminity—painted nails and bows in your hair—to soften the rough edges of masculinity we feel are built into sports. For much of its history, though, these things were required in order to make female athletes palpable. Think A League of Their Own. Or the famous Tennessee State Tigerbelles, who were told all the athletes on *this* team will look like ladies. Attractive ladies.

I don’t have a problem with sparkles. Wear all the glitter or pink or whatever you want. But I also don’t have a problem with not doing those things. Don’t wear them if you don’t want. Both are fine.

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• There were a few medal reallocations announced this week for track and field: Brenda Martinez and Alysia Montano will both be upgraded. Apparently, Caster Semenya will also be upgraded (but I don’t think she has any intention of going to the track world championships to get her new medal). Which is all fancy talk for the people who beat them were doping and are having their medals stripped. (Instagram)
   
• This was also a pretty good profile of Alysia Montano, who I have pitched to a number of editors as an interesting voice in women’s sports right now. So I’m just going to set that down there. *cough* (California Magazine)
   
• I’m also a little biased, but Nuun’s new Nuuness TV is pretty cool. And it starts with Emma Coburn interviewing our own Ironwomen host Alyssa Godesky. (Nuuness)
   
• ITU World Champ Katie Zaferes was on the Finding Mastery podcast. Not a podcast that is exactly my jam, but if you’re looking to master triathlon, worth a listen. (Finding Mastery)
   
• You also could just cheat. Turns out that’s possible in virtual racing just as much as real racing. Shocking. (Bicycling)
   
• By now, you’ve probably heard about the ref DQ’ing a high school swimmer for her swimsuit scandalously riding up her ass, which mine also does on the regular. It was, of course, the swimsuit she was issued by the team and the decision, of course, was overturned. So I don’t really have anything to add other than come on, man. (Chicago Tribune)
   
• One of the things I’ve been thinking about in passing is how we talk about and view fitness v. weight. I don’t really feel like getting into the whole case to be made that our entire understanding of obesity is wrong, but let’s just say you can be a large cyclist and still be fit. (Huffington Post/Bicycling)
   
• Another thing I’ve been thinking about: mental training for endurance athletes. These tips are decent. (Outside)
   
• Oh and the last thing I’ve been thinking about—I had a lot of free time in Europe—is how every now and then I’ll come across someone my age who isn’t fundamentally convinced our whole generation is economically systemically fucked for decades to come, and I’ll be like, ‘really, have you not seen the numbers??’ (The Atlantic)
   
• The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge can feel like this vague thing politicians talk about. Here’s what taking a trip through it is actually like. (New York Times)
   
• Thank God there’s finally an Airbnb for people’s pools. (New Yorker)
   
• And this has nothing to do with anything except that as someone who finds myself yelling from the other room while the husband listens to Revisionist History during his workouts, I appreciated everything about this Malcolm Gladwell pan. (The Atlantic)

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Comments & thoughts

– Both Thorsten and Jorden pointed out the Slowtwitch AMA thread with Gustav Iden was really from the Norwegian team’s sweep of the podium at the WTS race in Bermuda last year, *but* it just got re-bumped to the top after his big win.

– Quite a few of you also let me know Nice has some issues about the whole security thing. Yeah, I know. I still think it was problematic.

– And in response to the question ‘how much of a shitshow have other 70.3 Worlds been?’ we heard that South Africa was flawless, and Kim said New Zealand next year will have far less security but also far fewer places to house everyone. So different kind of shitshow. Book your accommodations now.

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We Were Riding’ is a weekly triathlon-ish newsletter written by Kelly O’Mara and produced by Live Feisty Media. Subscribe to get it in your inbox every Wednesday morning. You can also read past issues. This episode is from Sept. 18, 2019.