International Women's Day: Inspirational, Determined, Dedicated

March 08, 2019

Racing Against the Boys 

Erin Wood

Being a Mountain Bike rider can be hard when you think that “just because I am a girl, I could never beat the boys”, really? Just because they are boys, why do people think this?

I started biking 2 years ago attending some coaching sessions with my brother.  I was asked to be in a team of eight for the Strathpuffer 24h bike race in January 2017.  For me, this was huge because it meant I could ride my bike in a proper team, and with boys and girls that are still my friends to this day!

The event is extremely tough and coping with temperatures as low as -10 and no sleep meant that we had to support each other to get through it.  In 2018 I did the Strathpuffer again, but with four riders, three boys, two of who were in the 2017 team. They just treated me as one of the lads and know I am just as capable as they are.

As much as the norm may be girls are friends with other girls and boys with other boys, this was not the case for me, in fact the opposite.  Which just shows that just because I am a girl, I can change the rules!

A lot of my training is done with boys and they are keen to help me and advise, and we support each other at events.

When I am racing the boys it feels so good, it makes me feel like “hey, I CAN do this”

Not to mention the fact that it pushes both athletes on, because “who wants to be beaten by a boy!”

A couple of months ago, I was racing at the North of Scotland Cyclocross Championship, and as much as it was sad there were no other girls in my race, it meant I could have a good race with the boys! As it turned out I ended up 2^nd overall beating the other boys and it was my teammate Lewis that won so a good day all round.

So, for any girls out there thinking that just because they cannot race, well I am here to say, “YES YOU CAN!”

 Erin Wood, Everactiv Ambassador. Follow her and her journey via instagram:

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