Saddle Sore Women—Summer's Almost Gone!
Welcome to the Saddle, Sore Newsletter... And where did summer go?
Jeez, how did summer get away from me so quickly? There are so many more bike rides I want to do before it's over, and I'm running out of time! This month, I mountain biked with my dad and his new crew of riding buddies, I talked at shops in Ontario, NY and NJ about lady parts and nutrition and training, and I went downhilling for my Bachelorette party. It's been pretty busy!
I've also—and this is super exciting, since it's the first time I'm telling anyone—started working on a new, updated, expanded edition of Saddle, Sore. I never expected the original book to strike such a nerve with the cycling community, but in the two years since it's been out, I've given about 100 talks and sold thousands of copies. The website gets tons of clicks every day as women (and, I think, some men!) look for answers to questions they don't want to ask friends. And I've gotten a bunch of emails and requests for info on topics I didn't cover in the original version: how menopause effects our lady parts and our riding, when we can ride after giving birth, how we can naturally heal saddle sores or hormone imbalance without medications prescribed by doctors who just don't 'get' us. I've also gotten a ton of asks for a men's version. I've talked to a bunch of new experts already and there's a ton of great new info going into a new draft. And while I'm not going to make a version for men, I am going to have a chapter in the updated version for men's issues too—I think there are a lot of guys out there who can benefit from some of the stuff in the original book but get freaked out by the pink cover. And the new cover—for those who hate pink—isn't going to be pink anymore.
Anyway, I am so stoked on this project, and I'd love to hear from you guys if there are any topics or questions you're dying to hear about. Email me at molly@saddlesorewomen.com and I'll make sure you get some answers soon!
To follow along to see where I'll be, follow me on Twitter at @mollyjhurford and if we're in the same place, say hi!
Stay rad,
Molly
Try A Tri (Some Tips)
Some of you may know that I started my foray into cycling by racing triathlon. That's why it took me two years (!!!) to realize that bike shorts had padding—because I was always training in swim gear! But if you're interested in triathlon—as you should be, it's awesome—I have a few tips.
Know that you're adding a stress to your lady parts. Swimming means harsh chemicals, running means different chafing.
Handle run chafing the way you handle chafing on the bike: with a cream. I like Body Glide for my inner thighs on runs where my shorts are really short, or when I've come off the bike and already have slightly irritated skin.
Cool water post-ride/run. Especially on the backs of your legs—cool the skin down as fast as possible to get heat rash to subside faster.
Get used to riding in your tri-suit. It's a whole new ballgame at a triathlon, since you're swimming and running in the same outfit you're riding in. The chamois in a tri-suit is much thinner, so you'll want to know how it feels in all 3 sports, but especially on the bike. Wear it on short rides or brick workouts to break it in, don't save it for race day.
Shave less, especially where your chamois is. It's hard to skip shaving or waxing in the summer, I know, but try to go as long as possible without it—razor burn and heat don't mesh well—and when you do shave, save that for post-ride so skin isn't raw when you roll out.
Just because you're racing triathlon doesn't mean you shouldn't train in regular shorts too. For any ride that doesn't have a run immediately following it, I'm a fan of just wearing my normal bike shorts to keep my lady parts happy.
Post-race, it's tempting to fall over and just hang out on the ground for a while. But don't! Drop your pants: remove your chamois right after your ride. Get out of the shorts/that tri-suit ASAP!
Come Hang!
We have upcoming talks on nutrition, lady parts and everything riding-related coming up in Pittsburgh, Norfolk and Chicago in the next two months. Check the schedule here. We'll talk awkward questions, women's cycling, and any training and nutrition questions you have—plus hang out and likely drink some wine!
Want to host a Ladies' Night? Fill out the form here.
Sweet 20% Discount on Petal Power Chamois Cream!
I'm super excited that Petal Power is offering SaddleSoreWomen.com readers a 20 percent off discount on chamois cream—stock up! I love their Joy Ride System—it has a pre-ride cleansing wipe, a fantastic chamois cream, and a post-ride shower gel. Cannot recommend their stuff enough!
Check it out at petal-power.com and use the code SADDLESOREWOMEN for a discount!
Get in touch with other women cyclists, and ask any of the questions you've always wanted to ask on our new and improved Facebook Page. Plus find out about deals, events and other fun stuff!
If you don't already have a copy of Saddle, Sore, you can buy one here.
Save 25% on Cat's Tongue Towels
Cat’s Tongue Towels are always go in my saddlebag and my race bag before rides and trips. They’re designed to get grease off, whether it’s off of your hands when you have to stop to change a flat (anyone else end up with grease smeared on their face after a ride?) or off your bike where the chain left a mark, the towels work really well. I LOVE the individually wrapped ones for rides and when we fly places, but the canister is perfect for sticking in your car and having at all times.
Check it out at catstonguetowels.com and use the code MOLLY for a 25% discount!
All articles written by Molly Hurford via Bicycling magazine. Image via Horia Varlan on Flickr.
Riding is fantastic, but there's more to life than pedaling. I'm all about becoming an all-around great (or at least, competent and up for any adventure) athlete. And Peter and I are exploring this in our new podcast, The Consummate Athlete.