Saddle Sore Women Newsletter—Fall is Almost Here!
Welcome to the Saddle, Sore Newsletter... Ready for Fall?
Back to school has always been a favorite time of year for me. I remember making huge goals lists, wardrobe plans, and doing the year's required reading... and that was when I was in the 4th grade. And I've stuck to that habit since then, which means I love cyclocross season in part because it coincides with back to school and a new time to work on goals and habits. It's like a second New Years!
I know my goals—make the expanded version of Saddle, Sore better than ever, host more rad talks, and write some killer blog posts I've been planning. And, of course, we have some bike goals—long terms ones—that are starting to take shape. It's been a busy summer, and fall is going to be just as hectic, but in the best way possible.
But enough about me. What are your goals for the fall? I'd love to hear—and hopefully be able to point you in the right direction!
Email me at molly@saddlesorewomen.com if you have any questions you're dying to see answered on our website or in the updated book. And as always, 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
#CrossIsComing
I love cyclocross season. It's what really brought me into the cycling scene and it's what's kept me in it. But I know that when I was racing, a lot, my lady parts were often not getting the proper care to keep me comfortable on the bike day after day. So, now that I'm older and wiser, I have a few thoughts for you all.
Know that you're adding a stress to your lady parts—especially if you're not ultra-careful with remounting. Think about hitting your thigh on the saddle, not smashing your sensitive bits!
Chamois cream! With all of the different positions and craziness of a cross race, it's nice to have a little extra protection from friction.
Your saddle choice won't be the same as what works for your road bike, or what works for your mountain bike. You're going to want to make sure that your saddle is just right for the sport you're racing... and that means trying something different if your cyclocross bike hasn't felt just right.
On that same note, if you've set up your cyclocross bike exactly like your road bike but you're still finding it uncomfortable, you may need a new bike fit. Cyclocross geometries aren't the same as road geometries, and you need a slightly different fit for 40 minutes of crazy hard racing compared to a 5 hour road race done at a tempo pace.
Make sure your skinsuit chamois is comfortable. You won't wear it for most practices or rides, but make sure it fits well—think slightly tight versus slightly loose: you don't want the chamois able to move around as you remount and dismount.
Post-race, it's tempting to stop to chat with friends, drink a beer (or three) and generally hang out in your sweaty kit. But don't! Drop your pants: remove your chamois right after your ride. Get out of that skinsuit ASAP!
Some really, really fun stuff this week over at Bicycling mag—I’ve had a lot of cool articles that have been so different, and I’m super stoked on four that came out this week.
7 Chamois Mistakes That Ruin Rides
This one was, of course, right in my wheelhouse, since talking about chamois is a big part of what I do. So, of course, I was psyched to spread the word about some common mistakes (like not taking off your chamois ASAP plus some laundry tips!).
Wake Up Ready To Crush Your Morning Ride
I love talking about and reading and researching morning habits, so this article was really fun to sink my teeth into. Talked to some really smart people, and it’s really helped me get my $hit together in the mornings!
6 Great Alternatives to Foam Rollers
This piece was great in part because I talked to a dear, brilliant friend of mine, a physio in Vancouver named Amanda Sin, who is one of the raddest people I know. We chatted about some inexpensive (and some PT-specific) tools you can use that get into sore spots better than a foam roller can. Since we travel a ton, we’ve ditched the roller and switched to lacrosse balls, and it’s been great.
32 Thoughts Every Rider Has on a Solo Century
OK, how many people get to add Taylor Swift GIFs to articles? Trust me, this one will make you laugh and nod as you read through the thoughts that run through my head—and the heads of other Bicycling mag staff—during a century ride.
All articles written by Molly Hurford via Bicycling magazine. Image via Horia Varlan on Flickr.
Come Hang!
We have upcoming talks on nutrition, lady parts and everything riding-related coming up in Chicago, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and more 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.
Discounts for Readers
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 them out at catstonguetowels.com and use the code MOLLY for a 25% discount!
20% Off 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 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 Facebook Page. Plus find out about deals, events and other fun stuff!
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.
Check it out here!
If you don't already have a copy of Saddle, Sore, you can buy one here.