Catch up with the Shred Girls!
Let's catch up!
Thanks for taking the time to check out Shred Girls. Here's what's been going on last month:
See you soon!
-Molly (& Lindsay, Ali and Jen)
Excerpts:
Meet MTBing Shred Girl + College Freshman Kira Zazzi
I met Kira Zazzi when pro cyclocrosser Ellen Noble and I were running her girl’s camp, the ENCX Quest, in Tucson, Arizona, last year. Kira stood out to me with how relentlessly dedicated she was to cycling, and how hungry she was for any and all knowledge that we could share with her. (We actually started chatting again recently because she was reading my latest book, The Athlete’s Guide to Sponsorship!) I’m really excited for everyone to get to know her now! Why did you start riding bikes? I started riding bikes when I was six years old. My dad had been riding bikes for years, and he wanted to see if I would enjoy it. I ended up falling in love with it, and competed in my first race when I was eleven years old! To this day, my dad is still my best riding buddy and one of my biggest supporters. What was your favorite part? My favorite part of cycling when I first started (and still is now!) was watching myself progress both physically and technically. What was the hardest part? The hardest aspect of cycling for me has always been staying mentally strong. I’ve struggled a bit with anxiety since I was young, and making myself realize that I’m capable of doing anything that I put my mind to has something that I constantly have to put a lot of effort towards. I put just as much effort towards making sure I’m mentally healthy as I do towards on-bike training. One isn’t possible without the other! Have you picked which type of riding you’re going to focus on primarily? How did you choose? Yes! My primarily focus is cross-country mountain bike racing. I started off racing cross-country, and while I’ve dabbled in other disciplines, this has always been my favorite! This year throughout my collegiate mountain bike season, I was stronger than I’d ever been and I truly believed in my abilities- this lead me to realize that I definitely want to put my primary focus towards cross-country! What was the best tip or trick you’ve ever been told? The best advice I’ve ever received is to always believe in your abilities, and to trust the process. As hard as things may get, everything happens for a reason and you are always exactly where you need to be. Proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment this far is definitely being on a scholarship at Belmont Abbey College for cycling! Being able to have my choice between several different strong collegiate programs really proved to me that all of my hard work was beginning to pay off. Goals in cycling? My goals in cycling are to go professional, and to be an inspiration for young girls and women within the sport. Being an inspiration and motivation is really important to me, as looking up to women like Ellen Noble and Emily Batty has helped me get to where I am today. Advice for younger girls interested in riding? Don’t be afraid! This sport can be really intimidating and scary at times, but the opportunities that you’ll receive and the people that you’ll meet make it all worth it. Advice for balancing school and training? Balancing school and training is really hard! It’s actually way harder than I anticipated it being. Bringing all of your books and homework is a necessity. On top of that, I have a set homework and training schedule, and I also schedule my classes around my set training times. All of the above really help with staying on track, but even so, know that you’ll likely have to miss a training day or two due to studying or a paper that you have to write (which is completely okay!) Favorite piece of gear? My favorite piece of gear (aside from my bikes, of course!) is probably my pair of Oakley riding glasses that I recently bought. The lenses have pink and purple in them, and I think that they look super cool! Obviously, I know you from the ENCX Quest camp—what was the best part of that camp + biggest thing you learned while you were there? The best part of the ENCX Quest was meeting so many likeminded girls. It was great being able to meet so many others- this sport can feel really lonely at times, so instantly connecting with the group and staying in touch with them has been really beneficial to my training and everyday life. The biggest thing that I learned while at the Quest is simply that it’s okay to not be okay. In this sport, it can be really easy to feel like you’re weak, and strength is one of the main things that women in cycling are expected to portray. Talking to people and struggling mentally or physically is 100% okay, and does not make you weak in the slightest. Where can people find you and follow your adventures? People can find me on Instagram and Facebook @KiraZazzi to keep up with my adventures!
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BMX Gift Guide for Shred Girls: 2019
It’s that time of year again—holiday shopping for Shred Girls. While obviously, a new bike is a pretty great present, there are plenty of smaller gifts (starting at $15) that are fantastic gifts for bike-loving girls… Though of course, one of the best presents you can give is TIME: making time to ride with them or taking them to the park to shred! I’m breaking this years’ gift guides up by discipline, so if you’re not shopping for a BMXer or cyclocrosser, stay tuned for road, MTB, and a list of gifts under $25! For now, let’s talk about my favorite presents to give girls who love BMX! But when it comes to BMX, let’s get into the best gifts! “Shred Girls: Lindsay’s Joyride” Of course I had to start with this: the first Shred Girls book is all about trying BMX! When I started writing the series, I knew I wanted to start with a type of riding that was the most accessible. At first glance, BMX can seem a little scary, but bikes are pretty inexpensive, there are skate parks in most towns, and you can get pretty darn good just by practicing in your yard. It’s pretty optimal for girls who maybe don’t have cyclist parents to take them out riding, and the skills you gain in BMX transfer SO WELL to other sports later in life. But anyway… Shred Girls: Lindsay’s Joyride is all about fun, friendship, conquering fear and shyness, and of course, realizing that all girls can crush it at BMX! The book isn’t just written for girls who already love bikes, I wrote it for everyone—and I know plenty of non-cyclists out there who’ve read it and gotten on bikes after, which is super cool! Get it here $15 Bike Park Pass Obviously, I love Joyride 150 Bike Park in Markham, ON, but there are tons of options around the world. Bike parks can be a little pricey for a family to go to frequently, so park passes are amazing gifts, and ensure that your Shred Girl is able to ride year-round. The park atmospheres in general are also super conducive to making new friends and slowly ramping up skills—at Joyride 150, for example, there are several jump line options so that even the newest rider can practice in a comfortable, safe space before moving to the big stuff. Shred Girls Hoodie Honestly, most bike parks are SO COLD. A hoodie is pretty much a staple for riding comfortably, or hanging out to chat after a session. Shred Girls Hoodie $39 S1 Skate + BMX Helmet I really like S1’s helmets, and I am a total sucker for this leopard print option. So darn fun! (Available in other colors and sizes here.) Get it here $65 “The Athlete’s Guide to Sponsorship” Have a BMXer with aspirations of trying to make it as a pro? My latest book might be the perfect stocking stuffer, since it’s packed with info on the care and keeping of sponsors, in a no-BS voice of experience from years behind the scenes in the pro sport world. “The Athlete’s Guide to Sponsorship: An Athlete Entrepreneur’s Guide to Dreaming Big, Racing Smart & Creating a Reliable Brand for a Long, Successful Career“ $17 Junior-Sized Padding Elbows, knees and wrists: All very easy to hit when practicing on a BMX bike, if I’m honest. But junior padding has come a long way, and a full set of pads in kid sizes is no longer hard to find. Get it here $55 Practice Ramp If you have the perfect yard or driveway for practicing BMX, I love the idea of building a small practice jump or whoop for your shredder—but if you’re not handy, there’s an easy-buy option too! Get it here $44
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Izzy Weinberg is a NICA’s GRiT Girl—With Some Excellent Climbing Advice!
This is the fourth of many interviews from the Pennsylvania MTB NICA League’s amazing GRiT (Girls Riding Together) camp that they hosted this summer in PA. I was lucky enough to go and got a chance to meet so many incredible girls with fantastic advice to share (like our first girl from the camp, Madeline Clancy!). Today, meet Izzy Weinberg, a 16 year old on the Great Valley Mountain Composite Team. How did you get started riding? I’ve been riding since I was 13. My dad got into the sport and he introduced me to mountain biking when I was 12, but I didn’t start for a year. I remember going to watch my first race—I just thought it looked like so much fun. What made you love it? I loved the community and the people in the sport. I immediately thought, “Oh wow, these people are super cool.” I felt like I finally found my people. I didn’t love the riding at first though… But I kept showing up and then after a while, I realized how much fun it was. You can do tricks, you can session stuff to get better at it. That’s when it starts to get fun—so don’t give up after one ride! View this post on Instagram How far could you skid this cardboard? The @pamtbrace GRiT camp has some amazing skills tests for the girls and I LOVE this one! #moregirlsonbikes #shredgirls @nationalmtb A post shared by Shred Girls (@shred.girls) on Aug 26, 2019 at 5:26am PDT Best part of riding? The places I get to go when I’m racing or riding for fun. I’ve been to so many cool places like East Burke in Vermont or Pisgah in North Carolina where the riding is so fun, and it’s so beautiful in those places. It’s really cool to see places like that. RELATED: NICA’s GRiT Girls Know How to Shred! Meet Sarah Howard Hardest part of riding? Honestly, climbing. I’m good at it, but it is So Much Work. But it is so worth it when you get to the top and it’s all downhill. Best advice? My best advice is from my coaches, they tell me to just count in my head while I’m climbing. I always will just do that and have a playlist of songs going in my head that I’m singing to myself when I’m climbing. Right now, Location by Khalid—I’m really into his music right now. Advice for making friends in cycling? Just put yourself out there. People in the biking community are super friendly and not judgmental at all. They’ll always be there for you. They’re super friendly and outgoing and easy to talk to. RELATED: NICA’s GRiT Girls Know How to Shred! Meet Molly Weitzman View this post on Instagram The most hypnotic video you’ll watch all day—and a great way to practice slow speed bike skills! Grab a couple of #Shredgirls and give it a try! #moregirlsonbikes A post shared by Shred Girls (@shred.girls) on Aug 27, 2019 at 5:12am PDT Best moment at GRiT Camp? Meeting all these amazing people, who are female and into the sport. It’s so cool to see how many girls are into mountain biking! Goals in cycling? To just get faster at racing. I know right now my fastest time in a race is 54 minutes, so to beat that would be great. I’m focused on finishing and doing my best. Know a Shred Girl IRL? Nominate her to be featured on the site here!
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Shred Girls 2019 Gift Guide: Cyclocross
It’s that time of year again—holiday shopping for Shred Girls. While obviously, a new bike is a pretty great present, there are plenty of smaller gifts (starting at $10) that are fantastic gifts for bike-loving girls. I’m breaking this years’ gift guides up by discipline, so if you’re not shopping for a cyclocrosser, stay tuned for road, MTB, BMX and a list of gifts under $25! For now, since it is the season for CX, let’s talk about my favorite presents to give girls who shred! (And of course, the first Shred Girls book is a great present for any young girl who already rides or you wish would try biking!) But when it comes to cyclocross, let’s get into the best gifts! Easy-On Fenders I love these for younger riders because as fenders go, these are lightweight, easy to use, and fit even on tiny bikes! They install in 5 seconds, are super lightweight, and are the perfect stocking stuffer for the cyclist who’s sick of ruining bike shorts with mud splatter (or literally freezing her butt off!). You can grab plain ones on the link below, but I would HIGHLY recommend getting the #CXFEVER one from the amazing Maghalie Rochette. You can get that one here. Get it here $12 Shred Girls Towel For post-ride cleanups, I made this towel with mud specifically in mind. It hides dirt and grease perfectly, so it’s great on the beach, in the dorm, and post-mudfest. Ride Bikes Get Rad Beach Towel! $35 Adidas Snap-Off Pants 90s style is back, which is great news for cyclists who need to wear pants during warm up and on the start line. Adidas has these classic snap off pants that will make it a lot easier to stay warm ahead of your race! (For younger riders who can’t wear women’s sizing yet, they’re available in children’s as well!) Get them here $30 Hot Hands and Toes This is the ultimate stocking stuffer for a cyclocrosser. Sick of numb hands pre and post-race? These handwarmers make hanging out after the race infinitely more comfortable. Get it here $22/40 Shred Girls Beanie Post-race sweaty hair + freezing cold temps = the need for a post-race cap that will keep your head cozy before heading to podium! Shred Girls Cuffed Beanie $21 Travel Shoe Dryer Double race weekends mean that when day 1 is rainy, day 2 can be a little soggy when you’re stuck in wet shoes. This travel shoe dryer is my favorite piece of gear when it comes to avoiding that soggy feeling—and it plugs in in the car as well as regular outlets, so you can dry and drive! Get it here $37 Merino Wool Socks I know, socks—the ultimate cliche Christmas present! Give the gift of warm toes while riding, and laugh about being the parent who is actually giving their kid socks for Christmas. (I swear by merino socks all year for their sweat- and moisture-wicking abilities, but I NEVER skip them when temps drop below freezing.) Get them here $23/4 pairs
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NICA’s GRiT Girls Know How to Shred! Meet Sarah Howard
This is the second of many interviews from the Pennsylvania MTB NICA League’s amazing GRiT (Girls Riding Together) camp that they hosted this summer in PA. I was lucky enough to go and got a chance to meet so many incredible girls with fantastic advice to share (like our first girl from the camp, Madeline Clancy!). Today, meet Sarah Howard, a 13 year old in her first year of riding. How did you get started riding? My science teacher in sixth grade was a coach for the team and he really works to recruit more girls for the team every year. So I thought, ‘I’ll check it out.’ And I loved it. My dad used to ride, and he got back into it when I started riding. I also do triathlons and 5Ks, and I play tennis and do karate and golf. How do you balance all of that? It’s really busy! What made you love it? I like going down the hills—the feeling of just being free. How you feel great after it. How it’s a great exercise. How you can always challenge yourself. View this post on Instagram How far could you skid this cardboard? The @pamtbrace GRiT camp has some amazing skills tests for the girls and I LOVE this one! #moregirlsonbikes #shredgirls @nationalmtb A post shared by Shred Girls (@shred.girls) on Aug 26, 2019 at 5:26am PDT Hardest part? Going up the hills, but it’s always worth it at the top. Best advice? Every time you fail, you learn something new. So it’s OK to fail when you ride, because it means you keep learning. Advice for making friends in cycling? Just be nice and try to start conversations. Girls there are just like you, so it’s not as scary as you think it’ll be. View this post on Instagram The most hypnotic video you’ll watch all day—and a great way to practice slow speed bike skills! Grab a couple of #Shredgirls and give it a try! #moregirlsonbikes A post shared by Shred Girls (@shred.girls) on Aug 27, 2019 at 5:12am PDT Best moment at GRiT Camp? At camp, I loved capture the flag! Proudest cycling moment so far? Seeing how I’m improving over the year. When I think back to where I started last year, it’s like, ‘Wow, how was I not able to do something and now I am’? But I know it’s because I’ve kept practicing and I can see those improvements. Goals in cycling? To build up my endurance and try new stuff this season. I want to focus on becoming a better rider—and maybe get podium at some races! Know a Shred Girl IRL? Nominate her to be featured on the site here!
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The Best Habit for Young Shred Girls? Getting Enough Sleep… And Most of Us Aren’t!
As an athlete, one of the most important things you can do is sleep like an athlete. I’ve been doing talks at bike shops, schools and colleges about goal-setting and how our daily habits can be the driving force behind our athletic success as much as any practice. When I’ve asked girls how many are getting at least 8 hours of sleep at night, though, only a couple of girls are raising their hands. YIKES! But also, yeah, I’ve totally been there. Between school, biking, homework, spending time with friends (on and offline), keeping up with that favorite TV show, and all those other after-school activities, no wonder you’re having trouble getting enough sleep! And even when you do get to bed early, I’m guessing a lot of you end up having trouble falling asleep. I just saw a new study that showed that less than half of kids in school in the US are getting 9 hours of sleep each night. And the ones who are sleeping that much are significantly more likely to show a positive outlook toward school and other positive signs. Umm, NINE HOURS? That sounds like a ton of sleep, especially if you’ve constantly heard about getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night as ideal. The truth is, it’s more like 7 to 9 hours is the optimal amount, but very few people have time to get in 9 full hours of sleep, so the number has dropped to 7 to 8 when you hear about it. I think the problem with that, though, is when you hear 7 to 8 hours, you start thinking 6 isn’t so bad. But when 9 hours is the gold standard, suddenly, only getting 6 hours of sleep is so low! We know that sleeping more means our bodies and brains have time to recover and prep for another hard day of training. We know that enough sleep means we’re alert, we feel happier, we’re less stressed out and we’re able to get more stuff done. OK, so what does getting good sleep look like for you as an athlete? Aiming for 7 to 9 hours of sleep (this doesn’t count time spent in bed looking at your phone) Shutting down your phone/computer/etc. about 2 hours before you go to sleep (or at least shifting to night mode!) Not sleeping with your phone next to you with notifications on! (I put mine on Do Not Disturb, but have it set that if anyone on my Favorites calls me twice in a row, it comes through.) In fact, keeping your phone in another room is a great idea, but I know that’s easier said than done If you have trouble falling asleep because your brain won’t shut up, I love keeping a notepad and pen next to my bed so if I have an idea I don’t want to forget, I don’t dwell on it, I just jot it down and go back to sleep Keep your room nice and cool—65 is the optimal temp for sleeping, according to the experts Keep your room dark! If you don’t have blackout curtains or (like me) are a little scared of the dark, try wearing a sleep mask so you’re in the dark while sleeping but if you take the mask off, you can still have a nightlight on Keep it quiet! I like a fan for white noise, but other people I know love earplugs. Great for if you share the room with a snoring sibling! Try to skip hitting SNOOZE. Ugh, I know. It’s hard to do, but seriously, the more you hit snooze in the morning, the crappier your sleep—you’re not really getting into deep sleep between that 7 minutes, and you’re much better off just getting up! I’ve been telling girls who talk about pulling all-nighters for school stuff the same thing for a while now: Instead of staying up all night to work on a report or study, PLEASE get a few hours of sleep and just get up extra early to finish. Trust me, you’ll get SO MUCH MORE DONE! Anyone else have any awesome sleep tips?
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