Life As A Gravel Pro With Sarah Sturm Sarah Sturm is one of the most recognized and beloved names in gravel racing. Shes a powerhouse on the bike and a huge personality off of it.In this interview, I was able to get a behind-the-scenes look at her life as a professional athlete. We talk about how she trains, what she eats, and why she tracks her menstrual cycle. If you have any interest in the world of professional gravel racing, you dont want to miss this episode. Listen (Or Watch) The InterviewIn This EpisodeWhy Sarah started her podcast The challenges and complexities of social media as a professional athleteHow Sarah transitioned from mountain biking and cyclocross into gravel racing Her evolution in race nutrition from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to a dialed-in fueling strategyWinter training in Colorado including gym work, Nordic skiing, and the importance of cadence drills for injury preventionThe story behind her viral Cycling Weekly article about racing on your period The importance of talking about womens health topics like RED-S and disordered eatingConnect With Sarah Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sarahsturmy/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6UjUymQyrgq3q1yusgnCB2Full Transcript+Kristen Bonkoski: Okay, Sarah, first of all, thank you so much for being here. For anybody who doesnt already know who you are, could you just take a moment to introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about you?Sarah Sturm: Yeah, totally. Um, I am a professional off-road cyclist, which I guess these days sort of just means a gravel cyclist who sometimes does mountain bike races as well. Um, and yeah, lets see, Ive been racing professionally since 2017? 2018? Oh my god, it feels like a really long time ago now. Um, and I live here in Durango, Colorado. Well, some of the year I live here, most of the time we we leave to, you know, get out to train, and then during the race season, Im not here as often as I would like to be. Um, but its been such a nice warm winter, um, that I stayed for a good chunk of time this year. Um, and yeah, lets see, Ive I dont know, Ive raced all over the world, um, Ive gone to do a lot of the Gravel Earth series, the Lifetime Grand Prix, and yeah, just Oh, and I started a podcast last year with my sister.Kristen Bonkoski: Yeah, so lets start there. Why did you start that podcast?Sarah Sturm: Thats a good question. Well, um, I because I train for endurance, um, I spend a lot of time in Zone 2, just kind of toodling around, and I While I do love, like, audiobooks and, like, learning stuff through podcasts, um When youre on, like, hour 5 or 6 of your ride, and youre just, like, so done. I would turn on these, like, I would call them, like, junk food podcasts, theyre just, like, talk podcasts that were, like, about, like, pop culture and, like, fashion and things that, like, have nothing to do with cycling, and I really, over the years, like, started, like, regularly listening to these, and, like, felt like these people werent my friends, because I would, like, listen so often. And then I was like, God, I really, like, I feel like theres a space for this type of podcast in cycling and in sports, um, and then I knew that I wanted my sister to be my co-host, because she doesnt give a about cycling at all, and shes kind of a good balance of all of that, and so it just took a little bit of convincing, um, for her to join me, and, you know, if theres one thing Im really confident in, its my ability to just talk, so Um, and yeah, I dont know, I just its kind of fun to, like, have a different outlet, um, in cycling media, not just, like, Instagram and going to the races. So, yeah, its been actually pretty fun. Theres been a couple mornings where Im like, I really dont feel like talking to my sister this morning. But for the most part, its been pretty good.Kristen Bonkoski: I do really like the dynamic of having her on there, though, because because shes not a cyclist, and because so often, like, we get so bogged down into this jargon and this world that, like, the average person listening might not have any idea what the youre talking about.Sarah Sturm: Yeah. Yeah, I think I think a lot of people relate, because, like, you know, when cyclists or any type of athlete goes home for Christmas, or, like, you know, stays with, like, family or, like, you know, their coworkers or friend groups and you sort of, like, have these moments of, like, oh my god, I am, like, the weirdo, like, who knows about, like, watts and carbs and all of these, like, silly things that we get, like, so, like, into, and then, you know, you assimilate with normal people, and youre like, oh my god, this is not a normal thing to know about. So I think people, like, really relate to that, and I I feel like a lot of people who are close with their siblings also like listening, because theres a lot of, like that sibling tension that we bring to the podcast unintentionally.Kristen Bonkoski: Right. You mentioned that it was a nice alternative to Instagram, for instance, and Ive had a lot of other pro cyclists come on this podcast and talk about how they dont really enjoy that pressure that comes from social media and from having to feel like performing for your sponsors. Have you ever kind of experienced that?Sarah Sturm: Yeah. Oh my god, every single moment of the day. Like you know, Ive I think weve all had a journey, if we have Instagram, weve all gone on a journey with our own social media. And, you know, what started out as being a wit because, like, Ive always really been a creative person, and I, you know, long before I signed my pro, you know, contracts, I really just liked going on these adventure rides with my friends, and I bought a nice camera, and I really loved, like, sharing and documenting, like through words and photos, like these things, and thats when Instagram used to be so innocent and pure. I mean, it was still sort of performative and, like, the best version of your life, but even then, it was, like, it just kind of was, like, simple. And now, as an athlete, theres definitely, like, a formula. Um, that is successful for social media, um, and I guess it kind of, like, differs between different athletes, but it just gets monotonous and, like, a little bit daunting, because you dont, you know, its so easy to say the wrong thing, or, like, be, you know, put yourself out there and then be judged by people, or for me, its usually just having the constant pressure of, like, feeling like I have to put stuff out there, and, like, theres a lot that I want to talk about, um, but I just get really, like I get weighed down by, like, choosing the perfect photo and, like, saying things in an eloquent way. And then you should see my drafts folder. Its its insane. Like, I just theres so many posts that I, like, have never put out into the world, because I just overthink it, and then, you know, I havent posted since December this year, so Im just, like I dont know, I go hot and cold with it, because sometimes its really nice to be able to share, like, this is actually what happened during this bike race for me, and I think people I really like reading that about other racers that I follow, um, and so Im sort of just kind of sticking to that these days, but It used to be, like, more of an online diary for me. But these days, its not.Kristen Bonkoski: And you dont worry about that with the podcast, about, like, overthinking what you say?Sarah Sturm: No, I am not whatever, like, the filter is, I dont have that, it seems, uh, before I speak. I mean, we do have a producer, and shes so helpful in that, um, she makes sure we dont get canceled. So, like, I dont think shes actually had to edit anything out yet, but she is, like, listening and making sure, like, were not saying something too controversial or just wrong.Kristen Bonkoski: Got it. Yeah, I love that. Why gravel? Why is that the discipline youve decided to focus primarily on?Sarah Sturm: Yeah, thats a good thats a good question. I mean, obviously, like, um, I mean, your listeners probably all participate mostly in gravel? I mean, it seems likeKristen Bonkoski: Its a mixed bag, actually, but yeah.Sarah Sturm: Okay. Yeah, I I mean, I started, like most people who race gravel professionally. Weve all, like, started in a different actually, thats sort of changing these days, I shouldnt say that. Um, but a lot of us have started in other disciplines, if youve raced before, you know, 2021. And I was racing mountain bikes and cyclocross professionally. And, um, then, you know, my team manager signed me up for Belgian waffle ride, and I thought it was, like, a chill, like, kind of group race ride where you got waffles, and I was like, sure, they gave me a road bike, and theyre like, its a gravel race, but heres a road bike. And, uh, and, um, that was honestly, like, how I got into gravel, and it was really, like, it was the furthest Id ever ridden, I think it was like I dont even know, like, 140 miles or something, which is a lot, like, I had never I had barely ridden over 100 miles. Like, I think I did a 100-mile mountain bike race a couple years earlier, just to see if I could do it in this area, and I was just, like, really intrigued with, like I thought it was really fun to go into something having never ridden that far, and I was, like, kind of getting, like Id done Cyclocross for so many years, and mountain bikes for so many years, and it was just this, like this new frontier for me to kind of explore, and I really, at the time, it was really different, but, like, I really liked starting, like, all with, like, men and women, and all the age groups started together, and it was kind of a cluster, you know, going into but terrifying, too, so it was just, like so new and different, um, and I just, like, ended up having the right skill set for it. Like, I had really good technical skills from racing mountain bikes and cyclocross. I was used to the, you know, cyclocross bike setup, so, like, the gravel bike wasnt a big stretch for me. Um, and I just was pretty stoked to, like, go really far distances, like, that was really um, exciting to me, um, and so I just kind of did what I normally do, and Im just, like, a dive headfirst into stuff kind of person, and so I was, like, really unprepared, like, didnt show I didnt start showing up to races with nutrition until, like, 3 years in, and I was like, pro contracts. Like, before Leadville, I was, like, hitting up my friend Yuri, who works for Goo, and Im like, yo, can you send can you give me some gels? So, its just been a lot its been a big learning curve, and now, you know, Im fighting for, like, this half a percentage difference in the top of the pro peloton, so its pretty wild to think back to, like you know, my first the BWR, the one that I just randomly ended up winning, I had, like, pockets full of, you know, peanut butter, jelly, potato chip sandwiches was my only feel for it. So, you gotta start somewhere.Kristen Bonkoski: Whats your whats your fueling look like now? What do you like?Sarah Sturm: Honestly, not no, I was gonna say not so different. Um, during training rides, I like to eat, like, normal food. Like, Ill do PBJs all day, like, I can eat those things all the time. Um, but for for races, Im, like, super dialed now, um, which I never thought I would be. Thats only, like, the last 2 or 3 years. Um, but yeah, like, Im aiming for, like, 90 grams of carbs an hour. Um, I I use Tailwind high-carb fuel, so, um, yeah, its like a high carb 90 luckily, like, a pouch of it is 90 grams of carbs, so just easy in the bottles, um, and then I supplement that with gels. So, Im pretty much just gels and tailwind, um, for these races. And then Ill throw in, like, a couple of, like palate refresher things, if Im just, like like, for Traca, which is 360K, I, like, always make sure, like, theres a bag of potato chips, theres, like, stuff with salt, like. Um, its I have not found pizza bagel bites in Europe yet, but Im sure they exist, but, like in in the US, like, Ill Ill throw pizza bagel bites at an aid station in case I want something just different. I mean, the year I got third at Unbound, I had, like, a bag of bagel bites, like, stuffed into my jersey, so Sometimes real food is, you know, what you need, even though its kind of, like, harder on your system to process it, you know? One bagel bite can really do wonders for you.Kristen Bonkoski: Yes. I definitely find the longer the event, the more important to me, like, real food becomes.Sarah Sturm: I I agree. I mean, I think some people can you have to do this thing called gut tra you dont have to, but If you want to do these longer events with, you know, gels and drink mix. Its a lot of sugar, um, for your system, and so you have to, like, work up to that, so you have to eat a lot more maltodextrin to train to eat a lot in one sitting. Um, but, I mean, honestly, like, it it has been fun, sort of, kind of learning that. A lot of it has been, you know, trial by error, and you know, theres been a couple races that Ive sacrificed the win because Ive made, you know, nutrition errors. So, um, I hired a nutritionist, because I was like, this is not something Im inherently interested in, and I would like to learn about it. So, yeah, I do, I do, like, a mix of of high-carb bottles, and then I also really, like, I know Spring Energy, theres this company called Spring. Um, they sort of got into some hot water a few years ago because they had, like, some false claims as to how many carbs were in these gels. But their gels are really good, theyre just, like, theyre basically just, like, slightly more caloric applesauce, is what they turned out to be, but, like, I found them, like, really refreshing amidst, like, you know, pure, like, maltodextrin gels, and then youre drinking, like, high-carb mix, um Theres one called Awesome Sauce that they make that tastes like apple pie, um, butKristen Bonkoski: Oh. I havent tried these.Sarah Sturm: Yeah, it was great. Yeah, theyre theyre awesome. Here I am, like, an ambassador. I dont work with them at all, but they did sort of get canceled a few years ago, because they were claiming to have, like, 30 or 40 grams of carbs per, like, gel. And I think someone, like, sent it to a lab and found out that it was only, like, 15 grams of carbs, and people were, like, bonking at, like I mean, they had, like, a full roster of pros, and, like, a lot of ultra runners used it, because its, like, basmati rice and maple syrup and, like, apples and lemon, and, like, a lot of Like, whole food ingredients, so it was pretty appealing, but theyre still great, they just dont have that many arms.Kristen Bonkoski: Yeah. Got it. Uh, what is your training personality like? It seems, from things youve said, that youre not particularly data-driven. Is that true?Sarah Sturm: Hmm. Then Im sorry, I missed what you said.Kristen Bonkoski: Not terribly data driven.Sarah Sturm: No, Im not, but I am, like, a big, like like, if theres training on my schedule, and my coach is really smart in how he works with athletes that are crazy, like I am, which is, I think, most of us, um if somethings on my schedule, Im going to do it. Like, come or high water, so, like especially, like, we call them key workouts. Um, and I work with, uh, Dennis through the Orange Seal Academy, and he he has a ton of gravel athletes. And hes really smart, because he doesnt give us programming, like, beyond a couple days, so we, like, check in I pretty much check in with him almost every single day, and hes like because he was like, Im not gonna give you a 6-hour ride on Friday when youre like smoked on Tuesday and can barely get through your intervals on Wednesday and he was like, and I know that if you see that I take that ride off, youre gonna still, like, youre gonna have so much more stress because Ive removed it and you knew that I wanted you to, like, that should have been in the plan and I was like, oh my god, that eliminates so much stress for me that Ive had it with other coaches in my life, because Im like, Im just like that annoying high achiever kind of, like, I like-to-check-the-box kind of person. and I like to do it well, but Im not, like Im not, like, analyzing, you know, oh, I averaged this many watts for this interval, but, you know, he gives me a range, and I try to, like hit it, and I know when I fail at things, and um and then we work through it, but from my perspective, and same thing with, like, nutrition goes for coaching, its like, we all have strengths and weaknesses, and we all have things that were interested in, and the things that cause us stress. And, like, the stuff that Im not interested in are theyre really important, you know, pieces of data and, like, information that I do need to be paying attention to, but Im not inherently into that kind of stuff, so I would rather just pay someone, you know, who I trust, who works with me. Like, Dennis looks at all of that, and he knows, like, okay, these numbers are not looking good, or like, oh my god, shes, like, crushing it, and then well, like, kind of adjust from there, which is really nice.Kristen Bonkoski: Yeah. Its winter right now. What does your training in the winter look like?Sarah Sturm: Thats a good question. Well, Im currently sitting on my lacrosse ball right now, because I overdid it skiing the other day. Um, on a normal, Ill say Im in Colorado, and were having the worst snow season on record of all time, which is really depressing. Um, normally, I like to supplement, you know some interval training, a lot of Zone 2, and then with that Zone 2, Ill do a lot of Nordic skiing, and Ive been hitting the gym, like, 3 times a week, which I really, really love. Um, and thats kind of a newer thing in the last few years that I wish I had been doing sooner, is the gym. Um, but yeah, it looks like Ill do some, like, bigger weeks, like 20 I mean, I used to do these, like, huge training blocks where I would hit, like, 25 to 30 hours a week. Um, but that actually just mostly, like, mentally fried me. Um, and I actually find it better to be doing some VO2 work and some intervals and some cadence work. Um, especially because I think all of us will have probably had some form of small or large injury if youve been doing endurance for long enough. And, um, my coach and I really believe in, like, cadence drills to help combat some injuries. Like, I have, um, psoas like, deep psoas and glute injury stuff going on from a few years ago, so we we spice in a lot of cadence drills, which are frustrating, like, theyre my least favorite. Um, usually we do them on the rollers. Um, one-legged roller, uh, cadence drills are actually, like, really hard to do. Um, but theyre good for you, soKristen Bonkoski: What about mobility? Do you do any mobility work?Sarah Sturm: God, I knew you were gonna ask that. I am so I just did my first ever, like, gentle yoga. Im a big class person, like, I A class I can take, because otherwise, Im, like, my friend Sophia, her and Keegan, like, they are so Um, if youve ever spent time with those two, like, they have this nightly routine where, like, they do this, like, stretching regimen together. I mean, theyve been doing it for, like, ever, for years, and they have, like, this little timer that goes off, and they each do their little stretches, and its like And I think its what keeps them injury-free and strong and I am just theres something wrong with my brain and I just cannot make myself do it unless its PT. Um, yeah, I just, like, I dont know what it is. Even when I played soccer, Im just, like, not But it feels so good. I, like, I need to do it. But I will, because Ive had some injuries, probably because Im not doing mobility. Um, Ive done I do a lot of PT and a lot of PT-based activations before I train. Mm-hmm, and race. So, I will do that.Kristen Bonkoski: I was the same way until I turned 40 and suddenly when I turned 40 I was like, this is the number 1 thing my body needs.Sarah Sturm: Yeah, yeah. I know, the older I get, the more Im like, okay, maybe I need to do more. I think its just that, like, heres my excuse. Ready? This is not, like, this is 100% an excuse we have a really furry dog, and like, Im always in black, and Im like, I just dont want to get, like, covered in dog furry. Its not an excuse at all, but I will go to a yoga class. And I even did my first ever gentle yoga, which was sort of my nightmare, but it was everything that I needed to do.Kristen Bonkoski: So I knew who you were before this, but the time that, like, I really paid attention was like, oh, I really like this lady, is when you wrote an article for Cycling Weekly about racing on your period. And that, I mean, that actually caused a lot of controversy amongst men that you would even write such an article, right?Sarah Sturm: Totally. Yeah, men are like, they have periods? What? We dont want to know about it. Um, oh, how do you now, like, have since then, have you that was new for you at that point. You had gone off an IUD and started getting your period. Um, have you How have you dealt with it since then?Kristen Bonkoski: Yeah.Sarah Sturm: Thats I love talking about this, um, because I didnt always love talking about it, but its such a huge part of womens health and, you know, your health as an athlete. Um, I was really and I think I wrote about this in the article, but I was pretty Um, inspired by my friend Magalie Rochette, um, whos a Canadian, uh, cyclocrosser and mountain biker, and then, um, another woman, Haley Batten, whos a U.S. Olympic, um not champion, but she got second, whatever you call, like, Olympic medalist. Um, and she worked with her coach to get her period back. So, like, a lot of women suffer from losing their period. I think its called amenorrhea or something like that. Um, yeah, wow. Um, which is it used to be, like, that was an indicator as a female that you were nice and fit and lean. Like, if you were lean enough to lose your period, then you were doing something right. And Im not gonna, like, throw shade to, like, coaches and doctors, because, like, well, maybe the doctors, but, like, the coaches, its like, okay, like, this was just, like, a fad back then. It was, like, you know, when people, like, I think racers were eating, like 20 grams of carbs per hour back then, too. So, like, things just change and we learn and, like, adapt. Um, but now, its really well known that, like, as a woman, if you dont if youre not getting your period, especially as a young woman whos training you are going to suffer the consequences down the line, if not immediately, and, like Theres a lot more information about red S, um, but, like uh, relative energy deficiency syndrome, I think its called, um, which oftentimes goes hand-in-hand with under-fueling and overtraining for women. And, I mean, I know two pro road cyclists who have had to retire from, like the top of the sport, like, racing the womens tour, like, to retiring from the sport, because they, you know, their bodies never recover from the stress and load that they put on it, and I think a lot of that has to do with under-fueling, overtraining, losing your period, pushing through things, because as athletes, were really good at just pushing through and, like, just suffering, especially as women, like, were excellent at that, which is why were so good at endurance, but you know, having your period and using it as an indicator of health is actually, like, the secret tool that we get that men dont. Um, and Im not gonna lie, like, it sucks to have to deal with a period. Like, I deal, like, my cramps came back, I mean, I had happily had an IUD for I mean, multiple different IUDs for like over 10 years, like, and it was really nice, like, I didnt get my period, I didnt have to worry about an unwanted pregnancy, like it just alleviates a lot of stress, but at the same time, I got to the point where I was like, actually, I dont like, I feel like Im still getting these, like, hormone cycles, you know, but its not like, I would basically just track mood, and, like, sometimes I would get, like, some PMS symptoms, and then sometimes, you know, it was just, like, really hard to track, and so I decided to, like, get it removed and, like, use, um, like, a period tracking app to, um, as my birth control, which it, like, that works for certain people, and, like, you know, Dylan was a little bit nervous about that. He was like, do you think you can actually, like, keep track of this with, like, everything you have going on? So I will say, like, it works for certain people. Um, but yeah, I think it, like, for me, it was such an important indicator of, like, okay, if my bodys able to, like, have a menstrual cycle, like, fairly regularly then Im on the right track with my nutrition, Im not overtrained. Um, and then, you know, I think Demi Vollering has also spoken, and a lot of women in, like, the Womens Tour and other gravel athletes you just have to race with your period sometimes. Like, you know, I think I wrote in the article, well, ironically, Ive gotten my period for my long the chaka, my longest race of the season, two years in a row, which was insane. But the first year, I was like, oh my god, what, like, what do I do? I cant, like I dont know, like, if I can wear a tampon. I hadnt yet discovered, like, the menstrual discs which I think are amazing for athletes. Um, theres a lot of different brands out there that you can try, but you can leave those things in for over 12 hours and be safe and fine. Um, or you can just freeble, which is, you know, kind of gnarly, but its its honestly not as gross as, you know, everything else going on. Um, but I think, like, people are just like, absolutely disgusted by talking about their periods, and like I dont know, its just, like, a natural thing have to, like if youve ever done a bike race, a running race, and youre, like, not pooping or peeing normally, you know, like, that is an indicator, and the same thing with, like, women for, like, their menstrual cycle. I think its I think its an underused tool, um, and I actually got a lot of emails and DMs from a lot of male coaches that were like, thank you so much for this information. Like, I coach a lot of young women, and like, this is really awesome to know for myself and for them, because I think, you know, when youre young, and I was one of those people, like, I did not want to talk about tampons and pads and, like, all these things as a soccer player and swimmer, like, I was like, I dont want to deal with any of it. So, I also have come full circle with all of it. But, yeah, now its like I dont know, its not, like, a comfortable thing, but I just know, you know, Ive had to race with my doll in, like, a couple tabs with my doll in my, like, pocket, because Im like, okay, Im gonna take Chew before the race starts, um, because I get such bad cramps on the first day of my period. Um, but I find, actually, with, like, interval work or races, my cramps arent as bad, because I think my, like, muscles are just a little more warmed up. But Ive also had to stop interval sessions, because my cramps are so gnarly.Kristen Bonkoski: Yeah. Are there any other topics like that that you wish that we collectively talked more about that we dont?Sarah Sturm: I mean, Im always on, like, a womens health kick. Like, I had my friend Iz on the podcast, um, who just had her first child, and, you know, I think going through something as life-changing as pregnancy as a professional athlete is something that, like you know, were all, like, sort of, like, pushing towards, like, having more support as, you know, female professional athletes. Um, theres been a lot of work thats been done on the world tour with that, like, I think they get maternity leave which is really cool, um, and having something similar to that in the gravel space, especially as privateers, um, would be awesome, so but thats thats sort of, like, business and womens health. Um, but Im also, like, part of me is, like, where do you think all these athletes come from? Like, you should the women that, like, bring them into the world. But yeah, I think, like, I think menstrual health and, like, awareness of, like, red S and disordered eating, for women specifically is huge, and, like, you have a lot of people that are talking about this stuff. Um, Veronica Ewers is the woman who I mentioned earlier, who had to retire. Um, she used to be on EF, but shes a really, really great person to follow, um, just with her, like, redesse journey. Um, I know I learned a ton from her and, like, what she posted about, so I think theres just, like, a lot of change happening in the realm of, like, whats healthy for women, which is cool.Kristen Bonkoski: It is, its wonderful to see. Who are some other women that you look up to and that you look to for advice or for mentorship?Sarah Sturm: Mmm, thats a good question. Um, I mean, I really I really lean on a lot of the women I race with, honestly. Like, I I think theres a pretty extensive network of, like, how we all communicate with each other, you know? Like, I because theyre kind of the only ones that, like, go through the same thing that were all going or that youre going through, so, like, even though were, like, battling them to the line youre also, like, asking them about, like, you know, contract stuff, and, like, you know, training things, and just general life things, and Im Im a big Um, Im Im big on friendship, and, like, I think I think at the end of the day, like, yeah, like, sure, winning races is important, um because its our job, but at the same time, like, I dont know, those results fade quickly into the rearview mirror after a few years, and, like, its the, like, relationships and mentorship that you really that you really start to value. Um, I have a lot of People that I, like, watch and, like, follow from afar, like, I really look up to a lot of the athletes, um, in road and mountain biking, um, and gravel as well, I just happen to, like, be friends with all of the ones in gravel, so its like its more of an intimate mentorship, I guess. Um, but yeah, Im really close with a lot of the women I race with, but then yeah, I love I love just seeing, like, how women approach the sport differently. Like, I love the battle between, like, Demi Vollering and Pauline Feron-Pravaux last year for the tour, and just, like, theyre really different people, and just watching their approaches to cycling and reading their interviews and their stories, you know, its really inspiring, and Um, not necessarily direct mentorship, of course, but I think that theres a lot of value in that, and thats my one thing with social media that is kind of cool, that you can have, like you know, when I started racing was when Instagram, like, Instagram was sort of, like becoming what it is, and I thought it was just, like, really special to be able to, like, sort of get this, like, glimpse at these athletes that, like, I was really stoked on, you know, following their career and, like, what they thought. Um, and so I have a lot of I think I draw a lot of inspiration from the way that other women do the sport.Kristen Bonkoski: Yeah. So, speaking ofSarah Sturm: I mean, I can I can list some if you want, butKristen Bonkoski: Sure, go ahead.Sarah Sturm: Yeah, um, I mean, I think I already mentioned, like, Haley Batten and how she how dedicated she is on the mountain bike side of things. Um, I think Pauline, obviously, like, greatest of all time, like bike racers. I also follow, like, a lot of, like, you know, kind of mid-pack, um, domestique type of athletes. Like, theres this woman, Brody Chapman, who has also dabbled Ive raced with her in gravel, and shes super cool, but its been really fun to watch her, like, domestique her way through, like, the womens tour, and, like, I think shes been, like, Australian road champion a few years. Um, shes an incredible athlete, um, and I just I think her approach is kind of fun, because shes pretty chill about things. Um, Im trying to Im, like, gonna have to scroll through my Instagram to think, um, theres a womens civilia Blunk, whos from the US who went to the same school I went to, and shes competing on the World Cup mountain bike circuit, um, and shes really a hard worker, and its kind of, like, I think this is the year that shes gonna get a World Cup win, so its been really fun to, like, follow her career and see like her dedication pay off cause like, man the World Cup mountain bike racing is a scene that you couldnt pay me enough to do. Its so its so brutal, like and then my friend, like, Christopher Blevins, you know, obviously not a female, but, like I just really admire the way that he, like, you know, has approached the sport, and, you know, clearly hes, like, very talented naturally, but he works his ass off in, like, a very unique way, and hes also interested in other stuff, so Those are those are a few.Kristen Bonkoski: Youve done a really good job of turning around and doing mentorship the other way, too, working with younger writers. Why is that important to you? And also, like, what is the primary message that youre trying to get across when youre working with those younger writers?Sarah Sturm: Yeah. Yeah, totally. Um, I mean, I just like working with other people. Um, I came from a background of, like, team sports with, like, soccer and swim team and track, um, and you know, cultivating that same idea in the cycling space is really important to me. Um, and I dont know, like, I just Ive theres a lot of different ways that you can support the sport of cycling. You know, were trying to, like, get more people in it, keep younger women, you know, through the ranks, like, theres this strong drop-off after, like, the college age, um, and support, especially with women, and I guess I was just motivated to bring more girls into the gravel scene. Um, in where I live in Durango, like, theres a crazy pool of talent here, um, and historically, most Most younger people just go into mountain bike racing, just because were in the mountains. Mountain biking is, like, the thing that everyone does. Um, and I just saw that theres an opportunity to bring some of these women into gravel. Um, you know, Michaela and Ellen were two that they to me, they, like, displayed something, like, theyre both really different people and really different racers with really different talents, but each of them have their own, you know, purpose within the sport. Like, Ellen is really talented at bringing like, she runs these, like, um, free, like, mountain biking gravel clinics in Durango. Like, theyre amazing. So, like, for women who have never, like, touched dirt before, like, they get to go learn how to, like, lube their chain, and change a tire and learn skills. Um, and then Michaela is just this young, very tall, so people dont realize how young she is. Um, just incredibly talented athlete, um, who was sort of, like, in that funny space of, like she could have gone the World Cup direction with mountain biking, but she was, like, kind of losing motivation and support in that realm, because, like, God, its so brutal, like, unless youre the right age at the right time, and you get you do or dont get selected by U.S.A. Cycling to go to these camps and these races. Its such a hard path in life, and she was sort of just in between all of this, and I was like That girl has some power in her legs, she needs to do some endurance, and she had sort of proven herself with, um, a local mountain bike, 100-mile mountain bike race, um And she had won it, and its this, like, really hard technical trail, and I was like, I think shell do really well in gravel. I think she would have found gravel anyway, but I was like, let me just, like, bring you to a couple of these races. And I think, like, sure, those are only two people, and, like, theres a lot of other ways to support, like, larger groups of younger people into the sport, but, like You know, there needs to be a younger generation that replaces all of us when we, like, age out of the sport, and I think Um, cultivating that, like, development side is, like, the ticket into keeping the sport fresh and, like, really vibrant and You know, keeping the industry a little bit healthier.Kristen Bonkoski: Um, Ive got 3 final questions for you, but first, is there anything that I havent asked you that you would just like folks to know?Sarah Sturm: Sweet! Um I know, Im such a good rambler, I just, like, blah blah blah. Um, I dont know. I think I think any time, like Also, development doesnt just need to happen at, like, on the younger side of sport, too, like I have coached a lot of, like, womens camps, and, like, you know, Ive worked with, like, women who are in their 50s, 60s, and 70s who are, like You know, going from riding road bikes casually, like, with their husbands, like, on the weekends, to, like you know, we get them set up on, like, a demo gravel bike, and they, like, get to, like, ride a bike onto dirt the first time, which is terrifying as, like, a coach. Like, youre just like, oh my god, this is actually, like, kind of an insane thing. But its super cool to see, like, there are certain people that it just, like, really, really clicks with, and they find, like, its really special to see, like the that, like, thing light up, and theyre like, oh, Im actually, like, pretty into this. And then Ill see them, like, years later. They own a gravel bike, theyve done races, or, like, theyve done these, like, really big challenges, and, you know, they pump their own tires up now, and they know their tire pressure, not just their husbands putting, like, 80 PSI in their tires. Which is always the hardest part of coaching those camps. Youre like, dont let your husband touch this! Like, they dont know your tire pressure. You do. So I dont know, I think, like, bringing as many people into the sport as possible is I dont know, I think that thats thats whats cool about gravel, like, I, you know As the sport gets professionalized, like, um at the end of the day, its still a participatory sport, which is why Ive really loved it. Like, I go back to, you know, the same thing that I really loved about those early years of racing even though, like, as a professional woman, like, it really did affect our races, like, the outcome with when we raced with men, but I really I really loved that, like Im racing next to people that have, like, full-time jobs and families, and, like, racing unbound is, like, their vacation, which blows my mind, but its really um, a special thing to, like, be in that environment, and I think that that is what keeps it, um, a lot more different than, like, road and, and, like, the professional side of road and biking. Um, because were, like, you know, well well be racing the same course as, like, 4,000 amateur racers, which is cool, like, at the end of the day, like, we all put our chamies on the same way, you know?Kristen Bonkoski: Yeah. Its really cool for the amateurs, too, right? To get that experience of yeah, yeah.Sarah Sturm: Its yeah. Yeah, totally. Yeah, and I love, I mean, I really like connecting with people just like normal people in the sport, you know? I always tell them, like The biggest difference between pros and amateurs is that, like, we just have the time to, like, the priorities. Our, like, priorities, like, focus on bike racing, and then everything comes down after that, so Its almost easier for us.Kristen Bonkoski: Oh, I think it is a lot of times, especially in terms of, like, recovery and, right, like, you can prioritize recovery. Our average person is like, well, I cant do that, I have to take care of the kids and do the dishes and work and yeah.Sarah Sturm: Yeah. The recovery piece Oh my god, totally! Totally, and like, I mean, we get to these races, like, 3 or 4 days ahead of time, weve ridden all the The sections, we know, like, when to attack, like, you know, you just have, like, so much more time and energy available just to optimize riding your bike. SoKristen Bonkoski: Yeah. Three final questions for you. The first is, what bike or bikes do you ride?Sarah Sturm: Um, well, I race for Specialized, so all of my bikes are Specialized, um, and I primarily race the Crux, which is the gravel bike. Its our I think its, like, one of the lightest gravel bikes on the market. Um, and they are incredibly light. Um, and then for certain races, Ill race the Specialized Diverge, which, um, is also a gravel bike, but has more clearance, um, and it has, uh, some suspension on the front end, so, like, theres a little suspension under the stem, between the stem and the fork. Um, but yeah, those are, like, the two that I, like, race for gravel, um, and then I race, uh, the Epic 8 is my mountain bike, um, like, cross-country, full suspension mountain bike. Um, so Ill race that for, like, more technical mountain biking, like Little Sugar, and then Ill race the World Cup, which I think is changing for this year. Um, but the World Cup is sort of like a soft tail mountain bike, so thats, like, the Leadville setup. Um, yeah, it has, like, I cant remember, like, 20 mil travel in the back. Like, not very much travel in the rear, but its sort of, like, a more comfortable hardtail. Um And then I also train on a trail bike as well, so, like, well go to Moab a bunch, um, in the winter. Uh, we live pretty close to Moab, so Ill take the trail bike there and work on the technical skills. And remember how much nicer it is to pedal uphill on a cross-country mount bike. And then I also train on, you know, Ill do some training on the road, on my road bike. Um, as well, so I race the tarmac for theres one road race, um, in the season that I do called Levis Grand Fondo, which is mostly climbing, so The tarmac is pretty sweet for that.Kristen Bonkoski: Second question is, where is your favorite place youve ever ridden your bike?Sarah Sturm: Hmm. Mountain bikes, New Zealand. Um gravel bike? I mean, its really hard to beat Kenya, um, like, the actual, like, roads and stuff were so gnarly, but, like, there were these insanely fun single-track sections that were, like, really surprising, but they were all made by, like, their motorbikes that they used to get around, um, on these, like, safari roads, because the roads would be, like horrendous, like, especially if they have, like, a big rainy season. Um, but yeah, Kenya was pretty a pretty unbeatable place, like, the actual riding there And then the scenery of Kenya was beautiful, but then also Iceland, like, the scenery of Iceland was so cool, but the actual, like, riding there was not as fun for me. It was just, like, really windy, or, like, these cr like the craziest, like, speed, um, what are those called? I just forgot. Like, brake bumps.Kristen Bonkoski: Right. Washboard.Sarah Sturm: Yeah, that you could, like yeah, Washboard, there it is. Oh my god, for, like I dont know, 50, 60 miles? Like, it was nuts. I, like, saw grown men crying on the side of the road. No women, but Yeah, but as, like, a destination to, like, see the scenery, like, Iceland was pretty spectacular.Kristen Bonkoski: I like Kenya, though. I dont think anyones ever given that answer before.Sarah Sturm: Yeah, Kenya was cool! I was really I mean, obviously, like, you know, just Just being somewhere so different is special to me, but, like, the actual trails were, like, when you were on, like, the trail trails, it was sick. And then sometimes it was like, why am I doing this? This is the hardest Ive ever done in my life.Kristen Bonkoski: Uh, final question is, what is your favorite thing about riding your bike?Sarah Sturm: Oh I think Ive thought about this a lot, because, you know, its sort of been there for me through my I started riding in, like when I was 18, actually, when I moved to Colorado, but, um, I think just how versatile it is, like you can use the bike to go to the grocery store, or, like, ride down to the bars, you know, in Durango, like, theres always, like, the fun, like Booze cruise kind of, like, parade ride. Um, you can use it to, like, be a mode of transportation, you can use it to, like clear your head and, like, be alone for, you know, days on end. You can use it for bikepacking and seeing new places really slowly, or you can use it to, like, try to make your watts the strongest watts youve ever seen, or the highest watts youve ever seen. Like, its just its the bike is, like, such a crazy versatile piece of equipment that, like can bring you all over the world, or just, like, really I mean, theres a guy who rides the same route here in Durango we call him chain lube guy, because I dont think hes ever put chain lube on his bike. He has, like, some bike from, like, the 80s, but he rides the same strip of road up and down every week, and Im like and that he is experiencing, you know, cycling in his own way, and he loves it, like, he just likes that routine. And I just, like, I really think theres something like so beautiful and simple about that, even though, like, the sport itself can get so complex and complicated. I also love how simple it can be at the same time.Kristen Bonkoski is a USA cycling and NICA coach, bike educator, and founder of Femme Cyclist.Shes also the host of the Femme Cyclist podcast and runsRascal Rides, a website about biking with kids.Shes been riding bikes for more than two decades and is passionate about empowering women on the bike.IG:@femme_cyclistJoin Kristens Weekly Newsletter!The post Life As A Gravel Pro With Sarah Sturm appeared first on Femme Cyclist.
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