Real Fit

Lael Wilcox, pro ultra-endurance cyclist, non-profit founder, and women’s cycling trailblazer: “Women can win.” | ep. 32

April 05, 2022 Pam Moore Episode 32
Real Fit
Lael Wilcox, pro ultra-endurance cyclist, non-profit founder, and women’s cycling trailblazer: “Women can win.” | ep. 32
Show Notes

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you were face to face with a mountain lion in the middle of the night during an ultra-endurance bike race where you were poised to beat the entire field (including the men)? In this interview, professional ultra-endurance cyclist Lael Wilcox discusses this and sooo much more. 

Lael might be the toughest woman I’ve interviewed yet — and that’s saying a lot. The Alaska (and Tucson) based athlete’s many accolades include setting a women’s record in the 2015 Tour Divide, setting the fastest women’s time on the Baja Divide route in 2015, breaking the men’s record on that same course in 2017, winning the 4400 mile TransAm bike race, which has you cycling across the United States, beating everyone including the men, and becoming the 2nd woman to every complete Switzerland’s Navad 1000 bikepacking race- where she took second place. 

Lael doesn’t just compete in bikepacking events - she also helps other people enjoy them. In addition to organizing women’s bikepacking challenges, she is the founder of Anchorage GRIT, a middle school bicycle mentorship program for 7th grade girls in Anchorage, AK, and she also founded Lael Rides Alaska Scholarship. 

Plus, she’s a total ray of sunshine. If you need a dose of optimism you are going to find it in this interview. 

Connect with Lael
www.laelwilcox.com
https://www.instagram.com/laelwilcox/?hl=en
https://youtu.be/oHEN9WpVayc

In this episode, we talk about…

  • How Lael finds the motivation for things she doesn’t necessarily enjoy (ie public speaking, mapping routes and social media) 
  • Why Lael has never had VO2 max testing, lactate threshold testing, or trained under the guidance of a coach
  • How she won the TransAm bikepacking race in 2017 
  • Strategies for eating and sleeping during an ultraendurance race  
  • What beginners need to know about bikepacking
  • How she handled a chance encounter with a mountain lion during a race
  • The joy she takes in riding her bike and experiencing nature 

For full details CLICK HERE

If you want evidence-based insights on all things women's health and fitness, check out my friends at the Omnia Fit podcast 

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