Pedaling With Purpose

We caught up with Brooke Goudy and Britt Greer to learn more about their shared love of mountain biking and what motivates them to invite other women into the sport.

What makes a good mountain biking coach? Why do you like coaching others?

Brooke:

I personally love to mountain bike; it brings me so much joy. And to be able to share that passion with a community of other women is the best thing about coaching. Not only do I get to do something I love, but I get to help other people find that love as well. I get to watch people progress, learn new skills and experience the gift of accomplishing something that they otherwise might never have thought possible.

Britt:

To be a good coach, especially for mountain biking, you have to demonstrate patience and positivity. When I’m coaching other women, I know they are looking at me to be a leader, to keep morale high, and to keep everyone feeling competent and safe. Mountain biking can be intimidating, and many people might not know what to expect, so you have to instill a sense of excitement that encourages people to push themselves. You also have to really fine-tune your feedback. It’s one thing to demonstrate a certain move or position, but to be able to watch what someone is doing and give individual, specific advice on how to improve is the real challenge. It takes practice, but it is so rewarding when you see someone get it and feel confident doing it.

What are the benefits to being out in nature and doing an activity that you love?

Brooke:

When I’m outside doing something that I love, I feel very connected. Not only do I get a deeper connection with my surroundings, but I’m able to connect on a deeper level to the people that I’m with. There might be challenges and difficult paths to take, especially when you’re mountain biking, but to be able to take those paths with someone else—to celebrate with someone or express frustration with someone—is really beautiful. And to have that connection outside, on a trail and away from the hustle of everyday life, is even more beautiful.

Britt:

Being out in nature allows you to unplug from life and just be more present. You get to feel the ground under your feet, you get to hear the wind in the trees, you get to see the wildlife around you, and it makes you feel more carefree. When I’m outside and I’m riding my bike, regardless of how fast I’m going, it’s one of the few moments in my life that I’m able to slow down and be really present. It’s like I’ve regained a sense of childhood wonder again.

Why is representation in the outdoors important to you?

Brooke:

When I first started mountain biking, there weren’t very many people that looked like me in the sport. And for a long time, I never felt like part of a community; I would just ride by myself. So when I got the opportunity to join a mountain biking organization that had other women of color, it finally made me feel like I was part of a community. Representation is so important because if you’re doing something that you love, but you look around and don’t see anyone else that looks like you, you might start to think that maybe that thing isn’t for you. So it’s become my mission to create a safe, inclusive space that women of color can feel comfortable in. They can see a black woman on a bike or a black woman coaching and think to themselves, “Yes, I can do that too.”

Britt:

It’s important that the mountain biking community, and the outdoor community as a whole, be representative of our broader communities. There are very few women in the outdoor space, especially women of color, but this is not an accurate representation of our global community. I also think there is so much joy to be had in the outdoors. Being outside and doing something like mountain biking offers so much value—to our lives, our health and our happiness—and I want to share that with as many women and women of color as possible. I think there are a lot of people who haven’t had the opportunity to experience that value, and I want to change that.