Meet the amazing athletes of the Love, Sweat, and Gears 4-woman team! This tenacious team is determined to complete the 930-mile Race Across the West (RAW) bike race in June 2021. RAW is an internationally recognized competitive bicycle road race taking place over 930 miles of challenging and sometimes brutal terrain. Starting from Oceanside, California, and finishing in Durango, Colorado, this team of spirited and focused women will take on this challenge riding through all types of weather conditions including desert heat, rain, wind, sand, and whatever else mother nature throws their way! They are racing with the support of Love, Sweat & Gears while partnering with Girls on the Run. We are thrilled they have chosen to complete this physical feat while raising money for scholarships for Colorado girls! Keep reading to learn more about these phenomenal athletes & advocates.
Introduce yourselves! Who are you and how did you all meet?
We are Lacey Jones, Jazmine “Jazzy” Gatewood, Casey Taylor, and Katy “Sancho” Kavanas. We all met last year while in the Colorado Wild Women Triathlon team.
Why endurance cycling? What does this sport mean to you?
When Covid started, we all had just started training together. It was put on hold due to quarantining. When we were allowed to get out, we all started riding together. We all fell in love with it and developed a strong friendship in the process. We also developed a bit of friendly competition, haha.
How does movement impact your self-confidence and your mental health?
We all came from different chapters in our lives, professionally, geographically, and emotionally. What we all share as a commonality is the love and appreciation for healthy living through exercise. We gained confidence, through the supportive and encouraging friendships we developed. We were able to get out and have fun, safely of course, during a pandemic that is still impacting the mental health of many.
Why did you choose Girls on the Run to be the charity that you train and compete for?
As an all women team, brand new to endurance cycling, we wanted to support an organization that inspires girls to do anything they want, pursue any goal, make their challenges, and most of all, inspire healthy living through fitness. We aspire to be role models for girls, and GOTR is a perfect example of our passion.
If you could give your 10-year-old self one piece of advice, what would you say?
Casey – Sometimes you won’t fit in and that is ok! Embrace your uniqueness and understand that “if you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be”
Jazzy – Positivity is contagious and happiness is a choice. Do not judge yourself in comparison to others. Instead, judge yourself against what you know you’re capable of.
Lacey – Those big dreams you keep thinking of, go after them! The accomplishment and adventure is worth the challenges in front of you.
Sancho – Don’t rush life. Everything that is meant to happen will happen at its own pace. You’ll appreciate the longer journey.
