Brooke Goudy is on a mission to not have to talk about how representation matters. Getting all people to “acknowledge and understand barriers, and that we, all folks, white folks, black folks, brown folks, are out there working our hardest to remove those barriers.”

Resilience: It is the key to success on and off the trail. It’s the ability to fall and get up again, to recover from your worst day and hold excitement for tomorrow. Off the bike, we engage in conflict and struggle with those around us, most often with ourselves. We build resilience on the trail and carry it into our daily lives. It is what gives us strength.

Strength: Right foot, left foot – the biking rhythm keeps us upright during the hardest part of the ride. A mantra that carries us through to the end. We grow strong, learn to lean into the discomfort, and stand up to the challenge. It is not easy to be the “only one,” to challenge the status quo, to make room for others, but we do it. We persevere and tap into our grit.

Grit: We set goals and follow through with early morning rides and late-night meetings. We advocate for access to trail systems and volunteer to keep them in good repair. Our passion drives our obsession. We are not afraid to speak our truth and reckon with the impact of our choices. Resilience, Strength, and Grit: this is MTB. These trails belong to everyone. We must work to make “a space for all.”

-by Brooke Goudy