• When did you first start riding and how did you get into it?

I didn’t really get into riding bikes very much until I was in my 20s. I was a pretty competitive team sport athlete in soccer and field hockey, and that used to take up all of my time. I discovered road riding first through my job as a physiologist; the coaches and athletes I worked with loved bikes so much I had to give it a try. Once I started riding I totally understood how they felt! Mountain biking came later when I moved to New Zealand. They don’t really have shoulders on the roads there, and I didn’t feel safe riding unless it was with a group. My partner bought me a mountain bike, hoping I would get into the sport alongside him, and it worked! I absolutely loved being out in the forest with friends, and the process of learning a new skill and progressing. I’ve been hooked ever since.

• If you were to describe your riding style in one word, what would it be?

Calculated.

I used to not be – I had all the gusto and no skill and used to fall off my bike a lot in the beginning. That scared me into being overly cautious for a while. Then I started taking courses and actually learning how to approach things that challenged me. Now I want to keep progressing and will try new things when I feel I’ve done what I need to prepare myself to get there.

• Where do you call home?

Canmore! We’ve been here since we moved back from New Zealand 3 years ago.

• What’s the best thing about mtb for you?

My favorite thing about MTB is being in a flow state. I love being completely present in what you are doing, with your mind clear of everything else that may be going on. It gives me the same feels you get skiing/snowboarding!!

• How long have you been coaching? (add any related sport or teaching experience) add your qualification

I’m new this year to coaching mountain biking, but I’ve been coaching sport in some form or another since I was a teenager.  I started out coaching team sports (soccer and field hockey), and then moved more into personal training, bootcamps and strength and conditioning for teams. I’ve worked for about 10 years as a physiologist in elite sport, which involves a lot of coaching/problem solving sport performance. My favorite thing I’ve ever coached though is SAQ (speed, agility, quickness) because it is so satisfying watching athletes learn to move well.

• Favourite trail?

Eagle vs Shark in Rotorua in New Zealand. It was the first trail I rode as part of a women’s course where I got to experience that sense of flow with a bunch of other rad ladies at the end of all our lessons, and it was just THE BEST

• What do you want your students to gain from your coaching/teaching?

I hope that they gain a sense of empowerment, and belief in themselves.  These feeling can help make biking so much fun. I feel like this is what I gained from the women’s courses I’ve taken in the past, and I really want to pass that joy along.