Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Kristi Mohn, Race Director for UNBOUND Gravel and co-founder of Girls Gone Gravel (GGG). As this is my first time riding UNBOUND, I was curious how she started riding gravel and her take on why more women aren’t signing up for these races.
Cycling Background
SHERI: How did you get into cycling, and what initially drew you to the sport?
KRISTI: I made the move to gravel cycling from running. I had been a long distance/endurance runner from my early 20’s until my late 30’s. Chronic back pain made the move easier, but my husband had started riding, and we used our long distance rides on the bike as dates, often leaving before our twins woke up to go spin for 3 or 4 hours. It was a terrific way to stay fit and get quality time together.
UNBOUND Gravel Race
SHERI: What inspired you to get involved with Unbound?
KRISTI: My husband Tim lined up at the very first race in 2006. Mason and Sydney, our twins, would join me in heading to the one midway checkpoint to cheer him on and bring him re-supply. I thought the event was a great way for family and community to be involved with these athletes’ journeys. It was a great way to spend time together and meet new people
After the 2008 event, I asked the founders, Jim Cummins and Joel Dyke, if I could help grow the event. I worked with community partners like Emporia Main Street, Granada Theatre, and Visit Emporia to bring the event downtown and to start adding ancillary events to the 200-mile distance. It really helped bring the event to the community of Emporia, and also really added to the experience for the athletes.
SHERI: How did you physically and mentally prepare for racing Unbound?
KRISTI: Time in the saddle! It helps on both fronts. I also think you must get the mindset of what the event really is: riding your bike through the Flint Hills. It’s a beautiful day on the bike and you are choosing to be out there! When it is tough, remember it will get easier – and take a moment to eat or drink something. You do need to be physically ready, a “couch to 200 Flint Hills miles” approach would be painful!
SHERI: What advice would you give someone considering entering Unbound for the first time?
KRISTI: There are lots of great resources out there. Read the rider’s guide, watch the videos, talk to your local/trusted bike shop, and do not get too in your head about it.
More Women More Miles Initiative
SHERI: Tell me more about the More Women More Miles initiative and its goals.
KRISTI: In 2016, we launched the 200 women 200 miles campaign. The goal of this was to see 20% women at the start of the 200 in 2017, which we accomplished year one! Since then, we’ve seen the 25- and 50-mile distances all see 40% or higher, but the 100 and 200 have dipped. This is a concerted effort to get more women back to taking the challenge of those longer distances.
SHERI: What specific actions has LifeTime taken to support and grow women’s participation in cycling?
KRISTI: I think it really is the culture we’ve created on the events team – taking the lead with parity. You see it clearly in the Life Time Grand Prix, but really, it’s how we think of events. We also continue to have great women leaders at Life Time, Michelle Duffy Smith works to ensure that parity and helps lead by example.
SHERI: How do you measure the success of the More Women More Miles initiative, and what impact have you seen so far?
KRISTI: Simply stated, seeing the percentage of women at the start line. We have seen that number increase from below 10% to over 15%. We also see the community of women cyclists engaged in the sessions we offer and the social posts that Kathryn Taylor and Girls Gone Gravel puts out there, as well as the Life Time UNBOUND Gravel p/b Shimano posts.
Barriers for Women in Gravel Racing
SHERI: Why do you think there aren’t more women racing gravel, and what are the main barriers keeping women from getting to the start line?
KRISTI: It’s the same barrier that we see across society. Women prioritize so many other things that it is easy to take a back seat. Giving them the encouragement and support with things like training topics and comfort in knowing there will be plenty of us out there really helps make them feel more comfortable signing up.
SHERI: How can the cycling community and race organizers collaborate to make gravel racing more accessible and appealing to women?
KRISTI: Making sure women know they are welcome – that can be the little things. Look at your social media – do you have pictures of women at your event?
Look at your event weekend – do you provide opportunities for women to meet one another? What else are you doing to ensure they feel welcome and safe?
SHERI: As the host of the Girls Gone Gravel podcast, how has it helped to build a community among women cyclists?
KRISTI: We get to tell the stories from the community! It’s been amazing to hear them all, and I’m thankful to be part of that! I think it’s also helped to build a resource library where women can turn to. I think Feisty Media and GGG have really worked to elevate women’s sports so much over the last 5 years, and we are seeing that pay off!
As initially seen on Road Bike Rider
Sunflowers and Pedals 