Stamina Racing Collective announces a new sponsor: One on One Bicycle Studio

We are grateful for our generous sponsors. As a team just starting out, it is encouraging to be supported by businesses that share our core values so early in our development. It is important to us to prioritize sponsors that have signed the WTF Cycling Industry Pledge, a public declaration that participants hold themselves accountable in their pursuit to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. With our sponsors assistance, we will diversify cycling at an accelerated rate.

One on One Bike Studio is a shop located in South Minneapolis. They have a combined experience of 100 years servicing bicycles and it is evident that they know what they are doing as soon as you enter the shop. They have committed to do their part when it comes to making cycling a more diverse sport. From the beginning, their shop was founded on the idea that any rider, no matter how experienced, no matter their bike, would receive excellent “one on one” service.

With our priorities in mind, we were excited to work with One on One Bike Shop. In addition to participating in the Cycling Industry Pledge, the shop has sponsored many emerging events over the last 18 years: the inaugural Babes in Bikeland, MIA Bike Night, StuporBowl, Little Bellas, and many more. While these events bring lots of joy and engagement to the Twin Cities cycling community, the daily customer service efforts are where we see the OOOBS team really shine! On multiple occasions, members of our team have paid visits to the shop, and each time we were met with quick service, a detailed breakdown of what work needs to be done, and thoughtful answers to each and every one of our questions.

“I’ve had nothing but great interactions with One on One. Zach was great the first time I went to pick up my road bike after they got done with the build. Randall was also great in helping me figure out what was wrong with my chain ring and figured out why my chain kept falling off. Even though they were busy, he took the time to figure out what was going on and fixed Frankie in a short amount of time which I really appreciated because I could get back to training right away.”

— Mariya Mirzoyan (she/her, Vice President, co-founder)

“Zach helped me with my saddle and was very helpful. He also gave me tips on what to actually have at home in regards to tools. His tip was to not overspend on silly tools. Just stop by and use theirs for free!”

— Camila Fernandes (she/her, co-founder)

“The first time I walked into the shop, the owner Jennifer came right up to me and introduced herself to me. It felt awesome to be seen and to feel like they cared from the start! Zach and Randall are always great when it comes to answering my questions, whether it be about what gravel race I should do next, or what type of brakes I should get on my fat bike based on the events I want to do in the future. Graham always calls me when my bike is done and ready to rip, and is always ready to answer my questions when I have them. He tells me what I’m doing well to maintain my bikes, and I never feel stupid asking him questions. Finally, perhaps most importantly, they have a shop cat (Goose) and a shop dog (Turnip) who always make my day”

— Erin Ayala (she/her, Treasurer, co-founder)

In order to train, race, and adventure on our bikes safely, they need regular service from a shop we trust. We are grateful to have a shop that caters to our needs while making us feel at home. Thank you, One on One, for being in our corner! 

Be sure to stop by One on One the next time your steed needs some work done. They’ll take care of you. And make sure to keep following our social media accounts to find out about future group rides and events from One on One! You won’t want to miss it!

January 2021 Newsletter

As Stamina Racing Collective closes out 2020, we want to take a moment to reflect on the past year’s milestones and provide a sneak peak into what we have planned for 2021.

As many of you know, we formed Stamina Racing Collective in the wake of the George Floyd murder here in Minneapolis. We cannot think of our team without recognizing that much of our foundation is a response to systemic racism and other -isms in cycling and society. The purpose of this team is to create a small dent in the system so that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have the same opportunities in cycling as those who are white. We created three pillars to inform our mission to diversify cycling and help riders overcome many of the typical barriers to entry in cycling. These pillars include: Mentorship, Accessibility, and Community Development. In 2021, we will continue to build on these pillars to enhance BIPOC ridership and racing in Minnesota and beyond.

Here are some of our highlights for 2020. We would not be where we are today if it weren’t for the support of our community! We appreciate each and every one of you for helping us build something truly important.

photo credit: Anna Min of Min Enterprises

• Team established in July 2020 with 10 riders in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. All of our riders identify as members of BIPOC, Latinx, and/or LGBTQ+ communities. Many of our riders are first or second generation immigrants. All riders will be new to racing in 2021, with the exception of one of our co-founders.

• We obtained 501c3 status in October and launched a successful fundraising campaign for Minnesota’s Give to the Max Day. We raised nearly $20,000 as a team, which covered all of our start-up expenses and will support our 2021 season costs. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who donated!

• We began to partner with organizations that are committed to helping us with our mission to diversify cycling. Their generosity has increased accessibility to coaching, training, nutrition, and equipment for our riders. Our current partners include Triple C Coaching, Wolf Tooth Components, and Skratch Labs. And there are more to come! 

• We began to spread the word regarding our work by disseminating information regarding social justice and inclusion in cycling. In July, we met with the National Association of Professional Race Directors to discuss gender inclusion in cycling. You can access a report that summarizes our recommendations here. Our team was also featured on the Blast Beats and Bicycles podcast with Jason Lardy. Finally, we had individual meetings with the race director of the TransCanada Bike Race and the Wabash River Cycle Club to talk about diversity and inclusion in cycling.

• With the help of Triple C Coaching, all of our riders are actively training for the 2021 season. We have all found entertainment on Zwift, rollers, and/or fat bikes as we hibernate during the Minnesota winter. When the team agrees that it is safe to race, we will be ready!

2021 Plans are as follows:

• We have a few more exciting partnerships lined up and will be announcing those SOON!

• Stay tuned for some more media, including a podcast with Mind Muscle Movement and an upcoming collaboration with the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota.

• Meet and greets with teams who share similar values, including Eclipse Racing based in California.

• We will host BIPOC centered spaces, community rides, and skills clinics for beginner Femme/Trans/Women (FTW) cyclists this coming spring. Details will be posted as events on Facebook.

• We plan to race once our team and sponsors agree that it is safe to do so. We have our eyes set on road, gravel, and cyclocross for 2021. Look for us at the local Machinery Hill crits in the Twin Cities, Tour of America’s Dairyland, Southside Sprint, and Bicycle Blues Barbecue. A potential road trip to Montana is even in the works for some gravel racing at altitude. Stay tuned for updates!

• Each of our riders has committed to doing a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer work in our community for the upcoming year. If you need volunteers for social justice and/or advocacy work in the community, please reach out to us.

Want to support us in 2021? Here’s how!

Photo Credit: Anna Min of Min Enterprises

• Follow us, interact with us, and share our content on Facebook and Instagram.

• If you shop on Amazon, switch over to smile.amazon.com and select us as your charity of choice. 0.5% of all proceeds go to our organization.

• Donate via our website or our Give MN page. All donations are tax deductible.

• We also continue to accept equipment donations for anything you are no  longer using but would like to donate to a good home. This includes bikes, indoor trainers, heart rate monitors, bike computers, power meters, and speed/cadence sensors.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2021.

Sincerely,

Stamina Racing Collective

Three Months of Training with Coach Corey

Throughout our lives, Stamina team members have faced multiple challenges due to our marginalized identities and the reality is that we would likely not be able to fulfill our dreams of racing if it weren’t for our incredible sponsors. One of those sponsors is Coach Corey Coogan Cisek! We will forever be grateful for her generosity and kindness. It is very rare for beginner cyclists to have access to coaching, let alone from an elite cyclocross racer!

As we reflect on the last three months of coaching, we realize that we have learned so much in a seemingly short period of time. Some of our team members had never heard of or used any of the terminology related to training until we started working with Coach Corey. She truly is one of the most humble and down to earth people I’ve ever met. She is so thorough and clear in her descriptions, expectations, and feedback. She explains the reasoning behind each workout, which is also very helpful as we learn to navigate all the complexities of competitive cycling. She is extremely patient and has made us all feel so good about cycling and ourselves!

Here are some things some of the other Stamina riders had to say about Coach Corey.

“When I was confused about whether I had tried hard enough, she told me “With all these data points (speed sensor, HR, Zwift) anything could be off. That's why, at the end of the day, instinct and feel are important.” and I liked that.” - Christina

“My favorite part of Coach C’s style is her ability to work collaboratively with me toward my goals. She is incredibly knowledgeable and I am so fortunate to be working with her. She intimidates me in the best of ways and makes me want to push harder.” - Ashley

“I love that Coach C is thoughtful about our training schedule. She’s got the short-game AND long-game in mind when it comes to training.” - Madilynn

“What I appreciate most about Coach C is she’s both aware of and respectful that all of us are juggling multiple priorities in our life, be it work, school, family, or all-around balance, Coach C takes this into account when she plans our workouts, gives us feedback, and checks in with us. She has a personalized touch, treating each of her riders as individuals and understanding that we come from various backgrounds and have different personalities. - Haema

Thank you, Coach Corey! We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us! Follow our team to see our progress, our ups and downs, and get a behind the scenes look at the incredible amount of work it takes to start a team from ground up, in the middle of a pandemic, with very limited resources. Also, follow Coach Corey on Instagram (@coogancisek and @tripleccoaching) and her team @Velorevolution_cxcustom) as they take on Europe in elite cyclocross racing!

Skratch Labs has joined our crew!

I began training for endurance sports 11 years ago as a first-year graduate student in upstate New York. What started as 5k runs led to marathons, which led to triathlons, and now cycling. As my distances have grown, so have my nutrition needs. I’ve personally had far too many races that have gone downhill due to GI distress and unplanned stops at porta-potties. It took several of those races for me to finally realize that a marathon or Ironman fueled by gels is not a feel-good activity for my body. On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve had endurance gravel races that have gone beautifully with respect to hydration and nutrition. Based on these experiences, I am stoked to announce our team’s next sponsor: Skratch Labs.

Founded by Dr. Allen Lim, Skratch Labs is a nutrition and hydration company based in Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Lim combined his knowledge in sport science with his experience working in the professional peloton and brought it to the everyday cyclist via Skratch. Skratch products can now easily be found at grocery stores, bike shops, online, and at expos for big events. Their mission is simple and important: help people get better.

When we formed our team this summer, we knew we needed guidance on fueling and hydration, so we contacted Skratch to see if they had an interest in working with us to help get us rolling. Dr. Lim and the team have since pulled out all of the stops and we could not be more excited about this relationship. 

Never not fueled

Skratch Labs is a company that genuinely wants more people feeling good, hydrating well, and enjoying their time in the outdoors--and they’ll do what it takes to help our community get there. Dr. Lim hosted an evening seminar for our team on basic hydration and nutrition for cycling.  He stayed nearly an hour longer than planned, simply to share his experiences, to answer questions, and to talk about diversity in the cycling industry. Our team took rigorous notes on some of the specific guidelines, but our biggest take-aways included Dr. Lim’s overall guidance and his perspective regarding food: Stick to the basics. You know more than you think you do. Here is what resonated with us:

• Community is important. Often, what you consume isn’t nearly as important as who sits alongside you and across from you at the table

• You don’t have to set aside your culture’s food to succeed. Whether it’s white rice, shakkar para, or your grandmother’s favorite recipe, do what works for you. There’s a reason communities have been eating certain ways for centuries. 

• You are the expert of your body, and that’s the most important tool in reaching your goals. Start there.

• Stick to the basics. Eat real food. You don’t need the shiny bells and whistles and the latest products to succeed.

• If you want to try new things, do it! Experiment with products to figure out what works for you!

On a personal level, I give Skratch Labs a lot of credit for my hydration and nutrition success in some of my longest and hottest races, including DK200. Their hyper hydration drink mix and their energy chews supplemented my fueling while riding all day on rural roads in the Kansas heat. I’m kind of amazed to say it, but I had no nutrition issues over the last 2 years when using their products. If racing 200 miles on gravel isn’t the ultimate nutrition test, I’m not sure what is.

Interested in learning more about Skratch? Here are a few links to check out to get you started:

• Dr. Lim’s Chicken Fried Rice recipe is both simple and delicious. This was my go-to dinner recipe during Ironman training in 2015. Try it if you haven’t!

• The Feed Zone Portables cookbook has some fantastic recipes for food that will fuel your body on the go. For one example, check out the Fig and Honey Rice Cakes recipe here!

• If you love cookies as much as I do (seriously..), check out the Skratch Labs Cookie Mix Recipe. If you want to get fancy with your fall vibes, try their apple cinnamon cookie bars.

• Speaking of apples, try their apple cider hydration mix for your fall and winter rides. I used it as my primary hydration for Fat Bike Birkie last winter and it carried me to a top 10 finish! So good!

• Finally, if you are a fan of gifs, we encourage you to tag Skratch and interact with them on Instagram. They’ve got some fun tricks up the sleeve to keep you entertained. Trust us. Skratch is our daily highlight in Instagram DMs.

Do you want to give Skratch Labs a shot? Head over to their website and use our code “STAMINA20” for a 20% discount!

This company is all about helping athletes and having fun while doing it. We’re pumped to see what 2021 brings us thanks to their support!

xoxo, Erin 

Our First Sponsorship Deal!!!

Our First Sponsorship Deal!

Hello our dear followers, supporters, and community members! We are so excited to share with you our first sponsorship deal! ARE YOU READY?!?!? Eight of our Stamina Racing Collective riders are going to work with professional athlete and coach Corey Coogan Cisek to get ready for next season! Coach Corey reached out to our team early in our development to express her interest in collaborating with us. She has since offered us a generous sponsorship to increase accessibility to coaching services for our team. SRC and coach Corey share many similar values, including but not limited to mentorship, community development, and the importance of bike-life balance.

Corey has conducted successful clinics and workshops in the community for Femme/Trans/Women athletes who want to learn more about cycling - specifically cyclocross. Through these clinics, she creates an inclusive space for learning, taking risks, asking questions, and stepping outside of one’s comfort zone to improve skills and confidence.

Additionally, Corey genuinely enjoys work with beginner riders. In terms of bike-life balance, Coach Corey often states, “happy cyclists go faster.” From the moment the team met her, we knew that we wanted to work with her. We are humbled by her generosity and look forward to working with her. If you’re not familiar with Corey Coogan Cisek, check out her website at https://www.tripleccoach.com/coach-corey You can also read about her amazing journeys and time in Europe here. She is a wonderful person inside and outside of the racing world. Her impressive pro cycling career, which spans over a decade, includes some amazing wins and placements.

Corey races professionally in the United States and Europe (mainly Belgium) and has participated in almost 300 races since 2010. Given her extensive racing experience, as well as her down-to-earth and humble personality, her mentorship will be invaluable for SRC riders considering most of us have never raced before and have some worries about it. Coach Corey is equally excited to work with us. She stated, “I’m tremendously excited to work with Stamina racers. Their enthusiasm is evident. This is going to be fun!” WE ARE SO EXCITED, TOO!!! Coach Corey has a great deal of knowledge and we feel very fortunate about having the opportunity to learn from her. Follow us over the next several months as we share reflections on our coaching and training experiences. For more information about Coach Corey, visit her website and make sure to follow her on instagram @coogancisek