Ep 09: Alison Tetrick is a former WorldTour pro and the current Queen of Gravel
Today we are very lucky to have an episode featuring the one and only Alison Tetrick! The three-time gravel world champion and cult-hero has more than a few tricks up her sleeve, balancing a career outside of cycling, and now continuing to evolve and shift her amazing career on gravel and in the mountains! Alison is the co-founder and CEO of SagaVentures, and we actually start this conversation considering the somewhat surprising duality of Alison's professional life. She talks about how switching between riding as a pro and work in marketing communications had very positive outcomes for both sides of the coin. From there we talk about the different stages of her cycling career, how she went pro, and the amazing relationships she has been able to maintain throughout. We also get to hear the inspirational and impressive story of Alison's recovery from two major accidents, and the obstacles she overcame through sheer determination to be stronger. Listeners can expect to come away with a real dose of the person behind the bike, as well as some great insight into what is on the horizon for Alison, so make sure to listen in with us, on Cycology.FM!
Key Points From This Episode:
The Wednesday group ride that Alison did before this interview!
How Alison balances her other work and background in biochemistry with cycling.
Alison's path to her unofficial title as the 'Queen of Gravel' and how she left the World Tour.
Transitioning into the mindset of racing against yourself and how this suited Alison.
Alison's relationship with her sponsors and how this has evolved at different points.
Plans that Alison has with Specialized for product lines and beyond!
Alison's thoughts on gender-specific bikes and progress that can be made in this area.
Recovery from a severe crash at Cascade Cycling Classic; coming back better and stronger!
The progress that has been made in the field of concussion and traumatic brain injuries in the last decade.
Alison's work with the Preem TV project and the exciting prospects for this in the near future.
More on the mountain bike front for Alison, after so much time on gravel.
Alison's approach to training and why she prioritizes maintaining a low simmer of fitness.
Perspectives on training and competing and how Alison thinks about her practices currently.
Tweetables:
“A lot of us have probably found successful careers that way, where it takes something that you naturally love and are passionate about and you weave it in.” — @AMTetrick [0:09:07]
“The moment that I met gravel, it was the hardest thing I've ever done. It was just such a big challenge. Then also, it was the longest I've ever ridden my bike.” — @AMTetrick [0:17:30]
“You constantly need to add value to your sponsors, not just in results, but off the bike initiatives, storytelling, activation.” — @AMTetrick [0:23:27]
“Our philosophy is it's better to be ready, than get ready. If you can just keep your fitness on a low simmer.” — @AMTetrick [0:46:46]