Embrace the Suck and Make Some Magic Happen
Heidi Myers, Rasputitsa
Today my guest is Heidi Myers - if her name sounds familiar, you get a gold star for paying such close attention to the episode with Cori Brago!
Cori talked about wanting to become a guide after all the fun she had at a 'Bittersweet' event that combined fly fishing with gravel bike riding. Well, Heidi Myers is the force of nature behind the Bittersweet events, as well as the co-founder of the Rasputitsa Spring Classic gravel race held annually in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Heidi is a masterful storyteller, a creative and resourceful event organizer, a tireless promoter and community builder - such an inspiration all around, even before you get to the part about her facing down a health prognosis that would kick most of us to the curb for good.
I have to admit that as soon as I finished talking to Heidi, I went online and did a deep dive on YouTube to see just how gnarly the Rasputitsa looked - and it’s probably not a coincidence that the first five videos I watched were posted about the 2019 race, all of the posts were men, and all featured the driving rain and snow that plagued race day that year. But even the guys who finished thinking they’d lose all their fingers to frostbite were raving about the race and wanting to return. So who’s in for 2022 ?!?
Huge thanks to Heidi for sharing her story with us, and reminding us how important it is to not take our challenges at face value all the time. There are certainly some problems or health issues that do not have a solution, or at least not an easy solution. But by allowing yourself to have a troubleshooting mindset, and being open to the assistance and inspiration that the community around you can provide, you might just be surprised at how much joy you can find.
I hope you’ll check out the Rasputitsa on the web, Instagram and Facebook, you can also sign up there for one of the remaining spots in the 2022 40k race, and maybe even join the Women Rock Rasputitsa Facebook group!
Some more fun links from our conversation: