Feisty Women's Performance

Why Lael Wilcox Won't Hold Hands at the Finish Line


Listen Later

Sara welcomes Ultra-endurance bike rider and racer, Lael Wilcox, to discuss her unconventional success in ultra racing and the joy of making people (ok, mostly men) think, "How is this even possible?!"

In 2016, she won the Trans Am Bike Race outright, making her the first female to do so. The Trans Am is the premier self-supported road race across the United States, traversing over 4200 miles.

She discusses:

  • The exhilaration of winning outright
  • Her strategy and logistics for winning such a grueling event
  • The power of beating the boys - "A Win for Womankind"
  • A woman's capacity for resilience and grit
  • What it was like being constantly doubted and questioned
  • Handling the physical and mental aspects of pain and how she made friends with it


Lael also runs Tucson GRIT and Anchorage GRIT (girls riding into tomorrow), a cycling mentorship program, for girls ages 11-13. They ride together for six weeks, with a build-up to a camp-out ride. Her true passion? Getting more girls and women to “give it a go.” She shares her advice with parents of young girls, and even older women who want to achieve their own epic adventures.

Find mentors and start small. Do things that will build your confidence. Then, before you know it, you'll be riding across the country in jean shorts beating the boys across the line.  

Lael is a keynote speaker at the 2022 Women's Performance Summit - it's a talk you won't want to miss.

Lael Wilcox Instagram

Feisty Strong Retreat in Atlanta - April 17-19, 2026: https://feisty.co/events/feisty-strong-retreat-atlanta/

Sign up to Receive The Feisty Women's Performance Newsletter:

https://feisty.co/newsletters/feisty-womens-performance/

Follow us on Instagram:

@feisty_womens_performance

Visit the Feisty website at https://feisty.co/ for info on all of our events and podcasts

Support our Partners:

Hettas: Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

Momentous: Head to https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use promo code PERFORMANCE for up to 35% off your first order

Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr



...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Feisty Women's PerformanceBy Dr. Erin Ayala

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

28 ratings


More shows like Feisty Women's Performance

View all
Feisty Triathlon by Feisty Triathlon podcast

Feisty Triathlon

190 Listeners

If We Were Riding by If We Were Riding

If We Were Riding

69 Listeners

Girls Gone Gravel podcast by Girls Gone Gravel

Girls Gone Gravel podcast

78 Listeners

[un]phased podcast by [un]phased podcast

[un]phased podcast

19 Listeners

Hit Play Not Pause by Hit Play Not Pause

Hit Play Not Pause

737 Listeners

The Business of Fitness by Feisty Media

The Business of Fitness

5 Listeners

All Bodies on Bikes by Marley Blonsky

All Bodies on Bikes

48 Listeners