“Get an inside look at the grit and determination of the Sylvania Southview Cougars Girls Lacrosse team. Hear from players and coaches about their journey, challenges, and what fuels their success on and off the field.”
“Team Canada’s Women’s Team, led by Isabella Bertold, has launched the “It’s Time” campaign—a powerful rallying call to champion women’s sport and inspire support as they compete in the inaugural Puig Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona this weekend. Team Canada’s first race is scheduled for Sunday, October 6th.
This milestone event marks the first time there has been a women’s competition in the America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting trophy dating back to 1851.”
Ximena Abogabir is the co-founder of a Chilean organization dedicated to changing attitudes about aging. She shares her Brief But Spectacular take on empowering people to live their best lives.
“The effects of dietary restriction on metabolism and lifespan didn’t always change in lockstep. To the authors’ surprise, the mice that lost the most weight on a calorie-limited diet tended to die younger than did animals that lost relatively modest amounts.
This suggests that processes beyond simple metabolic regulation drive how the body responds to limited-calorie regimes. What mattered most for lengthening lifespan were traits related to immune health and red-blood-cell function. Also key was overall resilience, presumably encoded in the animals’ genes, to the stress of reduced food intake.”
“Shame is everywhere, and for women, it’s a constant, uninvited guest. Join host Gabe Howard and writer Melissa Petro as they explore how shame functions as a tool to keep women in line—dictating what they can be, how they should look, and who they’re allowed to become.
Melissa reveals the hidden forces at play that make women feel “not good enough,” no matter what they do. She introduces “shame resilience,” a powerful strategy to transform how we see ourselves by embracing our feelings and challenging the stories we’ve been told. If you’re tired of walking the impossible line between “too much” and “not enough,” this episode is for you.
Discover how to break free from the labels, live more authentically, and reclaim your power in a world that constantly tries to diminish it. Tune in and start rewriting your own narrative today.”
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Join us for a free, live Q&A with ultra-endurance cyclist and Adventure Cycling board member, Lael Wilcox as she shares stories from her recent world-record breaking journey around the globe.
When: Monday, October 21, at noon MDT Register here Cost: Free! Lael Wilcox is an ultra-endurance cycling legend. She just set the women’s record for the fastest ride around the world and has set records on many ultra endurance routes over the last ten years. Lael will chat about planning and riding her record-setting trip, the experiences and people she encountered along the way, and the routes she relied on during her ride. Don’t miss this chance to hear firsthand about her adventures and learn how she’s supporting our mission to bring others the joy of traveling on two wheels.
“An homage to the classic Our Bodies, Ourselves, this encyclopedic, crowd-sourced compilation of essays, resources, information, and advice about the intersection of gender and bicycling covers a lot of ground—bold meditations on body parts, stories about recovery from illness and injury, biking to the birth center, and loud and proud declarations of physical and emotional freedom.
Includes accounts of bicycling while pregnant, tips about how to ride fast or what to wear when you need to look professional, stories of cycling with kids, biking with various experiences of gender, age, ability, sexuality, menstruation, chronic illness, an extensive and illuminating article about the vulva and contact with your bike saddle, thoughts about abortion and reproductive rights, and much more.
There’s something for everyone in here, and something to expand everyone’s idea of what’s for them.”
“On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dive into two complex NFL headlines. First, El and Steph revisit the lawsuit against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was recently accused of sexual assault after facing 26 civil suits accusing him of sexual misconduct.
El and Steph also discuss the developing story regarding the police detainment of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and two of his teammates ahead of last Sunday’s game. The incident has come under serious scrutiny.
Then in part two, the gals preview the 19th edition of the Solheim Cup where the top women golfers in the U.S. and Europe will be facing off in Virginia as Team USA looks to take back the trophy and Team Europe chases a four peat. Who’s ready for the tee?”
WATCH
‘She just did it. With people telling her, you can’t, you can’t, you can’t. She did it’ Daisy Ridley teamed up with some inspiring female swimmers to showcase their amazing achievements. Young Woman and the Sea is now streaming on Disney+.
“With humor, empathy, and expertise, a Black, femme, disabled, and neurodivergent physical therapist retraces their journey through a weaponized fitness culture, sharing an alternative path to honor all bodies and needs.An inclusive, full-color guide to improving mobility, building strength, and increasing flexibility for every body and any size, shape, and ability.”
“Many of us grew up with implicit–and sometimes explicit–messages to be small, both in our physical selves and in our power. Now, as we hit midlife, we’re increasingly rejecting those BS limitations and seeing just how powerful we can be. That’s exactly what two-time Olympian Gabrielle Rose did in her mid-40s when she set her sights on the 2024 Olympic Trials, were she achieved personal bests in both the 100- (1:08.32) and 200-meter breaststroke (2:30.13), advancing to the semifinals as the oldest competitor on deck at age 46, exactly 20 years after her last Olympic Trials in 2004. We talk all about her history in the sport and how her training has evolved over the decades, as well as what led to her comeback and how it has completely lit a fire for her future.”
Elite athletes and insiders reflect on the Paralympic Games and examine how they impact a global understanding of disability, diversity and excellence.
Caroline Paul is a thrill-seeker and writer who is on a quest to encourage women to get outside and embrace adventure as they age. She and Steve talk about fighting fires, walking on airplane wings, and finding awe in birdwatching.
“Today’s SuperAge episode features author, pilot, and lifelong adventurer Caroline Paul, who shares her insights on the importance of outdoor adventure and its positive impacts as we age. Caroline emphasizes the significance of embracing new experiences, breaking through societal norms, and the unique empowerment that comes from stepping outside one’s comfort zone. Her personal journey, highlighted by her various outdoor exploits, illustrates how engaging with nature can lead to a richer, more fulfilling life in one’s later years. Caroline’s message is clear: aging isn’t about slowing down but about rediscovering oneself through adventure and exploration.”
🎧 I just read on my friend Todd’s social media that Lael Wilcox is about to try to beat Jenny Graham’s world record for cycling around the world (124 days / 11 hours) and is doing a podcast at the same time.
“This summer, I’m riding around the world to try and break the women’s Guinness World Record (currently held by Jenny Graham at 124 days). I have to ride a minimum of 18,000 miles (29,000km). The route isn’t set and that’s part of the fun! I asked Bea & Luca, expert route builders and race organizers, to design my track through Europe. In this episode, we go over the rules and talk about the route. I don’t love planning, but every time I look at a map, I’m filled with excitement for the big ride! I’m starting on May 26 in Chicago and I’ll be publishing an episode every day– 10-20 minutes to share stories from the road. “
“The findings showed that Gen Z were the most sociable cyclists, too. They were the most likely to seek company on bike rides, and it was mainly them that contributed to an 11% increase in the number of new online communities, and virtual ‘cycling clubs’.
See, as a young, plus-sized woman who cycles mainly for pleasure, I’ve never felt like I belonged on cycle lanes. I felt too young, too fat, too poor.
I felt that I had to have permission to belong – be a certain age, or level of fitness. That I had to be ‘training’ for something, have the right gear, or take cycling seriously as a sport – not merely as an escape, a means to an end, or to get to work.
Even former Olympic and World Champion, Chris Boardman MBE told Cycling Weekly that he’d been “battered by the cycling community for wearing normal clothes on a bike”.
It’s gatekeeping of the highest, most gross order.
So, I couldn’t be more elated, or more refreshed, to hear that Gen Z-ers are simply shrugging their shoulders at stereotypes, and getting on their bikes instead – complete with their friends right alongside them.
They’re choosing an activity that they enjoy, and that makes them feel good – all while saving money, the planet and being sociable.
Cycling aligns with their values because they’ve created an inspiring, eco-conscious community (both online, and IRL) that they believe in, and feel represented by. They’ve managed to embody everything that makes cycling great – and it’s what it should be. “
📺 And a shameless personal plug here on what to watch this weekend. I’m recommending you check out Sew Fierce. It’s a Canadian reality show, a drag design competition, in which eight clothing designers compete to make the best drag outfits. Season Two is just out on OUT-TV but you can watch the first episode on YouTube. My middle kid’s partner is Calypso Cosmic, one of the eight top drag designers on Season Two of the show. Go check out their fabulous creations!
Sew Fierce, Season Two
You can also watch Calypso live and in person, with other performers, at The Well in Hamilton this weekend.
How about listening to the music of Canadian feminist composer Ann Southam? You can read about her here.
Pond Life
I just learned about Southam today at an international women’s day lecture hosted by the Sexuality and Gender Studies program at the University of Guelph.
READ
I’ve just bought The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again.
From the book, “Judgment is also a fun killer. In order to judge something, we have to step out of an experience so that we can evaluate it, and (as we just noted) when we are out of our present experience, we are obviously not in flow. Even everyday forms of evaluation, such as “liking” things on social media or editing the selfie we just took, count as judgment and encourage self-consciousness—another fun killer—and therefore will destroy that moment’s capacity to be fun. Comparing ourselves to other people is also a form of judgment and is toxic to fun—as the saying goes, “Comparison is the thief of joy.””
“February 7th marks NGWSD, an annual celebration dedicated to acknowledging women’s history in sports, celebrating current achievements, and recommitting to the continued fight for equality.
So on today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz are starting the party early, digging into the history of the day, some of the ongoing barriers to participation in sports for girls and women, and all of the incredible recent progress that’s been made. Queue it up and let’s keep on leveling the playing field.”
📢Or if you’re in the mood for a cry, there’s my sad song playlist. Suggestions? Leave them in the comments below.
“A wealth of literature shows that the size of our bodies is largely out of individuals’ control, in being due to genetics, the food environment, common illnesses and medications, and a whole host of other unchosen factors. But even to the extent that fatness is (for some people, and to some extent) under our control, analogies suggest that this is not a genuine moral issue.
People make all sorts of trade-offs to enrich their lives in some way, to pursue their desires and whims and pleasures, at the expense of potentially serious health problems and even increased mortality. Take the person who regularly goes BASE jumping, despite the risk of serious injuries and death; take the person who attempts to climb Mount Everest, despite the risk of altitude sickness and falls and frostbite; take the person who races cars, despite the risk of crashes and conflagrations; take, to use the philosopher A. W. Eaton’s pertinent example, the person who tans their skin, despite the risk of cancer. Provided they take reasonable precautions, such as using the right equipment, and do not endanger others, we do not tend to condemn or shame these people. We regard them as entitled to live their lives, and to have humane and fitting healthcare if they do run into problems. We even generally regard them as entitled to run the risk of dying significantly younger. And we are right to regard them as having these entitlements.”
“…there was something striking about hearing people use that term [marrying my best friend] at their weddings, when there was a maid of honor or best man standing right next to the couple. I felt like I was watching best friends get publicly demoted. If you have a spouse, they’re already assumed to be the most important person in your life, so I was curious about why many people feel compelled to have a spouse grab the top title in the friendship category, too.”
Episode 170 of The Adventure Podcast features a legend of the mountain biking world, Lee Craigie. Lee is a bike adventurer, director of The Adventure Syndicate, outdoor therapist and storyteller. In this episode, Lee talks to Matt about her champion-winning mountain biking career, competing in the Commonwealth Games, and the pro’s and con’s of winning. She goes into detail on her role as Scotland’s Active Nation Commissioner, and the challenges she faced in this position. She also covers what happiness means to her now, community, and finding balance by changing her motivations. It’s an honest and thought-provoking conversation which gives a gentle reminder on the importance of perspective and not trying too hard.
“From Brussels to Tokyo, these women prove the opposite.
A film about what it means to be a woman cycling in different countries around the world. When Manon left to cycle from Brussels to Tokyo, she took a camera with her and met other women cyclists along the way. Hear their stories!”
“The Fat Joy podcast is a joyful rebellion against anti-fatness. Each episode is a conversation between host and Professional Coach Sophia Apostol and another fat person about how to flourish in our fatphobic world. We’re exploring the harms, biases, and oppressions we’ve experienced while living in a world that marginalizes plus-size & fat bodies and promotes the lies of Diet Culture. But most importantly, we’re sharing how we still dare to have the audacity and courage to reach towards joy and live our best lives while advocating for collective fat liberation & body positivity. And, at the end of every episode, Sophia reads you a poem. Topics include: body acceptance, self-love, fat activism, body positivity, fatbulous, anti-fatness, anti-diet, diet culture.”
From the book’s web page, “Caroline Paul has always filled her life with adventure: From mountain biking in the Bolivian Andes to pitching a tent, mid-blizzard, on Denali, she has never been a stranger to the exhilaration the outdoors can hold. Yet through it all, she has long wondered, Why aren’t women, like men, encouraged to keep adventuring into old age?
Tough Broad is her quest to understand not just how to live a dynamic life in a changing body, but why we must. She dives deep into the current research on aging, and highlights the results with the stories of women like ninety-three-year-old hiker Dot Fisher-Smith, eighty-year-old scuba diver Louise Wholey, fifty-two-year-old BASE jumper Shawn Brokemond, sixty-four-year-old birdwatcher Virginia Rose, and the many septuagenarian Wave Chasers who boogie board together in the San Diego surf. These women aren’t experts. But their experiences and the scientific studies that back them up offer important insight into our own physical and emotional health as we age, showing that growing older is no reason for women to sell themselves short. Tough Broad is a high-spirited call for women to embrace the outdoors, not back away from it, in our fifties, sixties, seventies, and beyond, casting our own futures in a new and dazzling light.”
Tough Broad
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DAUGHTER OF THE SEA — Nicole Gormley (Director), Nancy Kwon (Director) — South Korea
“Battling deep depression, Jaeyoun returns to her roots on the island of Marado, South Korea, to visit her family of female free divers known as haenyeo. To her surprise, she finds a connection to nature and her ancestors that saves her life.”
