Enduro, cyclocross & gravel

Athlete match: Annabelle Whitehead

Hi I’m Erica Spizawka and I am honoured to be part of the Ride Like a Girl team. I thought I would be stepping on as part of the board this year but this is even better! 

What to know about me? I am a mother to an amazing daughter named Ayla. She has moved to the city and I miss her everyday but I am very proud of her and love watching her navigate through her new chapter in life. I moved to the Comox Valley when I was in grade 8 and decided I would never move anywhere else again. I started a career in Early Childhood Education after University and then moved on to the School District after my daughter could no longer attend daycare with me. 

I got my first mountain bike in my early 30’s and was pretty hooked from that point on. I am a bike coach for the afterschool beginner mountain bike club with the Cumberland Community School Society. I work casually as a coach for Gravity Mountain Bike, I am an ambassador for the Forbidden Gravel Experience  and BC Bike Race and am part of the team that is putting on Cumberland’s FIRST EVER WOMEN”S ONLY ENDURO. I love any opportunity to combine my two passions, and this year there have been so many and I am so grateful for my community. 

My race career trajectory went from racing enduro, cross-country, marathon, cyclocross,  stage racing and then gravel racing.  This year I will be doing a few enduro and gravel races and hopefully some cyclocross. Chronic injuries have left me unprepared to start the cross country season but I look forward to getting out to a few and cheering on my mentee. I have a feeling that riding alongside Annabelle, my fitness will increase exponentially. I am looking forward to some great days on bikes with her! 

My bikes.  Rocky Mountain Instinct, Ti Naked Gravel machine from Quadra Island, KHS Dirt Jumper, KTM Free Ride.