The power of vulnerability and being brave, oh and breaking your neck with Sarah Munton.

“But what happens if I lose mountain biking?”

This is the question this week's guest; Sarah Munton, asked herself when making the brave decision to leave a relationship and move back home to the UK from New Zealand.

Faced with this prospect and trying to go it alone when back home, Sarah openly shares, how despite exposing herself to the fear of being seen as having no friends and lonely, she was vulnerable anyway and reached out on facebook and got responses that influenced the course of her mountain bike journey and life, for the better.

An inspiring example of the power of bravery and vulnerability and how women's mountain bike groups prove crucial in enabling people to continue living life on 2 wheels. Oh yeah and coming back from breaking your neck.

The Guest:

I got roped into mountain biking by my partner at the time, back in 2018 when I was living in New Zealand. 4 years later I'm now 28 and mountain biking is such an amazing part of my life I couldn't do without, I've made some great friends, had incredible adventures and one broken neck, but the last one I'll try not to do again 😅

You can follow Sarah's bravery and biking escapades over on instagram @munton_biker on Instagram and also check out the Seekers Cult the rad clothing brand she represents https://www.instagram.com/seekerscult/?hl=en

Take aways from the episode:

• We can sometimes feel reliant on one person for mountain biking and that can leave us in a tough predicament when considering if that relationship is something we want to continue with. With that in mind it is far healthier to create independence around your sport (life) so it ticks along, irrespective of who may come and go.

• Women's mountain bike groups create a space for connection, belonging and friendship.

• Life is better when you share it with people. Reach out, be vulnerable, no one is going to think anything bad, everyone has been there at some point. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and be brave, it will pay off. A great tip from Sarah is to reach out on social media first, create that connection and then arrange to meet. Great if the idea of going to a social ride without knowing a soul makes you need a nervous poo.

• It is possible to ride your bike again after a serious injury if you apply the right mindset

• Sarah is cool as a cucumber, both on and off the bike.

Women's mountain bike groups:

Here are some popular women's groups with a wide reach. If you are struggling and riding on your own and feeling a bit meh about that, join your local group, take a look at the next event and go, but even better put a post out.

Check out MTB Chix and Trails who are really active on facebook https://m.facebook.com/groups/370678596444806/

Trail birds are a midlands based group but have members all over https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/trailbirds/about/

Dame cycling in the Forest of Dean, they are usually out every weekend: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367798690071925/

Bike Park Wales Women's Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1885204474959633

The cycle sistas https://www.facebook.com/thecyclesistas/

Also check out British Cycling and their breeze rides, they now do rides for mountain biking and they are a great way to join a chilled group, there will always be someone there as the ride leader will be guiding it https://www.letsride.co.uk/breeze

Check out the instagram post for this episode for more suggestions from the community https://www.instagram.com/girlsonwheelspodcast/

The Pod:

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Girls on wheels coming at yaaaaaaaaaa.

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