Le Tour de Femme: Women, Cycling, Community & Supporting Women With Cancer Ep 158

Want to make a season's worth of progress in just one day? Our Ultimate Training Days are designed to help you stop guessing and train with confidence. In just one day, you'll receive personalized feedback from our experienced coaches through swim, bike, and run sessions, hands-on skills practice, and mental training. With our small coach-to-athlete ratio, you'll get the individual attention that's hard to find anywhere else. You'll leave with practical strategies you can apply immediately Greater confidence in your training and a community of athletes and coaches who are cheering you on long after the day is over. Whether you're training for your first race or chasing a new PR, these camps fill quickly because space is intentionally limited. Our upcoming camps are July 19th, August 9th, and September 20th. To learn more and reserve your spot, visit theenduranceedge.com/camps. Now let's get into today's episode. All right, welcome back to the Find Your Edge podcast. I'm your host as usual, Coach Chris Newport, and I have some special guests here from Les Tours de Femmes. And if you don't know what that is, you need to keep listening because its mission, the overall event, is so amazing. So I've got 2 guests with me, Nisha— okay, Nisha, you're gonna have to pronounce your last name, but I will leave that to you— and Catherine Davis. So welcome to the show, you guys. I'm so excited to have you.

Thank you. We're happy to be here.

Yes.

All right.

So give us a little bit of your background. So, Kathryn, I think it would be good to start with you.

Okay.

What about you and, and what La Tour de Femmes is? And then I think you'll be able to hopefully toss it over to Nisha.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

Take it away. Yeah. So I actually— La Tour de Femmes actually started in 2006, and I was a first-time rider in 2009. I actually found out about it in a breast cancer support group because I was in the middle of chemotherapy. And as an avid cyclist, I thought, wow, this is great. I'm going to ride it this year. So I rode it right in the middle of chemotherapy in 2009. I'd never done an all-women's ride. And I thought— I got there and I was just blown away by the support, the community. I mean, it was just, it was just so special. And so— That was the beginning for me. I was an avid rider every year, and then in 2022 I joined the board. In 2023, I became a co-director and we moved the event to a more rural, less trafficked area and was a co-director until this year.

Yeah.

When we, as a merry band of volunteers, found our perfect partner in life. Um, which is one of us who carries our same charity goal and we, um, have given it to one.

Slow down with that because I think that was easily walked over.

Yes.

One of us. So like spell out, spell that out because it's just like, oh, one of us, you know, one of us. Yeah. Yeah. It just, so anyway, spell it out so that way people like really hammer that part.

Yeah. So let me step back one more step, which is to say Le Tour de Femmes has always had 2 goals. One was to support women who are going through cancer, and the second one was to empower women to explore the sport of cycling. And so one of us has been supporting women through female cancers from their beginning, and, and they are so good at that. And so they are, they were looking for a new event to add to their, their group of events in this great fundraising mission that they have. And we were the lucky, you know, lucky to be able to be invited to be part of the One of Us organization. So as of this year, they are directing the event.

Cool.

So perfect segue to you, Nisha.

Yes.

Yes.

So, yeah, good morning. I am Nisha Dobbins-Beck, and I am the executive director of One of Us. And One of Us is literally the number 1, OF, and then US. So many years ago when the organization started, it was started as 1 in 9. And so in 2011, 1 in 9 was the statistic of you know, 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. And so when our founder was diagnosed and going through her treatment, that's kind of how they created the foundation and the organization. And so it was really the goal of like, we really need to market this 1 in 9 statistic because we need our women to know, like, find your 9, find your 9, and make sure you're all getting your mammograms. And so it all kind of started with that and with Stephanie's diagnosis. And As she was going through her treatment, she realized that there were so many women that after their treatment did not have a ride home. They did not have a place to stay. They did not have transportation the next day. They didn't, you know, it was this whole hustle and bustle of how are we getting them home at the end of the day? And basically her and her husband were like, what do you mean they don't have a ride home? Like they got here. Like how did they? And they're like, well, no, they were just dropped off. And so she was like, oh my gosh, we got to do something. Like this is ridiculous. And her oncologist basically was like, Stephanie, this happens every day. Like this is just you know it happens all the time. And so she was being treated at Chapel Hill, which is our state-supported hospital. So if you can get to Chapel Hill, you will not be denied treatment. So the goal when you are diagnosed. And you are at, you know, poverty or above or below is to get yourself to Chapel Hill so that you can be treated. And so, you know, all through all of the years of this and starting to support our patients little by little, we then added the gynecological cancers. And in 2016, and so we went from 1 in 9 to 1 of Us because we wanted to encompass all women's cancers. And so that's how the name One of Us came about. So basically our goal and our mission is to support these women as they're going through their treatments. So we are that direct financial support. We are paying their rent, their utilities. We are providing transportation. We are making sure that they have gas and grocery cards so that their home life and their family are also being taken care of and fed. If their children need anything, childcare, all of these things fall under our umbrella of helping them so that they won't stop or forego their treatment. So, yeah, so it's, you know, it's such a community. Let me back up. It's a devastating diagnosis when you get— you hear the words you have cancer, but then to add on top of that, to already be in financial distress, you've just literally escalated your level of stress personally and at your home. So if we can take away that big factor so that you can focus on your treatments and getting better to be there for your family in the future, then that's what we're going to do is we're going to take that away from you so that you can focus. And as of this year, we've helped over 6,000 women and their families, and we're celebrating 15 years with big gala in November. But like Catherine said, we met this amazing group of people 2 years ago and Just went and volunteered. We were at a rest stop. We took over the 62-mile rest stop and we had the best time. And then last year, as we had worked more and more with them, they let the crowd know after the ride that we were going to be taking it over because last year was 20 for them. Such an amazing day. It was so beautiful and 20 years and you know what an accomplishment. And so we were honored that they chose us to to continue this journey and this event and this ride because it is. Absolutely beautiful to see all of these women come together, and there's survivors out there, and there's women and their families, and it's just a beautiful day of support. And like Catherine said, empowerment, like to let these women know you got this, like you can do this, and we're here with you, and we're going to do it together. So it's yeah. So we're excited. So this is our first one where we say we're nervous sided because we're very nervous, but we're very excited.

Yes.

It's a little bit of pressure to keep the momentum going, but we're really excited.

And yeah, we're tickled.

Yeah, I remember. And the woman who connected all of us in order to do this podcast, she was like, I would rather organize a 400-person gala than this difficulty of organizing a ride. She's like, this is so hard.

I'm like, no.

It's so different.

So it's very detail-oriented in a different way. So like our Gala that I've been doing for 10 years is a very well-oiled machine. Now La Tour de Femme is a beautifully well-oiled machine from Catherine and her team.

Yeah, yeah.

Our well-oiled machine yet. So we're working on that. But it is such a different dynamic, the details and the We're learning so much, like so, so much.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So cool. And to be able to bring this to women who are perhaps new to cycling or like, that's a big deal. Because if you don't know the first thing about riding a bike or you're brand new, like this is the place to come.

Yeah. Oh yeah, for sure. Because I certainly don't know anything about riding a bike, but I'm going to be there all day.

You know, you're going to get roped in. It's happening.

But Katherine has been my saving grace through all of this because I'll just text her and be like, what about this? What about that? Because she is a complete professional and she rides and she fundraises and she comes out and helps us set up and clean up. Like, it's— yes, she's my person.

Yeah, I love that. Okay, so exciting that you guys are taking this over. I'm so happy for you. And get the support. So Katherine, tell us a little bit about the day, like, because it is— it's— I, I've ridden this ride many times, not in the new location though, I will have to say. So that is going to be fantastic.

Yeah.

But like, I— it's just a whole nother— all that comes when I think of Les Tours de Femmes. So if, if anybody's watching on YouTube, this is literally my coaster. If anybody can see, this is Les Tours de Femmes coaster, and it's got these like cool little, you know, a bicycle chain and it's, there's like kind of like a little swirly in the middle. And, um, every time I see carnations, I think of Les Tours de Femmes. Like, how cool is it that people, I'm jumping ahead, but people finish and they get a carnation. So anyway, back us up, Catherine. What is the day like? What does it look like? Uh, what are the options?

So take it from there. Well, the, uh, the setup has changed quite a bit since you participated in Carrie. The biggest change is, well, there are 2 really huge changes. One is our venue. So we moved to Rougemont to the Little River Regional Park. And we did that for 2 reasons. One, to have quick access to rural, less trafficked roads. And secondly, to have access to single-track trails because we now offer mountain biking. Yes.

So, language, Catherine.

I don't. I'm, you know, I don't ride on the road either. I never have or not interested. We offer mountain biking now so that you can join and you can do that, or you can ride on the road. So the, the other really big change that we made is we did a staggered start. And that is because of the community aspect that one of the, just the super special sauce was being able to meet and greet people you might only see once a year and to catch up. And when we all left together, we came back at really different times. So we flipped it so that we have the longer riders start significantly sooner than the shorter courses. And that is so that everybody can come back and have lunch together. And we have live music and it's really meant to be a celebration of spending the day together. The other advantage to a staggered start is that you're starting with a smaller group of riders because riding out with a couple of hundred riders, if this is your first ride, can be a little bit overwhelming. And so riding in these, riding out in smaller pods is just a little bit more comfortable and easier to manage.

Yeah.

And one of the ways that we can We can do that so well is that we have a really special support team on the road, which are the Blue Knights. These just huge teddy bears on big bicycles, big, big motorbikes that can sort of go at 10 miles per hour with a big smile on their face. And they, they are there on all the routes to support, to support each and every rider. And if you're looking through some of the pictures, you'll see that they even stop. They stop at intersections to make sure riders are getting through intersections along the route. I mean, they are there 100% to be an additional support to the riders. We also have people who are bicycling along with riders and also at the end of every route that, that makes sure that everybody's being well taken care of. And of course, we have rest stops along the way to provide, to provide support and a break and nutrition to keep everybody fueled and happy on their route. So, and then they come back and they have a whole cheering team and carnations to welcome them back. And then they can go and enjoy the live music and the catered meal, which continues to be a very popular Greek Offering, and we are now still working. We are working with Med Deli, who is our new caterer up closer to Rougemont. So very, very special day. And, and that's all the road part. So on the mountain bike portion, it is, is the same concept of having—

Which are the, what are the options for cycling distance?

Oh, thank you. Yes, mileage. Thank you. Forgot that. Yes, we have the 16, the 32, and the 62.

13, 32, and 62.

Yes. Yep. Yep. And it's, and it is a little bit hilly, but it's certainly, it's beautiful and, and it's doable. So it's absolutely worth the effort to, to get out there and enjoy the roads. Yes.

Love that.

Cool.

Okay. Mountain biking, of course, you know.

Yes. Thank you.

Speaking my language now. So.

So Little, so Little River has great singletrack trails. They also have a skill, a skills course that they've been working on. And each, we sort of have a beginner, intermediate, and advanced offer there where they, it's longer and harder depending upon what level. And they're offering a clinic ahead of each group as well. So, so no matter where you are, you can always learn something new. And they're going to start with that and then get a chance to pedal up on their course. So, yeah.

So if you are intimidated by mountain biking, but you maybe don't want to ride on the road or for whatever reason, there is a— listen, you guys, I will tell you all the reasons to ride in the dirt. That's nice. You can figure that out on your own when you get out there. But if you are like, I don't know about this, like, that is totally the way to go. Get a little clinic beforehand. Have some support. You're not just like randomly out there in the woods. You've got this great, and then you have great food at the end. I mean, beats a power bar any day of the week, you know?

And I have to say too, like at the rest stops, like you pull up and you can get off your bike. You can use the restroom. There's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. If you would eat a little pickle juice or a little mustard for cramping, we've got that too. We've got waters, we've got soda. So we, there's a lot to offer at each stop too, because we want them to have that opportunity to refuel. Fuel and, you know, feel like they're like, oh, okay, I can do this. I can, I can, I'm going to keep going. Like, you know, so it's like you said, it's not just like a power bar and you keep on going and you throw some water back. Like, you can actually like take a moment, take a breath, and then, you know, regroup. So lots to offer with the rest stops too. So, and the churches are lovely.

Yeah. And I forgot about mechanical support. Yes. The answer is yes. We have that. We'll have that on site. Certainly, and then there'll be mechanical support along the road and at the rest stops. So if you have any hiccups with your bike one way or the other, there'll be someone there to help you out.

Yeah.

And I do want to say something cool too. I didn't mean to cut you off, Chris.

Go ahead, Nisha.

Is that this year when you go to do your packet pickup, you were partnering with Trek in North Raleigh and they are allowing you to bring your bike and they're going to do a complete overhaul of your bike. Before the ride so that you feel comfortable and you know—

I would probably say a checkover.

Yeah, I was gonna say overhaul. Thank you.

Yeah, overhaul would require multiple days of being in the shop.

Anyway, as a non-writer—

Learning the language.

Language.

As the non-writer, this one. Um, but yes, so they were—

A checkover.

A checkover. They will do a checkover. To make sure that you, your bike is good to go for the ride. And we're super thankful for them for doing that this year.

Yeah, that's a big deal, especially if you're like, I really want to ride, but like this biking thing seems complicated and I don't know how it all works. And that's a great way to feel confident that all of your equipment is operating properly because I don't pretend to be a mechanic. I can, I know enough to be dangerous on a bicycle, but it's like getting in your car and never And like not knowing anything about, you're like, let's fingers crossed it all works. So, and that's what a good mechanic will do.

So that's awesome. Yeah.

That Trek is doing that.

Yeah. Very thankful for them. So yeah.

Speaking of Trek, you guys kind of have some like cool, let's see, is it an auction?

It's a raffle.

It's a raffle. Okay. You tell us more.

So there's two. Yeah, there's two raffles this year. One's really cool because one, as soon as you register, you're automatically entered into that raffle. So it is a free raffle. So we wanted everybody to be a part of something. And so whoever wins that raffle gets this beautiful Primal jersey that they donated. And Tifosi also donated their breast cancer awareness sunglasses. And so we've got that. And then Chris. Donated a $300 basically metabolic test. Yes. So that is one whole raffle in itself, which is really cool because that is a stacked raffle and you don't have to do anything but register to ride. So we're very excited about that one. And then Trek has agreed to partner with us again this year. And so they're providing a beautiful I won't even try to name what type of bike it is.

It's an entry-level, entry-level bike.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And by entry-level, I'm air quoting here because like, I mean, they're not like this, you know, the like little Tinker aluminum bike that I got, you know, 25 years ago that was like, you know, I don't know, it was like $300 or something ridiculous. Like, no, this is, this is not that. This is Right. I say entry level, but it is not. This is not Walmart.

No, definitely not.

No, definitely not.

It is beautiful for someone who is not a rider. I was working with Nolan and he was like, how about this bike? And I was like, gosh, that's absolutely beautiful. It's very sleek and very pretty. And yeah.

And then listen, it's all about how you look also. Well, you know, like if you ride a sexy bike, you feel sexier.

That's the thing.

I love it.

I love it.

So, yes, we're excited. You do have to pay for those raffles, but also included in that raffle is Chris's weekend getaway at Lake Gaston, along with a $300 metabolic testing. So, Chris, if you want to describe that weekend, that would be so cool for people to understand.

Yes, I'm so glad you asked. So we have typically in the past done triathlon training camps. And this year, Carly and I, she's one of our coaches on our team. We were riding along our athletes this spring during our triathlon training camp going, you know what? It would be so great if we did this in the fall, but just for women and not just about training, making it more of a retreat and not an intense, got to do all the things camp. And well, here we are. So we, we made it happen. It's gonna— this is gonna be our first time doing a women's only endurance athlete retreat, and it's limited to 10 women, and it's gonna be at Lake Gaston, uh, and it's gonna be like a Thursday through Sunday, and they'll be fully supported by us. The only non-female who will be there is gonna be my husband, who is an amazing chef.

Yes.

And he's, uh, yes. And he makes these amazing gourmet meals for all of us while we are adventuring and journaling and doing all kinds of supportive things for each other. So that is a $1,000 value.

Wow. I'd get into that raffle.

Yeah. Isn't that awesome? I'm so, so, so excited about this. Carly and I were literally dreaming about it. Wouldn't that be so great? And so I'm excited to bring it to the world. And so Somebody who does this raffle will get that.

Yeah, we're so excited. I was like, you not only do you win a bike, but you get this women's weekend away. Like, there's nothing better than that. I mean, I, I love my kids and I love my husband, but I love a weekend away.

Self-care is, is necessary.

It is very necessary. It is very necessary.

And I— You ain't got to do any dishes. No diapers.

No.

No, nothing.

Oh, and I will back you up and say Lake Gaston is such a beautiful, peaceful environment. I've been going— my parents have had a house there for 25 years. So it's my kid— my kids have had the blessing of growing up at the lake. But I will say, to have to be able to go there for a weekend and just kind of like, you know, focus on you and the beauty around you is— it's It's beautiful. You guys will have the best weekend. Yeah.

Cool. Yeah. So one thing we haven't talked about is the date.

I know, like, people are like, okay, I'm sold, but when is it?

Yeah. Reviewers who have done Tour de Femme for a lot of years, it's always been the 2nd Saturday in October, and it is not. It's the 1st Saturday in October, which is October 3rd. So if you're listening to this and you're super eager to to sign up, that's your weekend. If for some reason you're looking at your calendar and you're like, oh, I can't do it. Well, you can still participate. You can participate by being a virtual rider and you can even just do this raffle that we've just talked about. You can still buy raffle tickets and participate even if you can't even be at the event. So there's, there's still plenty of ways to participate even, even if physically you can't be there. So. So buy your raffle tickets, be a virtual rider, you know, put on your pink or a Tour de Femmes jersey if you have one from an older year and, you know, ride, you know, ride where you are and, you know, just, just be, you know, be with us in spirit if you can't be with us in person. Yes.

Because it really is a magical energy. It is unlike any other event. I've done or been to, which is really, really cool. And if you are not identifying as female, are there other ways that you can support?

Yes, of course.

Absolutely.

We love having family and friends out there supporting the riders before they leave, when they come back. But yeah, we absolutely love that. And We're, I mean, we're very privileged to say that our marshals and our sweepers are full this year. And so that's a really cool thing. But in the future, if, you know, if you are—

Just to pause, like, if somebody doesn't know what that means, it's that you are not the last rider. There is no such thing as last. Like, first of all, it's not a race, right?

It's a ride.

Secondly, so many people are like, oh, but what if I'm slow or if I've never done this before? Like, am I going to be left out in the dark? And you guys can reiterate But the answer is no.

Yeah. So, no. Yeah.

And that's what these course marshals do, which is so cool.

Yes, it is very, very cool. And we have them for every single level and distance. And it is a beautiful thing that they are there to ride with you, cheer you on, support you, and get you through as well. And we allow for the sweepers, they are all men. And then for the marshals, you could be man or a woman, depending if you like, you just want to go out and support and not ride. You could, you know, we welcome them both. So, um, but yeah, but I— we're already full. And so please, please, please keep that in mind for next year. But also too, just come out because it's like Catherine said, there's an awesome— the food from Med Deli is absolutely delicious. And then one block over comes and they perform in the afternoon, and then we do raffles, and, um, there's a playground for children. You know, so there's this vast area and out there after the ride when people are coming in, Epic physical therapy bus is going to be out there. So they're going to be out there educating people on, you know, your post-ride, your pre-ride stretching, you know, things like that, physical therapy. They're going to be out there. We've got River Mill Cycling. So there's going to be people that are going to be out there too, vendors you can just kind of mill around and learn and talk and, you know, come get some fun swag.

Speaking of swag, oh, here, let me have a drink of water.

Oh, very nice. Yeah, I mean, yes, decked out. Like, I love, I love La Tour de Femmes logo. It's so great.

So the swag is still happening.

Swag is still happening.

All those fundraising incentives are still there, and it just makes it the joy and joy of, you know, it's such a great cause, and then you get great souvenirs from fundraising at every level. So yeah, yeah, yeah.

So what is, if people sign up, is there a minimum amount that's necessary to fundraise? Like, tell us a little bit about that.

Katherine, you want to do that or you want me to do it?

Yeah, why don't you do that, actually?

So there you could do, like, the minimum amount is like $50. And so you could do that, but you don't have to fundraise at all. We don't want people to feel like they have to fundraise. You don't. That is just a pure personal— a lot of people are touched by cancer in so many ways and they're like, yes, we want to give back. So they go and they fundraise. And, um, but you do have the different levels. I unfortunately do not have them memorized, but they— when you go to our link and register, you— on that page you get to see all the fundraising levels. But I do know that the, the prizes that you get are, um, the first one is a beautiful stemless Wine glass that has the Latour logo on one side and it has the One of Us logo on the other.

Show it again, Catherine.

Okay.

It's got her coffee mug. Isn't that great? I love that logo.

It's beautiful. It's so good. It's so beautiful.

Yes.

And so, so you do, you can do the stemless wine glass and then as you work your way up, you will get some Defeat socks.

Yep.

So you will also, you could earn Tavosi sunglasses. Also, there's a hat this year. Our hats are orange. The colors this year are pink and orange, and it's 21 years. So we're cheersing to 21 years of La Tour de Femme. So yeah, so we've got a lot of pink and orange going on this year. You have a white hoodie that you can win or earn, and then the logo is pink and orange this year. And then you start getting into you know the kit, the the biker pants and the biker shirt. And so, and those were designed by.

I love Catherine's smile right now. Nisha, we are going to school you on some—

I'm not saying it right. Yeah, I'm not saying it right.

You know, this is what I, what I, what I love so much about this is that, that we have, we have, we really want all kinds of riders to come and feel comfortable at the end of the ride.

Yes.

Yeah.

If you call it biker pants, we will still love you.

And you show up with a t-shirt and some shorts and some runners to ride your bike, that, I mean, we love you. We are so happy you're here.

Totally.

I am your entertainment version of your podcast.

I think it is. I mean, I, I think it's interesting that you guys have the, um, I, I love those, uh, motorbike, um, like sort of like escorts, you know, and that those 2 language cyclists and motorbikes, you know, if you just say bikes in general, but then nobody knows really what you're talking about unless you're like deeply embedded in those communities. But some of the language can be interesting to like Kind of, you know, they would never say I have bike shorts on. We would not say we have bike pants on. But now you know, right?

No, I know.

It's so great. And Nisha, I'm not making fun. It's just with any sport, you just have like the lingo. And now you guys know what to say before you go out to one of them. You can be like, may I have my bike shorts?

I love it.

So good.

Yeah.

Right.

And I will say the jersey this year is so beautiful. An original member of Le Tour, Barbara Yarborough, designed it. She designs them every year. And finally this year, we were like, could you please sign the jersey? Because it's absolutely beautiful. So we got her to sign right on the neck. But they're beautiful. She did an incredible job. And yeah, so you have your matching Kit? Yes, you have your mask.

Very nice. I know why we chose that word.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So beautiful. I should clarify, Ron's sister actually designed all of the jerseys up until last year, and Barbara has been excited to give it a go, and she is, uh, she has carried the torch beautifully.

She knocked it out of the park.

Outstanding job.

Yeah. Ron and his sister are very creative.

Yes, they are.

That's because that was his logo, right? I think, I'm pretty sure he did that.

Yeah, they did it together the first year when they were putting it together.

Yeah.

Dang. So cool.

And I think it's cool. They just—

the carnation.

The carnation. Yeah. They just changed the color of the carnation each year. And I think that's so beautiful. I love that.

Yeah. So cool. All right. Is there anything we missed? We're missing— we got the location, the date, the distances, the fundraising prizes, the raffle. Um, more about one of us, the background of Les Tours de Femmes.

Did we miss anything?

And you're going to provide the link for them if they would like to register, right?

Yeah, of course.

Of course. So yeah, and you can go to that link and you can register. Um, you can register to volunteer. Uh, we, we still need some volunteers the day of. That's another, um, way that, um, the gentlemen can come out or family members or anything like that can come out and they can support by volunteering that day. So we have options. You can go down to the bottom and it's volunteer or register. And either way, we would love to have you out there. Volunteers get a beautiful t-shirt, and so that is provided with them, and of course lunch as well. But yeah, so we still have some volunteer options. And then when you go to the website and register, we've tried to make it very simple and easy, whether you want to fundraise or you don't want to fundraise, or if you want to be a cycler or a mountain biker, all the options are there. So yeah. So we've tried to make it super simple.

Make it easy.

Yeah. Is there someone taking photographs at this event? Maybe?

Possibly? I actually get to ride this year.

Do you get to ride?

Okay.

I say that because Katherine is an amazing photographer. So you're getting to ride. But do you feel like you're always taking pictures anyway, no matter what you're doing? I don't know. I'm not in that brain. My photography is Terrible.

We all, we all are photographers because we have phones in our hands. True. But for sure, for me, because I do it for a living, it is different whether I have what I would call a working camera in my hand or, or my phone. But, but yes, it's, it's collecting, collecting memories no matter how you do it is really important. And we certainly love for our riders to be collecting memories and sharing them with us because every picture is a Is a good memory. So, yes. Yeah.

And we are working on having a photographer out there. We just haven't confirmed that yet because it would be, you know, we are so excited that she is riding this year. And, you know, some of the volunteers from years past and the original members are going to be out there riding and volunteering too. So we're excited that they get this opportunity to be more than just on the outside. They get to be on the inside and riding it and feeling it and experiencing it because they haven't gotten to do that in a while. So we're, we're really excited to have them out there to ride.

Very cool. Okay, so where is the specific link? And we'll make sure to, to link to it below. But, um, if you Google Les Tours de Femmes, you're gonna come up not with the actual Les Tours de Femmes, most likely because, you know, there's this whole Les Tours de France Femmes, and that's probably gonna come up first. Uh, you, y'all will probably be in there, but what's the actual link?

It is latourdefemme.org.

Cool.

And so if you type that in, it will literally pop up and you cannot miss it because the whole front page is pink and orange. So yeah, absolutely. So you can go to the One of Us site as well and it will be under our events. But to get your direct and fastest way to sign up and register is latourdefemme.org. And what's really cool is that if you are new to this, we still have the history of the ride on there too. So you can kind of You know, scroll through the tabs and learn all about it and see the history and, you know, learn more of and see pictures from years past. And our sponsors are on there. We have Duke and UNC this year that both came in as $5,000 sponsors, which is huge for us. So we're super excited about that. Yeah, Emerge Ortho. We have some great, great, great sponsors. So you'll get to see them as well.

Very cool.

So I always like to ask guests if there's one thing that people take away. And granted, we were really talking about the event, but Um, the very first part of our conversation I thought was just so beautiful. So if there's anything that you, and we'll go to each of you, want listeners to take away, what would that be? I'm going to tag in Catherine first.

Well, um, I love riding my bicycle and I ride for joy. And sometimes I ride really fast and sometimes I ride really slow. And it is, it is a mind, body, and spiritual experience for me. And I love sharing it with people, especially other ladies. And that part of this event is just the special sauce, is being able to share the joy of being able to bicycle and bicycle together. So, and being able to do that and support a great cause and support your fellow women is just the, it's just the cherry on top. Love it.

Yeah.

What about you?

I would have to say that for me, as a nonprofit side of it and a non-rider, I'd say that just come out, just experience the day. It is so beautiful. It is emotional. There are tears of joy. There are tears of survival. It is absolutely beautiful to watch a community of women come together and maybe you know them and maybe you don't, but by the end of the day you do. And guys have created something so incredible and so beautiful that, you know, you just can't take that away. And that one of us, you know, if you go to our website, it says that you are never alone. And, you know, for La Tour's tagline to be no one rides alone, like the two of us together, it was just Perfect because that's the whole goal is we don't ever want a woman to feel that she is alone, no matter if you're battling cancer or not battling cancer. You know, we you have a tribe and you have a village, and you know the one of us village is to take care of women as they're going through their cancer treatments and their journey, and we want to financially support them. But then it becomes an emotional journey, and it becomes you know so much more. We we love and adore our patients so much, and so you know to have survivors and riders and supporters out there too. You guys just FYI survivors get their special bib. You know you get your very own bib, and so it's just it is a beautiful experience, and I hope that you know if you started riding last month or if you've been riding for thirty years, you know try it. Just come out and try it. It's so. fun and it's a beautiful day for a beautiful cause. And, uh, it's just, yeah, we hope you come in and come out and experience it.

Love it. Ladies from Les Tours de Femmes, thank you so much for coming on the Find Your Edge podcast. I hope to see everyone out there. And, uh, cuz we will have a tent out there. Um, Carly will be there too. And I think she's either a sweeper or a course marshal. She's one or the other. So you may or may not see her, but our tent will be out there and our energy will be out there. And I am so excited for this event and I hope it goes super smoothly. So thank you for all for putting on this event and being part of the women's cycling community because it truly is magical. Not only what you're doing in the moment of just being able to ride your bike and have fun, but also for women's lives when they're experiencing something so devastating.

Right.

So thank you for having us today.

This was so fun.

Yes.

All right.

Bye, guys.

Bye. Thank you.

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