Community+
Kaya wandju wandju
Last week Sam Bolton welcomed the 4F First Friday ride group (our largest so far) with these Nyoongar words that mean hello and welcome (we see you). A mixed bunch of 45+, younger, male, female, racers, riders, a runner riding a bike just to come, interstate visitors talked into doing SEVEN, coaches, sponsors, and supporters… and there it was, 4F Community+.
We see you, all of you. We embrace the change you bring, we grow and evolve, we say yes, and.
When we started 4Five+ a couple of years ago, we were very focussed on inspiring and supporting women 45+ to maintain an active and competitive life. We wanted to challenge the expectations of society around the 45+ demographic. We wanted a safe space to talk and share knowledge about the hormonal changes associated with perimenopause & menopause, and especially how these “changes” impacted active & competitive women.
We’ve made a good start on all of that. What we didn’t foresee was the path our idea would follow.
4Five+ has been wonderfully supported by women of all ages. Changing hormones are our lifelong companion, and perimenopause certainly doesn’t stick to any schedule: 45 might be the average onset, but you might find yourself there anywhere between 30 and 60!
We’ve also had a lot of conversations with people that start with “my wife…my partner…my friend…” Sometimes it’s about menopause, and sometimes it’s about how to encourage an interest in cycling! Whatever the in, we have welcomed these supporters of active women into our 4Five+ Community.
We never imagined we would find ourselves hosting bike races. But here we are with two successful criterium series and a gravel stage race under our belt, thanks to the support of the 4Five+ membership, and volunteers, and the WA cycling community.
Our focus remains on providing opportunities for women 45+, but a rising tide lifts all ships, and we are happy to embrace other ages and genders where there is capacity - Tiger Tracks Gravel was a great example of this (more on that in another blog).
Looking ahead
The 4F Facebook group has a new name - 4F Community+. It will continue to be a private group, and place where everyone shares events, interesting articles, research etc. Our official communications will continue via the 4Five+ Facebook PAGE.
The online 4F+ TeamUp calendar has been updated and includes events, training, rides and racing. You can view it here, or add it to your own calendar using the iCal feed
Upcoming highlights:
RIDES - social ride the first Friday of every month. See the Facebook events for details
LEARNING - Committee member and Sleep Scientist, Kate Boulton will be sharing her knowledge and thoughts on all things SLEEP (after she has competed in Ironman Cairns). Not to be missed! Keep an eye out for details coming soon and make a point of supporting this event.
TRAINING - Femmes Come & Try Track - June
RACING
Femmes on Track - 3 race series in collaboration with X-Speed
Tour of Margaret River - please express your interest to admin@4fiveplus.org
Twilight Crit series - scheduled for November-December
Giving back
We do want to expand our reach beyond cycling, to include being generally active. We want to continue to learn and evolve, individually and as an organisation.
4F is managed by a small volunteer committee of 5, all full and part-time workers, living our full and part-time lives, caring for families, squeezing in training…we welcome your thoughts, and we encourage you to come along to our events. Signing up for a 4F membership is an inexpensive and practical way to show your support and enable us to do more. We warmly welcome those with the skills, enthusiasm and time to become involved in volunteering, even if it is in a small way.
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
