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Sydney (Dowd) Gillen

@zoom_e_girl

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Miss Congeniality of the Peloton
GA - FL - WY - NC - WNC - FL - UT
@scottsportsusa

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Fall 🍂 on 🍂 bikes 🍂 ... Crazy weekend ahead but man I'm UNBELIEVABLY grateful for all the amazing bikes and people in my life. Got no option but to be in the now, so buckle up... by @zoom_e_girl

4th place never looked so good 🤪 Repping @nexgen_cycle one of our amazing dealers in Florida - go see em if you're in that neck of the woods! by @zoom_e_girl

One thing is for sure: the Scott team didn't come to play at Soldier Hollow this weekend. Be it manning the tent, sending out demos, talking to people or yelling on the sidelines...the energy was electric, and we all felt it. Hopefully, we added to it.

I'm feeling so grateful for the chance to see world class athletes in my figurative backyard alongside the best people in the industry. Cannot say enough good about it all...6 hours of cumulative driving time aside. 😉 by @zoom_e_girl

Really not my usual post but... how I sourced and styled on a budget in our rental bathroom. Caveat - our landlady is the best and was ALL FOR upgrading the incredibly short and shallow vanity, painting, etc. I know that's a luxury for sure. But the rest is making the most of sourcing and space. Peel and stick tile would probably really put the finishing touches on the space, but that's been a lower priority. So much fun to put everything together and see the vision come to life. by @zoom_e_girl

Summer of the grind. The daily swing of things, each tiny piece of progress making one brick towards building something we can be proud of. Hanging out with girl girl aka Topaz, taking too many cat pics as her sweet personality develops. Enjoying the journey - occasionally linear, sometimes just better than the day before - each lesson enjoyed in the special way only possible if you have the best guy on two wheels to share it with. by @zoom_e_girl

Celebrating our "paper" anniversary a bit late...with tin! Our tintype really just shows how gorgeous my husband is, but we make such a great pair. Even if it highlights invisible freckles on my nose. Brb applying sunscreen 🥴 by @zoom_e_girl

Waking up early might be worth it if you have great company and views like this. Outran the rain and the smoke today! by @zoom_e_girl

Now let's talk about what went well (clearly, not my no-hands posing, but I digress). The Addict Gravel continued to impress - I couldn't imagine a better bike. Thanks to some loaner @envecomposites GSES gravel wheels, ENVE hex tires, and some thiccness in front (48s if you must know 😚) the steed rode steady and true. Seriously, if you haven't tried the Hex tires, you need to.

My master mechanic @will.gillen even wore the custom crop top I ordered for him. Some folks loved it, some folks gave him side eye in equal measure. Coolest of all maybe, I was able to spend time with my in laws and celebrate my mother in law @the_susanest's KILLER finish and amazing effort, and enjoyed a well earned mocktail or two. Bonuses of a quick reunion with @ri_ganey
and @camjonesnz signing Will's arm? Hell yeah.

And of course, couldn't have done it without the rudder to the training ship from @empiricalcycling
/@katieaaman.

Tldr buy a scott and finish it off with ENVE wheels and tires. Despite my mid pack finish, the build is absolutely phenomenal and the company I shared this past week even more so. by @zoom_e_girl

Unbound 2026, or as I've christened it: "Thundermud."

Started out strong and even met a new friend on the startline. She has more top end (no surprise, given she used to professionally play basketball) and left me to my fate... which was meeting my own choices one at a time.

First thunderstorm hit early on, and vision became impossible. Stopped to rinse my hand to wipe my eyes and pray nothing messed up my contacts. Should have put my cycling cap on from the beginning, but could only get it at rest stop. Second thunderstorm presented the longest mud walk of the day, where I struggled at first to find footing at all. Learned some mud walking skills and pushed on.

I lent my mud stick to someone, then lost it on course. Was in such a haze by the rest stop that I left with no ibuprofen (the 15+ hour drive to Kansas was not kind to my SI joint issues) and a tiny amount of food. Not nearly enough for the 50+ miles ahead.

From there, two more storms hit but it was a blur. As the miles ticked away, the sharp pain behind my back grew sharper and pretty much decimated hope of any power higher than zone 2. I stopped briefly with 3 miles to go, frustrated at my body and with myself. Got a gel donation from a stranger that helped me limp to the finish line. I told the two guys in front of me, "excuse me gentlemen!" so I could sprint around them to finish and close the books on the day.

In my mind, replaying constantly, I could hear the words from the riders meeting the night prior:

'Courage is in perseverance.' by @zoom_e_girl

one year ago today, we said "I do,' and Will now insists he has to die first so he doesn't live without me. Given his latest Strava routes, I think he's trying to kill me first instead. I love you, Will! Despite the detours... by @zoom_e_girl

I can hardly believe it’s already been a year since I had the honor, and the privilege, of marrying the love of my life, my best friend, my favorite riding partner, and the most caring, kind, and beautiful woman I know. The future looks really, really bright. by @zoom_e_girl

What I beened up to: hanging out with my husband (nearly one year of marriage holy shit), riding silly smooth gravel with friends, documenting Topaz' many toes, cosmic baseball, and oil painting the patterns of light through trees. Oh. And taking glamor shots of our lil mountain town. by @zoom_e_girl