Emma Rhymer - wife, mother and teacher, on her “mountain biking midlife crisis”; pursuing her passion and competitively racing 24 Hour MTB Championships

Into the Wee Hours Podcast

English - December 26, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 211 MB - ★★★★ - 3 ratings
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Previous Episode: Danny Longman. Europe based Ultra Endurance Athlete and Evolutionary Biologist on his World Record breaking open water swim, the "Lakes Swim Challenge 2021".

Next Episode: Tom Kinsley - Newcastle, NSW, based RAAF pilot, on being an endurance athlete and adventurer - running 24 hours and a “can do” attitude to a life of diverse adventures, including sinking a yacht off after sailing across the Channel!

Episode 16! We have a wonderful conversation with the determined and passionate, Stanthorpe based, Emma Rhymer, about how she discovered mountain biking as a teacher at a school camp in her early 40s and was immediately hooked.

This discovery sparked an amazing journey from rookie mountain biker to a dedicated Masters endurance athlete, working with the support of her husband, Dylan, and a dedicated coaching support team from skills coaching to dietician to movement coach, in her pursuit of competition and growth, successfully racing 24 Hour MTB championships, amongst other shorter cross country races and her first bikepacking experience at the BrisDivide in 2021.

Emma is transforming her day to day life around mountain biking including moving towards relief teaching while growing her coaching expertise and is a real inspiration to us to follow your passions. We talk all things that come with getting into a new sport "later in life", including skill development, training, injury and balancing work/family/mountain biking, as well as the value of a very supportive bike community and the self-confidence and new learnings that a journey like this can bring.

Amongst others, Emma makes reference to Dylan Cooper at rideTECHNICS, Aus Cycling, Ride Sunshine Coast, i-Ride Bikes Toowoomba, Matt Wilkins of Mountain Bike Coaching Australia, her current coach Anna Beck, Jodie Willet, Jess Douglas and Rod Hickey.

Emma also references kicking off her racing at the Wild West XCO series, plus 24 hour racing the Merida 24 Hour at Hidden Vale Adventure Park, the 3 hour MTB race Chicks in the Sticks and taking part in the SEQ bikepacking event, the BrisDivide.

You can find Emma on Instagram at @emma.rhymer.mtb