This Rider Is on a Mission to Show Kids of Philadelphia the Power of Cycling
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
Name: Lana Harshaw
Age: 38
Hometown: Newark, Delaware
Occupation: Program director, Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling
Time Cycling: 3 years, 5 months
Reason for Cycling: I have a history of knee injuries from my previous collegiate basketball experience and cycling allows me to push myself mentally and physically in ways that I haven’t really been able to enjoy since college. It’s been a great way for me to get in shape and I really just love the community and getting together with friends to ride and see the world differently!
I started cycling in November 2020, after taking time that year to really focus on and reprioritize my health. Up to that point I had been doing a lot of bodyweight exercises and hiking, and had lost a considerable amount of weight, but a good friend, Mike Brown, tricked me into a bike ride, and it was probably one of the best things I didn’t know I needed in my life!
I didn’t have a bike at the time, so he let me borrow one of his, and a group of us went out and did 20-plus miles that day. Afterwards, I remember being able to walk and not be in pain, and I was hooked! I then found a bike within two weeks, and I’ve been rolling ever since!
Since I started late in the year, I was a winter warrior. I was riding a few days a week, because I just loved the feeling of completing a ride. I used Strava to track my routes and mileage, but I didn’t care about the metrics, I just wanted to be on my bike.
When it got a little warmer out, Mike suggested I look into racing. I had never been to a race, but he took me to the Armed Forces Cycling Classic in spring 2021 to spectate, and I was hooked. The atmosphere was electric and I went home and signed up for my first race.
Once I knew there were beginner race categories for women, I couldn’t help but throw myself into it fully! My first race was the Pottstown Bike Race in June 2021. I got dropped early in the race, but I loved every moment of competing again.
I’ve gotten a little more serious with training and am looking forward to my third season of racing this upcoming spring and summer.
My love of cycling also led me to the Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling (BCYC). The BCYC program works with youth ages 12 to 18 across Philadelphia in building healthy habits, leadership, and independence through the sport of cycling. We’ve partnered with several schools and community sites in Philadelphia to offer an afterschool program free of charge to the youth. We provide everything from bikes, helmets, apparel, snacks, and coaching to our youth who participate in our spring, summer, and fall programming.
As the program director, I’m in charge of logistics, collaborating with schools and community sites that host our programs, connecting with organizations and individuals who support our programming, managing events, and leading our team. We work with teams of approximately 10 to 15 youth at each of the partner sites. This spring we partnered with 10 locations. Working with kids has been energizing and rewarding.
We have leadership tiers that allow participants opportunities to grow on and off the bike, and scholarship and mentorship opportunities for graduating seniors and alumni of the program. This program exposes youth to the physical, mental, and social aspects of cycling.
Cycling has given me an outlet to grow physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially, and so it was natural to give back to my community.
I am also grateful for the opportunity to represent Thee Abundance Project, an initiative created by Ayesha McGowan (the first African-American woman pro road cyclist) to eliminate barriers for women of color to participate in bike racing. I also experienced my first regional race series at the Tour of America’s Dairyland in June 2022 through the support of grants, and have many “sisters” in racing because of it!
My journey has also inspired me to partner with Mike Brown and start our own team, SOAR Foundation Racing, which is entering its third season on the crit racing scene and has helped to make BIPOC riders feel supported on their journey.
Getting on a bike and finding racing has given me a joy of competing that I’ve longed for since my basketball days were over and has given me an outlet to grow my healthy habits and a wonderful community along the way. I’ve traveled more since I’ve started riding, for cycling-related events and races, than I ever could have imagined, and the people I’ve gotten to meet and know along the way have changed my life.
Cycling has provided me a way to connect with people from all walks of life, and I really couldn’t see life any other way.
These three tips have made my cycling journey a success:
1. Have fun
Why do it if you’re not having fun? Continue to find ways to enjoy the same thing and there will always be something to look forward to. Find a group you enjoy having fun with and the memories will create themselves.
2. Don’t be afraid to try new things
If we fear the unknown, we may never know the power we have to conquer that “thing.” Believe in yourself and be amazed at all the possibilities that unfold. Do things out of your comfort zone because the worst that can happen is you decide it’s not for you and then you know for sure.
3. Rest and recover
As a racer, it’s easy to get caught up in the thought process of having to do more—more time in the saddle, more intervals, more intensity, etc. I’ve had to shift my mindset to rest and recovery is just as important. Find a routine that works for you, and make sure it includes downtime so your body can adjust, adapt, and be prepared for the next set of challenges.
Lana’s Must-Have Gear
→ RAVEMEN Bike Front Tail Light Set: Safety first! I just got these lights and so far I love them. My Garmin computer stacks perfectly on top for a clean look up front.
→ Giro Eclipse Spherical Road Helmet: When I crashed in a race last season, I hit my head and my Giro helmet prevented me from having any head-related injuries. I am excited to rock this one this season!
→ SaltStick Electrolyte Fastchews: These have saved me on many rides. They offer fast relief and replenishment of nutrients lost on a long ride or hard training ride. I try to keep these in my back pocket when needed.
→ Garmin 530 Edge: This is the only bike computer that I’ve had, but so far it’s worked well for me. It’s been easy to upload routes and workouts, and syncs to my Garmin Forerunner 255 watch.
We want to hear how cycling changed you! Send your story and submit your photos to us via this web form. We’ll pick one each week to highlight on the site.
You Might Also Like
