Lael Wilcox - Ultra-endurance bike rider and racer who won the Trans Am Bike Race in 2016, and set Tour Divide's women's course record on an individual time trial in 2015.

<div>Lael Wilcox is an ultra-endurance bike packer from Alaska. In racing, she’s excited to compete against the whole field and sometimes wins overall. She’s extremely motivated to encourage more women & girls to try bike packing. </div> <div> </div> <div>She organizes a girls cycling mentorship program, women’s adventure scholarships & bikepacking challenges.</div> <div> </div> <div>Lael started bicycling in 2008 at age 20, when she and her partner decided to tour the world. Working stints to collect money, the two set out on a bicycle tour of over thirty countries. They started in North America, then traveled in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, logging over 100,000 miles.</div> <div> </div> <div>Lael entered the <a href= "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holyland_Challenge&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title%3DHolyland_Challenge%26action%3Dedit%26redlink%3D1&source=gmail&ust=1653655350660000&usg=AOvVaw25ZOiTMgPWTpV_-HeXHJix">Holyland Challenge</a>, a 1000-mile unsupported race across Israel. She was both the youngest rider and the only woman. She led the race by 25 miles the first day, and although she did not win the race, she became hooked on endurance racing. </div> <div> </div> <div>In 2016, Lael participated in the 4,400 mile Trans Am Bike Race that crosses the United States from west to east. Lael averaged 235 miles per day for 18 days, averaging less than 5 hours of sleep per night and ending up winning the race outright.</div> <div> </div> <div>In 2018, Lael became only the second female to complete Switzerland's Navad 1000 bikepacking race, finishing in second place. The race features 627 miles distance and 99,770 feet of climbing.Lael's race was commemorated in the film <em>I'm Not Stopping</em> produced by Rugile Kaladyte (who is now her wife!)</div> <div> </div> <div>New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Hit the sub