Going Down! Conquering the Other Side of the Hill.

Last week Victoria introduced us to the age-old cyclist question:

Are you team uphill… or team downhill?

As much as Victoria has tried to convince and inspire me to the contrary, I just really don’t love climbing. It’s hard. And I honestly don’t find joy hauling myself up a long hill, counting pedal strokes, wondering if the next turn will reveal the top of the tree line. But what keeps me going is that universal truth: what goes up must come down.

And let me tell you—I LOVE LOVE LOVE going down!

Descending on a bike is the closest I get to that inner 8-year-old—1970s tomboy—hair flying, skinned knees be damned, just going for it. That freedom, semi-reckless abandon, and joy is what keeps me on my bike, and even enduring the struggle of climb. Its worth it.

But that downhill joyfest reunion—that feeling of lightness and freedom while descending on a bike—took a little while to rediscover. When I got back into cycling more seriously in my late 40s and early 50s—on a new, lighter bike, navigating a menopausal body, and adjusting to a real shift in my balance and center of gravity—descending honestly scared me. I felt tense, a little out of control, and very aware that I was moving faster than I was fully comfortable with.

Learning to love the downhill again wasn’t automatic. It came from practicing, experimenting, and figuring out what actually helped me feel more stable and in control. Over time, I developed a bit of a mental checklist—a mantra I come back to even now when I’m on a new descent or something a little gnarly:

“Booty back, drop and feather, look ahead, check your feet, breathe…”

If you’re in that “this feels a little scary” place, here’s what that actually means:

1) Booty BackNot dramatically, not hanging off the bike—but a slight shift back to keep your weight centered and stable. This helps you feel less like you’re being pulled forward over your handlebars or face-first, and more like you are on top and in control of the bike.

2) Drop and FeatherIf you ride a road bike and feel comfortable there, riding in the drops can give you more stability and better access to your brakes—especially on newer bikes where your fingers naturally sit at the bottom of the levers.

Whether you are in your drops or not, lightly feathering your brakes is key. Rather than applying constant pressure that will burn your brakes out or doing the old death clutch, work to lightly ease your brakes on and off to manage your speed. It’s amazing how much calming your hands and braking can help your entire body relax and ease into the descent.

3) Look AheadOne of the things I love about riding downhill is that it becomes a fun, mental, strategic endeavor. Winding descents, in particular, require you to look ahead, anticipate, and plan your next move.

This is what allows you to do critical things like slow and brake before a tight curve, or recognize a straightaway where you can ease off the brakes and let yourself flow forward a bit. So keep your eyes up and mind active to calculate your next move.

4) Check your FeetBefore you hit that turn, make sure your pedals are set: outside foot down, inside foot up. So if you’re turning right, right foot up, left foot down.

This keeps your bike stable and prevents pedal strikes—but it also becomes a bit of a fun mental game, especially on more technical descents where the turns come quickly. You’re constantly reading the road and switching your feet to match the flow.

5) BreatheIt’s amazing what just breathing can do to a tense body. If you feel that anxiety spiking, just take a second and remind yourself, “You’ve got this—breathe.”

The mantra also helps—say this with me a few times, and notice what your body does:

“Booty back… drop and feather… look ahead… check your feet… breathe…”“Booty back… drop and feather… look ahead… check your feet… breathe…”“Booty back… drop and feather… look ahead… check your feet… breathe…”

So get out there and get down, ladies! We’ll be here to cheer you on every step of the way.