Skip to content
Every purchase fuels our mission to empower older women through cycling. And that's 100% OWL Goodness!
OWL.BiKeOWL.BiKe
  • About
      • Our Mission
      • Our Story
      • Be Seen
      • Donate
      • Team OWL
      • OWL Birds of a Feather Club
      • OWL Club on Zwift Companion
      • Rides + Races
      YOUR DASHBOARDS
      • Account Dashboard

      Birds of a Feather
      Women's 50+ Cycling Club

      JOIN
  • Insights
  • Shop
      • Ride
      • Relax
      • Coffee
      • Gifts
      • Travel
      • Lake Shoes
  • SEK flag SEK
    AUD flag Australian Dollar ($) CAD flag Canadian Dollar ($) EUR flag Euro (€) NZD flag New Zealand Dollar ($) SEK flag Swedish Krona (kr) USD flag United States Dollar ($)
  • Login
Join!
OWL.BiKeOWL.BiKe
  • About
      • Our Mission
      • Our Story
      • Be Seen
      • Donate
      • Team OWL
      • OWL Birds of a Feather Club
      • OWL Club on Zwift Companion
      • Rides + Races
      YOUR DASHBOARDS
      • Account Dashboard

      Birds of a Feather
      Women's 50+ Cycling Club

      JOIN
  • Insights
  • Shop
      • Ride
      • Relax
      • Coffee
      • Gifts
      • Travel
      • Lake Shoes
  • SEK flag SEK
    AUD flag Australian Dollar ($) CAD flag Canadian Dollar ($) EUR flag Euro (€) NZD flag New Zealand Dollar ($) SEK flag Swedish Krona (kr) USD flag United States Dollar ($)
  • Login
Zwift for the Rest of Us

Why My Deep Love for Zwift Fuels Every Push for Evolution!

  • 2026.01.26
  • 2
Blog zwift passion change

When you truly value something—when you pour your heart, time, and energy into it—you naturally want to see it grow, improve, and reach its full potential. It’s the same kind of commitment you see in people who care deeply about their country and community, showing up again and again to make it a better place for everyone who lives there.

That’s exactly how I feel about Zwift.

My passion for Zwift runs deep—anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge fan! To me, it’s hands down the best esports cycling platform out there. No one else captures the magic quite like Zwift does: the immersive worlds, the thrill of racing, the sense of community, and the endless opportunities to train and connect with riders around the globe.

When I learned in 2024 that Zwift would no longer be hosting the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, I was honestly heartbroken. Why? Because I truly believe Zwift is the only platform that delivers both the technical precision and the integrity the sport deserves. Zwift understands what fair racing really means—strict protocols, verified performance, and the kind of monitoring that keeps every competitor on equal footing. That trust, built over years of consistent excellence, gave the championships not just credibility, but character.

Blog zwift passion change

Why the passion behind my posts? When you see me digging into topics like the need for refreshed ZRL categories, or when I break down how we can make Zwift Games women’s racing even more fair and inclusive, know this: it’s not frustration talking. Far from it. Every word comes from my deep commitment to Zwift’s incredible foundation and excitement for what it can achieve when we push it to be even better.

I think most of you understand where I’m coming from. The comments I received after last week’s post really confirmed how important it is to keep educating and empowering women on Zwift.

Here are a few that stood out:

Fantastic read, I used to think I was never good enough because I always got dropped!! I understand the reasons why now.


Thanks for posting! I thought I was so bad at Zwift for years being a 50kg rider and these posts help explain so much.

Bottom line—knowledge is power.

No one should ever feel discouraged about their efforts on Zwift. The more we understand, the more confident and empowered we become. Education truly is the key.

That’s why the comments after last week’s post meant so much. But what really inspired this article was one that missed the mark…

Have you given TrainingPeaks Virtual a try? Their metrics are speed-based and you may find that more appealing.

That completely misses my point—and honestly, it stings. I don’t pour my heart into writing these articles searching for an alternative platform or trying to jump ship. I write them because I care—deeply—about Zwift, about what it already means to so many of us, and about what it has the potential to become.

Zwift is where I’ve trained, raced, grown, and connected with an incredible community of women—and I have zero desire to walk away from that. When I speak up, it’s not to tear anything down; it’s to help build something better.

I want Zwift to keep evolving into a space where every rider—especially women—feels seen, supported, and genuinely excited to log in and ride.

So no, I’m not looking for an alternative. I’m here because I believe Zwift can set the gold standard in esports cycling, and I’m determined to do my part to help make it the best it can be for all of us.

Blog zwift passion change

My passion for Zwift isn’t passive—it’s an active force for change! Together, by raising our voices and pushing for thoughtful evolution, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive legacy for the best cycling platform on the planet.


Stay tuned as I dig into more data and insights to help every woman thrive.


Logo substack

Follow me on substack » 
Empowering Zwift Women

Tags:
NutritionWomen's CyclingZwift Racing
Share on:
iRoadie
elaine

Insatiably curious and relentlessly data‑driven, I love exploring physics, physiology, bike fit, and the ways sleep and nutrition shape performance for women 50+. I happily geek out on Zwift dynamics, race strategy, and spreadsheets full of numbers—then translate it all into practical, confidence‑building guidance for real riders. As co‑founder of OWL.BiKe and captain/DS for Team OWL, I coach women 50+ to race like the wise, powerful birds they are, helping them feel strong, seen, and unstoppable on every climb, sprint, and finish line—and most importantly—in life.

Team OWL's ZRL Lessons: Why w/kg Falls Short in Women's Racing
ZRL Lessons: Why the CAT Upgrade System Favors Heavier Riders

2 Comments

  1. Maria

    Maria

    2026.01.28 at 9:01 am

    Another well written article filled with your passion and love for Zwift Elaine which truly is infectious. You articulate what many of us women feel when riding and racing on zwift and we thank you enormously. You’re illustrations are quite remarkable too!!

    Reply
  2. Inger Yancey

    Inger Yancey

    2026.02.01 at 11:05 am

    Elaine, your artwork is amazing!!
    Your commitment to foster an accurate and fair e-cycling experience, based on legit metrics, for women over 50 is truly meaningful to all of us out here IRL. I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling grateful for your leadership. If there is anything we can do to add fuel to the fire you’ve created, please ask!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

dot-pattern-magenta
element-asterisk-yellow
OLDER WOMEN IN LYCRA

Pedal with Purpose:
Empowering Women 50+
One Ride at a Time

OWL.BiKe isn’t just a cycling community—it’s a flock of unstoppable women in Lycra rewriting the rules on what power looks like past 50. We’re Older Women in Lycra (OWLs), and we’ve decided blending in is overrated.
For us, showing up beats showing off every time. Some of us chase watts in Tuesday ZRL races, others roll into our Grey Zone Empowerment rides—think trivia, laughter, and light pedaling while learning what real empowerment feels like. Whether you’re spinning easy or pushing hard, every ride is a win because you showed up and had fun doing it.
OWL.BiKe is where friendship meets grit. We lift each other up with genuine gratitude and a good dose of humor, reminding one another that we still get to do this—and that’s worth celebrating. There’s no talk of slowing down here, only building strength, confidence, and joy.
In our flock, age isn’t a limit—it’s an edge. We ride together, laugh together, and rise together. Because when OWLs take flight, the world can’t help but notice.
element-spiral-red
Have questions?
  • Help Center
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions
© 2025 zocoloco studios

OWLBiKe

OWL.BiKeOWL.BiKe
Cancel Preloader