Cath Stephensen
Name: Cath Stephensen
Occupation: Training Consultant (Industry)
When I was a kid: I was number five out of six kids. I was a good, little girl with two blonde plaits. I couldn't wait to grow tall enough to ride my sister's bike. Dad got it from a police auction of unclaimed lost property. My brothers tried to garrotte me by stringing a line of fishing wire at neck height across the path along the side of the house. I used to ride my scooter along there at full pelt trying to go as fast as I could. I'll never forget the look on my mother's face when she saw the red line across my neck!
I'd love to meet: Bill Clinton and ask him what on earth
he was thinking when he led Monica Lewinsky on like that.
When and why did you become interested in cycling? (See when I was a kid) There wasn't money for bicycles for all of us kids. I always liked the freedom of a set of wheels and had bikes all through my late teens and early twenties. I used to do things like ride to Phillip Island on my own, just to see what it would be like. One time I caught the train to Mt. Macedon, then cycled back into Melbourne. I slept overnight in a park outside a cemetery. Those early years of cycling ended when my beautiful yellow Gitane was stolen off the front veranda of the house I was living in. In later years I had horses, and then motorcycles. Nothing beats the feeling of being on a road somewhere with no thought other than making camp that night and enjoying the feeling of being mistress of your own destiny.
What do you think you get out of cycling? The chance to reconnect with the person inside who is competent, capable and has a tiny manic streak!
On average how many kilometres do you ride a week and with whom? Currently 150 - 200km, mainly commuting on my own.
Describe you most memorable ride? A ride to Phillip Island and return when I was about 22 years old. No formal training, gear strapped on with bungy straps, pouring rain, and masses of determination. I slept in the laundry at Newhaven Caravan Park, because my sleeping bag was saturated and I ran out of coins for the drying machine. The ride home in sunshine, two days later, was much better!
Give us a description of a ride you would rather forget? The first time I did an AUDAX ride (as a mature 45 year old woman). I did a 50km ride at Werribee. I'd been living in Queensland for 20 years, and I didn't know about the wind at Werribee. It was awful, I was on my own and I battled away as everyone else went past me. The tears were hovering in the corners of my eyes and I felt a complete idiot. What on earth had made me even think I could do a 50km ride? Once again that determination kicked in and kept me going long enough until we turned the corner homewards. Then, miracle of miracles, the wind was suddenly behind me and I even finished within the time limit.
What is your favourite post cycle beverage? Water, then a good cup of coffee.
What is your favourite cycle energy food? Jelly snakes. Living with the highs and lows of blood glucose control is a bit crazy and sometimes I `bonk' when my blood sugar drops too low in an insulin reaction. Jelly snakes are my lifesavers. Besides jelly snakes, doing distance cycling is awesome because I get to eat all the food that I can never eat in an ordinary day. Coffee scrolls, Big M's, doughnuts, fruitcake etc etc
How do you cope with cold winter mornings? Layers and some sort of goal. Someone waiting for me, or training for a big event.
Is there anything that can be done to improve the on road
relationship between cyclists and motorists? I've got a whole swag
of theories about motorists (and I'm a motorist too). I believe that when
we get inside our tin-can, we undergo a personality change. We become
insular and believe that we are immune to the laws of the rest of the
world. Unfortunately when you mix this insularity with getting out of bed
on the wrong side, or having a hormone rush, recovering from a big night
out, recovering from a fight with someone near and dear or any of the other
myriad things that can spoil my day we become evil red eyed demons.
I believe that this state of mind can affect cyclists too. This is why we
have road rules. Obviously sometimes the little red-eyed demon just chooses
to ignore them. With this in mind, the only real answer is separate
highways for cyclists. In the meantime I find trying to relax and give
drivers a smile rather than swearing at them, really helps. It's the
humanising principle. If motorists see you as a `bloody cyclist', it's easy
to believe you are less than human. If you make eye contact and smile, they
recognise you as human and the I'm OK, You're OK humanising principle kicks
in.
What advice can you give those who are thinking of taking up cycling? When you're ready to do distances of more than 10km, get a bike fit and take up Buddhism to help with the I'm OK, You're OK principle.
Experience has taught me that: Wind and hills are all in the mind.
Who inspires you the most? My brother who rode from the top of India all the way to the bottom, then island hopped back to Darwin and rode to Victoria from there (circa 1977). He hasn't owned a car for 20 years, has suffered severe ill health from a genetic disease later in life, and he just keeps turning those cranks over.
What is your life/cycle philosophy? I could have died 25 years ago, when I first developed insulin dependent diabetes. Instead, medical technology gave me another 25 years of life, and hopefully another 50 after this. Every day is a gift.
I often daydream abou t: Having the fitness level of a 20 year old and going off on a world tour with my bike.
When you are not cycling you are: Working, spending time with family and friends, gardening, writing, photographing, making stuff, mucking around on the computer etc etc.
When all else fails: Phone my two big sisters!