endurance Coaching

Serena, the founder of Special Blend Gravel, has a profound love for cycling and an unwavering dedication to uplifting women. Her accomplishments as a racer at the highest level of the sport and passion for sharing the joy of cycling are woven into this unique, women-focused brand.

Serena’s coaching philosophy is rooted in a "person first, athlete second" mindset. She understands all have busy lives and competing demands on our time, and it’s both an art and a science to fit it all in—balancing life stress, training stress, and recovery. She believes cycling should bring joy, and that joy is what fuels strength, speed, and motivation. Yes, training and racing are hard, but the process can also be deeply rewarding and fun

Annick has been a cyclist since 2014, earning her way into the UCI professional ranks on the road in 2020. Since moving to the Columbia River Gorge, Annick has shifted her focus to gravel in order to take advantage of all of the terrain types this area has to offer. In addition to training and racing, Annick is a head coach with both Brave Endeavors and Ladies AllRide and finds incredible joy supporting others as they build their bike handling skill set, grow their confidence on the bike (and in life), and develop new ways to have fun in the woods!

Working with athletes one-on-one to foster their endurance pursuits has added richness to Annick's life, as it builds on her "why" for coaching bike handling skills. She is passionate about supporting others and unlocking skills and capabilities within them!