TRIPLE Exclusive - An Interview with Amber Rais, Part II

In Part II of my interview with Amber Rais, we talk about her new environmental venture, Elemental Action, find out what ‘WWJD” means to her, hear about her worst moment on a bicycle, and what her goals are as a cyclist.

You’ll also be privy to some of my foibles as a fledgling journalist, as I find out how difficult it is to transcribe answers while using a cell phone.

Granny’s 30 (G): For those not familiar with Elemental Action, could you provide a brief synopsis, and although they might be evident from the website your motivations for starting it up?

Amber Rais (AR): Elemental Action is an environmental consulting and marketing service I created with the goal of helping athletic teams implement and promote environmentally sustainable practices in their operations.

Because I know what it takes to run a professional team, I can streamline team operations in a more environmentally friendly manner without compromising the essential aspects of team management and performance. My background and connections in environmental science allow me to do so very efficiently and effectively, saving time and money, too.

My motivation to start the company arose from my frustration that some essential aspects of my job don't align with my principles of stewardship, and I believe that others feel the same way. People want to make a difference, and the key is to provide them with the tools to do something about it.

In my last year of graduate school I worked on an environmental education project and learned that the most effective way to engage people in stewardship is to forge connections between people and the environment, fostering a sense of connection and responsibility. Most people who enjoy sports – runners, cyclists, surfers, hikers, kayakers, you name it – have already developed this connection with their local environments, and are thankfully already involved in environmental stewardship. The next logical step – and my goal with Elemental Action – is to provide tools and resources for those who don't already have them, in order to facilitate positive change.

There are a lot of people in the cycling industry working for positive change, but there remains enormous room for improvement. My goal with Elemental Action is to help eliminate the gap between what we are doing and what we can be doing for the environment as athletes, industry members and enthusiasts.

G: In regard to stewardship, what type(s) of tools could you provide to help cyclist or cycling teams?

AR: There are many things teams can do to make a difference, but it can be daunting to know where to start, what the most effective plan of action would be, or how to integrate new practices with existing objectives. With time and effort, these problems are easily solved, but teams generally lack the bandwidth and resources to get started. Team management is a huge responsibility (I know from experience!), and staff usually have their plates full sponsorship, recruitment, travel, equipment and other planning. With my experiences in team management and as an athlete, I know how to integrate new practices without compromising existing objectives. Further, with my background in environmental science and policy, I have the resources and connections to get things done more quickly and effectively than would someone just getting started.

In terms of providing tools, I have a long list of practices that would be feasible for almost any team and that would yield substantial positive impact. Sometimes just letting people know what they can do is all it takes to get things going in a positive direction. Some examples are emissions-reducing strategies for travel, carbon offset programs (which ones are effective and which are a waste of money), recycling ideas, strategic partnerships, and so on. I'm hoping to get that kind of momentum going by offering these tools and resources through Elemental Action.

G: I always appreciated your little Green Tips at the end of your [Cyclingnews] diary entries. For our readers here and abroad, what is one simplistic tip or message that you could send them away with after reading this interview?

AR: Reduce, reuse, recycle. It really is that simple. Anything you can do to habitually reduce your consumption of energy or resources will make an enormous difference.

G: What aspects drew you into the sport of cycling?

AR: When I was swimming, I loved the rhythm and focus of the training sessions, so in a way, that carried over into cycling: you can get into a great meditative rhythm on the bicycle. With cycling though, I could make my own schedule, which was extremely helpful in graduate school, and I love that you can explore so much landscape on a bike. You move quickly enough to cover a lot of ground in a few hours, but slowly enough that you can soak in the sights and sounds and smells of your surroundings. It's a beautiful way to experience the world.

G: What do you love about cycling…dislike [hate]?

AR: I love cycling for the cycling. I love everything about it.

G: Shimano or Campy?

AR: SRAM!

G: So how long have you been using SRAM?

AR: I haven't as of yet, but that’s what we’re using on TIBCO.

[We proceeded to talk about which specific SRAM gruppo TIBCO will be using, and about how the unique shiting characteristics of SRAM might benefit her in the sprints].

G: What is your favorite moment(s) on a bicycle…worst moment(s)? Did it involve a crash?

AR: One of my treasured memories was from one of my first collegiate crits. I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that our sprinter Mary shouldn't be riding in the wind and could see her near the front being forced out of the draft by our competition. I got mad, motored to the front, told her to get on my wheel and rode as hard as I could on the front for twenty laps. We dropped all but two other riders, and she won the sprint, which I didn't contest, figuring my work was done. Our coach Art Walker, told me afterward that in cycling I should 'ratchet the machinery of the universe in my direction,' and later that evening, my teammate Katie Behroozi asked me why I hadn't sprinted at the finish. 'I'm not a sprinter,' I said, referring to my swimming history as a mid- to long-distance racer. 'How do you know you're not a sprinter if you don't try to sprint?' she asked me. Good point. The next day I made a four person break in the road race and sprinted. I came in second to a 'pure sprinter' from the opposing team. It was my best finish at the time, and soon I was known as one of the 'sprinters' on our team.

My worst moment wasn't my crash; it was mental implosion. Physical pain is manageable, but the anguish that comes from cracking mentally goes much deeper. It's one thing to give everything you have and not get the result for which you had hoped; it's quite another to have to ask yourself 'What if?' I've cracked mentally once in my career, and I don't ever want to experience that anguish again. It's a brutal lesson, but it makes you tougher.

G: You were certainly on a powerhouse of a team in Webcor last year, what were your reasons for the move to TIBCO?

AR: The time had come to try something new, and I just felt that this was the right path for me. I am especially excited about being part of the steep trajectory of growth in the Team TIBCO program and helping develop the program even further. Webcor has built an excellent program, and it was an honor to race with such a great group of people. They were very understanding about my decision.

G: You've stated that you want to be a cycling force both here and abroad. From your experiences in Europe, how would you compare the races and the competition?

AR: I've only raced two races in Europe thus far (The Route de France Feminine and Albstadt Frauenetapperennen), so my impressions are limited. From what I've experienced, however, the racing in Europe is more aggressive. I think this is because the fields are larger and generally have more representation. Sometimes in the U.S., if only one or two big teams are represented in a race, other smaller teams will race defensively, looking to the bigger teams to make all of the moves, which is not as fun as when you've got seven big teams all trying to annihilate one another in 100k. Other fun aspects of European racing are the road furniture and cobbles – they really keep you on your toes!

G: The Bay area was recently featured in a Bicycling magazine article regarding the risk that cyclist take and the repercussions [or lack thereof] that motorists face when accidents occur. What was your personal experience of riding in that area?

AR: There is a group in Woodside that wants to limit the number of cyclists who frequent their roads, in an effort to maintain the rural nature of the area. It's a beautiful town, but that means that a lot of people want to enjoy it. The community of Woodside includes a lot of ardent cyclists as well, who I'm sure enjoy the riding as well as the rural feel. The problem is that these types of issues become polarized - motorists versus cyclists, or Smalltown, USA versus Group Rides - when the issue is more complex and involves more than two perspectives.

Corrine Crawford's death was a shock to all of us, as was the death of John Peckham not long before that. A friend of mine, MaryAnn Levenson was struck by a drunk driver and thankfully survived, though she is still working through some heavy-duty physical therapy. She is amazing. I really admire her determination to get back to racing.

I can't count how many times a car has put my own life at risk to save ten or twenty seconds on a drive. Then again, when a group ride blows through a stop sign, it doesn't exactly make motorists and residents very happy. The bottom line is that people's lives are at stake, and both cyclists and motorists need to be respectful of one another in sharing the road. The responsibility goes both ways. Organizations like David Zabriskie's Yield To Life Foundation are great initiatives on opening dialogue between cyclists and motorists to increase awareness and understanding in this realm.

G: Do you know your racing schedule for next year? What races will you be targeting?

[Amber stated that she did not have her schedule as of yet, but the team will certainly be contesting all the major NRC races next year. She stated that she would probably target the stage races, as they really favor her skills, but she really does love it all, even competing in the hard and fast crits]

G: Will you try to do some races in Europe next year?

AR: This year, the National Team Residence Program will allow a few riders to live most of the year in Europe to race there on a semi-permanent basis with the National Team. The resident racers will comprise the core of the National Team for European projects, but there are opportunities for racers like myself to race some events where they might otherwise be shorthanded. I'm hoping to join them for as many projects as possible, to gain experience racing in international fields. My primary goal this season is to qualify for the World Championship team, and racing in Europe will be great preparation for that event.

G: What are your goals with the National team? Is Beijing a possibility?

AR: I've historically been very shy about verbalizing my dream to go to the Olympics, but to be honest, it has been my dream since I was ten years old, when I started competitive swimming. So, yes, my aim is to compete in the Olympics. Beijing is probably a bit soon for that, to be realistic. I'm taking things one step at a time, focusing on improving each year. This year's goal is to qualify for the World Championships.

G: What are your favorite races? Do you prefer the one-day Classics or stage races? Who is your favorite rider?

[Amber’s answer vacillated between one-day classics and stage races, even offering up the sentiment that all stage races are essentially multiple one-day races]

G: [Jokingly] Are you familiar with the term, waffling???

AR: Ha! Yes I waffled for sure on that one! I love it all - everything about cycling, so it is really hard to put one type of race ahead of another. If forced to choose, I'd say stage races.

[Amber went on to mention that her favorite races are the women’s]

After the US National Championship Road Race, Andy Stone (of Shimano) told my teammate Mara that the women's road race was one of the most exciting, tactical races he'd ever seen. It was a huge compliment, and I think it is indicative of the quality of racing in the women's fields.

My favorite rider is Jens Voigt. I have never met him in person, but my impressions are that he lays it all on the line everyday and manages to keep a sense of humor throughout all of it. Both are qualities I admire immensely. At Cascade in 2006, I ended up off the front almost everyday. It became a joke in the peloton: So, Amber, when are you going off the front today? Our director started calling me 'Jens' over the radio, and when I got home from the race, I found a package from my teammates containing a t-shirt that says "WWJD? What Would Jens Do?" I love that shirt. I considered it a huge compliment from my teammates.

G: Being a big proponent of women's cycling myself, do you think we will ever see the day when the women's races will carry equal weight to the men's rather than just serving as an appetizer or under card to the main course or main bout?

AR: I have to believe that with time, people will see what exciting racing is going on (and has been!) in the women's fields. The women's peloton is full of fascinating multi-faceted racers. You would not believe the number of graduate degrees that are lined up at the start of most of our races. These women are brilliant, dedicated and very talented athletes. So, not only is the racing exciting, but the women who are out there pummeling one another on the road are also very, very interesting people. Women's cycling is an undiscovered goldmine. It's definitely gotten better for women in cycling over the last few decades, thanks to those women who blazed the trail before now. I'm hoping to contribute to this momentum as well, so women who compete in the sport after I've retired have more of the attention and support they deserve.

G: Thank you Amber for taking the time to speak me. We wish you well on all your ventures and on your upcoming season.

Photos: Chris Norris (top, & third)