Krystal and I met in the gritty big city of lights and dreams. Whenever we would run into each other we would talk hustle and health. In more recent years that conversation shifted to hustle, health and burnout.
New York has a special kind of gravity that is hard to leave. I think that gravity can sometimes keep people from taking detours or going on new life adventures, because we are afraid of missing something.
But there are adventures to be had in every corner of the world (in every corner of the universe for that matter). It is incredibly inspiring to watch people I know jump into completely new adventures and follow their callings. Krystal is one of those people who launched herself into a new orbit.
She shares a little bit of the wisdom she's gleaned in the process. Enjoy.
What is your personal health and wellness philosophy?
Do the best you can everyday. Drink 3 liters of water, get the proper amount of sleep you need to feel ready to take on another day. Eat for fun and for your health, everything in moderation. If something feels “off”, take a minute to examine the feeling/thought and then act accordingly. Most importantly, have a good support system. Build it with care and caution. Life is too short and precious not to.
Has this (wild) past year changed any of your beliefs or habits around your own fitness or health?
I would say it’s defined and clarified a lot for me. Having the forced time off reminded me how much I value personal time, flexibility in my day and how I have a lot more introverted qualities than I thought. I enjoyed having a period of my day where I can step away from work, versus being forced at an 8 to 9 hour shift with no time to collect myself. I also used the time to focus a lot of work on my mental health with the help of a therapist and trusted friends. Exercise helps me clear my mind but also reduces my anxiety tremendously.
You (pretty recently) just up and moved from NYC to Denver! What inspired this move? What have been some of the challenges and revelations along the way?
I was burnt out and ready for change. I had lived in NYC for twelve years, I was ready to experience the world differently, go on discovery. I had eyes on California but landed in Colorado because I wanted to take my training more seriously (altitude) and it was a little more practical living.
The challenges I face in Denver are the lack of culture and diversity. Coming from New York City, I admit, it’s hard to compare the two. Nothing will ever be like New York City. But what Denver is lacking in culture, it overwhelms in mountains and outdoors activities. I am coming up on two years here and I have to say I am awed regularly at the beauty this place has. It’s been a joy spending so much time hiking, on my bike and snowboarding. I always thought I was a “City Girl '' and I do love a night on the town, but I’m realizing more and more my soul finds peace in the great outdoors.
I’d love to hear more about your love of cycling. Who introduced you to cycling? How did you fall in love with the sport?
The inception of cycling for me was something that fell into my lap more than something I pursued. I was working in the health and wellness space in NYC as a model and fitness professional when I had one of the bigger cycling studios reach out to me about teaching. I went through their program and after three months of training, I was encouraged to “find myself” somewhere else. I’m glad they did!
The feedback was hard to take at first, felt like failure, but I continued to seek other ways I could use the skill I learned. After a good shaking off the disappointment, I found a teaching opportunity in the corporate space and it turned out to be a really fulfilling experience. I taught for a hedge fund, to a group of C-suite folks and at the Google NYC campus. It was so much fun to share a good sweat a couple times a week with these folks and connect in a way that was a bit more real for me. Thankfully social media has allowed me to stay in touch with a lot of these folks. That was all I knew about “cycling” at the time.
My best friend Abbie had just come off of doing a charity ride with Team In Training and encouraged me to try “spinning” outside. She felt I would really like the community surrounding cycling. My knee jerk reaction was “ I can’t afford a bike. I don’t know how to ride one. Nahhh this is not a good idea.” And after some thought, I realized I had nothing to lose so I decided to sign up for America’s Most Beautiful Ride with Team In Training and figure the rest out. I am glad I decided to take the chance on me because it was a life changing experience. I went from not knowing how to ride a bike to riding 100 miles in three months. It was a very special growing moment for me and I’m so incredibly grateful to Abbie for dropping the seed. Now, I can’t imagine life without bikes and the cycling community.
You are the co-leader of Black Girls Do Bike Denver. What is your mission? How do people get involved?
Black Girls Do Bike is a national organization with over 90 chapters world wide. Black Girls Do Bike Denver has taken on the task of growing and supporting a community of participants who cycle for fun, fitness, freedom, and sport. We are engaging people who share the passion across different disciplines in cycling, as well as the “bike curious” to show up in this safe space where no person is left behind. You can find our local chapter on FaceBook and Instagram
My personal mission for Black Girls Do Bike Denver is not only can we and do we ride bikes, but we can and do like to get out there for sport and look REAL good doing it. That doesn’t mean we need to be on a professional team to enjoy the training and racing, something I take from my running career in NYC. I loved being on an organized team like Girls RUN NYC , where so many fitness levels showed up but everyone ran their own race. It was very similar to the experience I had with the Team in Training group and the Rapha NYC clubhouse. We supported each other. We were there to help each other get to and through the finish line regardless of pace and experience. Cheer each other on. And I want to do that for more women, more specifically black women in cycling across all disciplines.
Tell me about your future self … what do you see in your future? What vision are you bringing to life?
If there is anything I’ve learned from 2020, ii is to be present, slow down. Take life a day at a time, tomorrow is NOT promised so live today. Laugh even if it’s alone. Do the things you think you can’t, ask the questions, try to build the relationships. Try and try a lot, with best intentions knowing some will land not all will stick. Practicing more courage, vulnerability and keeping expectations realistic.
What I bring into 2021 is a strong “No” and hope, a lot of hope and living with the idea that “ Not all who wander are lost” We are all just out discovering.
Follow IG: @krystalsalvent