Cycling, sports and blood work.

[Siobhan Amanda]

Hi guys I'm looking at cycle  racing again after a years break from depression and finally starting transition . From what I've understood the Olympic body have said I can race in my preferred gender of female provided my T is under a certain amount for more than twelve months. I'm measuring 0.7 at my last test and quite obviously am not interested in having it higher for the sake of a race. Has anyone either been asked for a years history here? And does anyone know the frequency I'd need to be tested in order to back up my twelve months?
It's all so confusing 😳
Siobhan.

[Megan.]

I've been given similar guidelines from the Triathlon federation. If you get an answer I'd be keen to know.

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[Siobhan Amanda]

Shall do Megan, I know with my license I'm allowed to change gender( at least in Aus) though have to keep that gender ( or at least will be unable to race in another) for four years.

[Megan.]

I've competed in three triathlons as a female competitor this year,  but my position has not been allowed to stand.
In my case this would have made no difference anyway haha!

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[Charlotte F]

I would have expected you would just need a letter from your doctor but not sure

I'm also curious how you get on as this is something I'll need to look.  I have a feeling that two years on HRT is the requirement here in the UK - I don't know if it's the UCI or British Cycling that make the rules for licenses here

What sort or racing do you do?

[Siobhan Amanda]

Hi Charlotte, road racing, mostly masters stuff but some open stuff too. I'll have to see if I can find that out , I hope it's not two years but it will be what it is. What kind of racing do you do?. I'm sure the Tri rules would be the same Megan, I can't imagine them being different.

[Charlotte F]

I've had a broken leg since January so was in rehab for most of the season and only managed one race this year back in September.  Normally I'm a cat 4 racer and avid club & sportive rider.  I tend to like longer rides 150-250KM but enjoy anything that gets me outdoors where I can forget about work and life in general! 

I'm just trying to decide what events to do next year but it's tricky at the moment.  Ideally I'd like to do do two or three of the Spring Classics.  My leg should be recovered by January but having been on HRT since July, things are starting to change physically.  I'm still presenting male so by the spring I suspect there are going to be at least two features that will be difficult to hide in lycra and are probably going to take some explaining...

[Siobhan Amanda]

Ouch! That's no good!, I'm in Aus ( though originally from Northamptonshire) we have a different grading system here so I have been A masters and B open or masters 4 ( very confusing 😂). I'm too presenting male though my training partner and new coach is aware of my impending muscle loss and future wishes. It is a great way to escape life whilst living it too!, I too prefer the longer ones, I don't like crits but love the hills(sort of). Sportive are really fun and I do a fair few😀. A couple of years ago I rode from Geneva to nice and back again on a old 1970s steelie and that was epic 😀

[Siobhan Amanda]

I'm a month behind you Charlotte, with hrt, and anticipating similar issues with the Lycra. I'm not really afraid but I'm trying to figure out what to say to questions, I think most of my friends will be cool and that's the important thing I guess

[tarabel]

Hi fellow cycling girls!  Good to find other hardcore riders and great that we are all going back to it.  I am also keen to get back to a bit of road racing and possibly some European sportives such as the Marmotte.  i have SRS in February so I think that getting fit for next summer will not be possible as I will need time to heal but I will try to get a decent base from next autumn for the following summer.

It would be amazing if we could do a trans group sportive at some point in the future - the tour of Flanders sportive is a lot of fun, for example, and easy to commute to from the UK.

Happy cycling ladies!!!

[Siobhan Amanda]

Hi Tarabel, it is good isn't it! , I'd be keen to commute from Aus if I can afford it!

[Megan.]

Lycra is certainly not helpful when trying to pass early in transition. All I'll say is that I've only had positive acceptance at events,  and I don't look even vaguely feminine in my Tri-suit or wetsuit.
People are there to compete,  and are very friendly towards those there to do the same. X

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[Siobhan Amanda]

ive some info for those racing . https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Commissions_PDFfiles/Medical_commission/2015-11_ioc_consensus_meeting_on_sex_reassignment_and_hyperandrogenism-en.pdf
That's the Olympic ruling that is followed in Aus and cycling Australia, for club races only requires a gender change ( self volunteered) and the usual you can be tested for drugs etc though I'm going to wait the year anyhow. Megan, you may want to check for triathlon but it would be the same for sure.
Siobhan 😀

[Charlotte F]

A couple of years ago I rode from Geneva to nice and back again on a old 1970s steelie and that was epic 😀

That sounds awesome Siobhan, I rode from Harlow in Essex out to Switzerland a couple of years ago on my steel Condor.  That was such an amazing way to see Europe.  It took us 9 days but the scenery was breathtaking especially once we hit the mountains

I'm a month behind you Charlotte, with hrt, and anticipating similar issues with the Lycra. I'm not really afraid but I'm trying to figure out what to say to questions, I think most of my friends will be cool and that's the important thing I guess

I'm not out to anyone yet so am not sure how people will take it.  I am not particularly fussed with the cycling group, I guess some will be fine and others might have an issue but we are a big group so hopefully it shouldn't be a problem.  As Megan says, everyone's there to do their sport so are probably not too fussed about anything more than that

I'm more concerned with overseas trips where you might normally share a room with a cycling buddy.  That's where I think it might potentially be quite awkward especially as by then, physically I'll be obviously between two genders and am not sure how male or female friends will be or even how I will feel about my body when sharing a room with others

It would be amazing if we could do a trans group sportive at some point in the future - the tour of Flanders sportive is a lot of fun, for example, and easy to commute to from the UK.

I would definitely be up for that Tarabel.  I was supposed to ride Liege Bastoigne Liege this year but had to knock it on the head with the injury.  All those Belgian & Dutch rides look great fun if a little cold!  I'll be keen to know how your recovery goes next year, cycling has always been by first love so it's something I will miss when I'm at the same stage as you.  Hopefully you'll only be off the bike for a couple of months or so

[Siobhan Amanda]

I've only come out to a few, I was worried about the larger group not understanding but had a good talk with ( and came out to ) a great cycling mate who happens to be a physiologist he told me, they may notice stuff( hopefully 😀) they may say stuff but it doesn't matter. The point being I may say hello to those guys, share a massive table at the cafe but that's it, they don't have to understand they're not real friends. His thoughts were that my real friends would be just fine and of the few I've now told this seems to be the case , In fact it's been amazing so far, my dad was good too ( that was a scary one) obviously be careful who you tell if not out but you maybe surprised. I don't think my friends would worry too much about sharing a room, bed maybe 😂.

[Siobhan Amanda]

Arrrh! Got me thinking about the alps again 🙈

[tarabel]

Hey all, so happy to discover this thread!

i always wanted to do Liege but never got around to it - it is a lot of KMs to do so early in the season so chapeau to anybody who does that.  I was in that area last week on the way to Luxembourg, looks like a great place to ride.

I did the RVV (which was a lot of fun) and Paris-Roubaix sportives (never again for Roubaix... although getting to finish in the velodrome was very cool... but I don't think i would want to test my to be constructed neo vagina on the pave in the future).  What is a really cool event is Milan-San Remo, which they run in June.  It is the full course with rolling road closures.  Really amazing if the weather is good, especially the descent down to Genoa and riding from there along the coast.  I might do that again one day.

i am actually really excited at the thought of getting back out on the bike again - cycling is my first sporting love too.  I have had to take a bit of a hiatus with my transition because of my body shape and being in the inbetween stage so i have been working a lot on the turbo and cycling at odd hours.

[tarabel]

PS I live very close to the Alps (less than 50kms), so everybody should bookmark this thread.

[paula lesley]

Greetings from the peak district, ladies.

I don't know how you ride those hard thin wheeled things !

Paula, X. ( dirty, down hill girl )

[Charlotte F]

In fact it's been amazing so far, my dad was good too ( that was a scary one) obviously be careful who you tell if not out but you maybe surprised. I don't think my friends would worry too much about sharing a room, bed maybe 😂.

I'm praying your right - especially with my dad.  Next week I'm planning to talk to my parents and I must say it's one of (if not the) scariest things I've ever had to do.  On the plus side, after them I'm hoping it will only get easier as I start coming out to everyone else