I had this hair-brained idea to start a racing team. OK, OK, so it’s a team of two. But we have a website, an Instagram, and custom kits. That makes us a team, right?
Well, Wikipedia officially defines a team as:
“a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal.”
We may not be the team you’re thinking of—with a roster, sponsors, a team bus, maybe a director, a 10-page palmarès, and a tent in the parking lot. We probably won’t ever get there, either.
But I want Beric to know he has a team behind him. I want him to know that I am, and always will be, part of the group of people working alongside him toward a goal. That makes us a team. THAT is the heart of our team.
So why bother creating DFA2 Racing instead of simply continuing to race together?
Well, first of all, I love designing things and sharing stories. So I guess there’s a little narcissism in it—I want the world to see the photos and follow along with our adventures. And, sure, a little recognition and support from sponsors wouldn’t be a bad thing. 😀
But I also want to celebrate what cycling has created between us. I want to encourage women—especially moms—to carve out their own space on the tarmac instead of always standing on the side of the road. And I want to inspire and connect with families as they find their own version of a shared experience.
So here I am, creating a team. Spending hours and hours figuring out how to design the perfect first Instagram post, dropping a vacation’s worth of cash on beautiful Cuore custom kits, and adding DFA2 Racing to our race registrations in hopes of someday hearing it called out during podium announcements.
Is that a slightly crazy amount of effort for a team of two? Probably.
But maybe a team isn’t defined by the number of people on the roster. Maybe it’s defined by the people who show up for each other, believe in what they’re doing, and keep chasing something together.
For now, there are two of us.
And that feels like a pretty great place to start.