Women’s Group Spotlight: Catrina’s Ladies Rides

When Catrina Weiss first started training on Zwift, she learned a lot on her own through trial and error. Today, she leads groups just for women, where they can learn together and support each other along the way.

Catrina lives in Radford, Virginia, and she enjoys road and gravel riding. She has ridden a bike off and on for many years – sometimes as training for speed skating! When she decided to focus more seriously on cycling in 2014, her husband got her a coach and a training program for Christmas. It wasn’t long before she was training through Zwift.

Two years later, she was helping to lead a women’s group ride.

“We used to be excited to see 10-15 ladies, and now we usually have over 100 ladies!” Catrina says. “It is absolutely wonderful how the ladies’ Zwift community has grown!”

Catrina also leads an endurance-focused ride for women during wintertime. We asked her about her group rides and why she leads them, and here are her answers.

(For more information, you can find Catrina Weiss on Facebook or visit the Ladies Zwift Events group on Facebook. Read on for ride details!)

Catrina in her pain cave

Z: When and how did your group rides start?

Catrina Weiss: Catrina’s Ladies Social ride started as the CIS Ladies Recovery group ride as I was a part of the CIS training program in 2016. Myself as the leader along with Karen Russell, Louise Joubert, and Pam Abbot were the core of this amazing ladies ride. The support of each other got us through each of these rides with challenges and changes that came. We wanted to support the ladies’ community as I had just started training in 2014 on Zwift learning from trial and error. In 2019 I left CIS to pursue other goals, so now the ride is Catrina’s Ladies Social ride.

Z: What would you say the group’s core purpose and goals are? Why do you believe your group is important to the Zwift community? 

C: Our ladies group rides are specifically for the ladies to have a safe place to ride together at a controlled pace. Learn about Zwift tips and tricks. Learn about cycling training, strength training!

So many ladies have joined us, and sometimes they don’t finish the first or second time, but they are so encouraged to come back and when they do they keep getting stronger and stronger! It makes Pam and I so happy to see because we’ve both been there in the same place.

Z: Who are the group’s leaders on Zwift? 

C: I am the group leader in both of my rides as of right now! If I cannot do it my sweeper beacon can.

Pam Abbot is a very quiet, strong, beautiful, smart businesswoman and the fun fact I love is when we ride together IRL (in real life) she is a wonderful wheel to be on especially on a long flat road! Love to ride with her no matter where it is. She’s a wonderful person.

Michelle Wood is a strong, beautiful, smart doctor and incredible cyclist who has been an IRL racer in the past before becoming a doctor! The fun fact is she takes time to ride with me IRL as we live 45 minutes apart and she likes to make me chase her at times. We love riding gravel rides together.

They are my amazing sweepers and we support one another and the ladies community 100%! All my rides we focus on staying together as much as possible.

Z: Sport can be a powerful platform for equality. How do you think participating in cycling can empower and benefit women and girls? 

C: Cycling is a wonderful way to stay fit and healthy. Cardiovascular health is so very important for women.

Z: What are the benefits of being involved in a community of women who ride?

I believe women have to support one another, lift each other up, be happy for that person who completed a goal.  Come together to complete a goal.

That’s why I have my rides – to support women, to give them a ride to enjoy the pace and chat.

Z: Are there any special memories or experiences with this group that you’d like to share?

C: Like I said, I remember when we used to be excited to have 10-15 ladies show up for a ride now it’s over 100 most of the time depending on the time of year! I am just so thankful that Zwift has been so helpful to me in my rides! Amazing customer support from Zwift!

Catrina’s Rides 

Catrina’s Endurance 100k (women only)

• Schedule: Saturdays at 9:05 EST
• Length: 100 kilometers
• Pace: 2-2.5 w/kg
• Description: This is for ladies during the winter training season and for ladies trying to get that badge.

Catrina’s Ladies Social Ride (women only)

• Schedule: Sundays at 8:30 EST
• Length: 1 hour
• Pace: 1.5-2.5 w/kg
• Description: This is for ladies mainly just starting on Zwift or ladies just wanting a recovery ride or warmup! It’s a wonderful social group.