One of the mistakes I see, is women of spending too much time and money trying to make both their clothing and accessories stand out. Everything standing out at the same time just doesn’t work. You need to balance color, fit, the amount of skin you show and not worry about flexing big logos or couture brands all over the place. Yes, I know on the street of NYFW it works so save that look for that occasion. If you want to look put together: SIMPLIFY. Focus on a few simple pieces + add some flair with your accessories. Hint: All black plus a killer watch is the easiest math.
Step 1: Dress for your age. I don’t care how fit you are. If you are getting older (and I won’t put a number here), there is no reason to wear a crop top and a mini skirt together. I am told I am fitter then most women but, let’s be honest—our skin changes and nobody wants to see it all. Save that look for the younger generations. The only exception to this rule is on the beach. Bikinis are for anyone at any age and body shape if you have the attitude to rock it! If you want to look fashionable and put together off the beach, dress for your age. Leave the crop tops and cross fit shorts combo on the streets for the 20-year olds.
Step 2: Simplify everything. I could design a wardrobe for you in 15 minutes and it would include tons of simple, basic, pieces. Your clothes should be the canvas. You paint with your accessories. I am so far into the basics + accessories routine that I will go days wearing only black. Black isn’t boring if you get step 3 right, I promise.
Step 3: Add your accessories. This is where you should show your style and go nuts. For me, I love small handbags, moto jackets, boots, sneakers, baseball caps and watches. There is nothing classier or more put together than a super simple base, chunky boots, a bold watch, and a moto jacket.
Courtney is showing how it’s done wearing the BDlab Midi Skirt, BDlab Every Day Tank, Christian Louboutin heels, accessorized with a vintage Casio Surfing Timer watch, Miu Miu Matelassé Top Handle Bag and New Era New York Yankees Cap.
As far as your watch goes, here are my rules.
In this image, I paired my Bell and Ross BR-03 with a BDlab Flared Trouser and BDlab Long Sleeve Crew, Betty Designs Elite Run Cap + On Cloud 5 sneakers.The Bell and Ross completes the look, becomes a talking point, and adds interest. I went with all black and white but you certainly could have chosen a watch with an accent color.
Another look I love is my custom Betty Watch, a moto jacket, trucker and BDlab Flared Trouser. Denim would have been equally at home with this look. You can’t have my Betty watch but another option would be a bold red or green or blue face watch. Perhaps a Breitling Chronomat in green or baby blue?
Insider notes from the watch nerd:
“Put together.”
That is all I hear when we go out. “You look so put together.” The comment from rando’s in restaurants, on the ski lift, or at truck stops. It was all cringey to me that people routinely comment about how Kristin looks until I asked - “Why?”
As the resident watch nerd I don’t have all of the answers but I know this fashion is more or less a math equation than anything else. There are patterns and formulas that work with watches and fashion. The trick is to learn the formulas and rules before breaking them. What I know now is that most people break them before they learn them. The most basic formula is to use black as the canvas and then just add bits and ends to the periphery for style.
This also works for dudes. If you want to clean up a dude and/or make him happy, get him 6 black T-shirts (preferably Betty Designs), 3 black pants, 2 pairs of denim, 2 black flannels, a black pair of Vans, a black pair of boots, and 5 watches.
The watch is the style and variety. 5 is the magic number and it doesn’t matter what he picks for the watches. Even a duo tone Tag Heuer Link $100 from the 90’s will work if he is inclined toward gold and the ironically iconic. There are probably better choices but you get the point.
This black basics routine is also a life hack. Because everything mixes and matches there is no stress about what to wear each day. Less stress + watches = happiness. This is basically what Steve Jobs did and he was smarter than all of us put together. He even made this simple Seiko iconic.
Fashion = math. Once you see it you can’t unsee it.
You can find a link to many of the watches mentioned in this series at my personal link. If you want, you can use the code KRISTINMAYER to receive a sizable discount. Full disclosure, I will also get a small credit to my account. We reached out to Bezel because we used their service before this series and will continue to use them in the future. We asked them to collaborate and help make this happen for you guys. This is not a paid partnership.
]]>There is a group of 5 watches that kill me (in a good way) with their big + bold numbers. These are not your most common, well-known watches and they sell well below their value. Most dudes can’t handle the bold numbers. But as women, we CAN. Think of these wrist candy numbers as graphic accessories to your fit. I wish I had a name for big graphics, big numbered, watches but I don’t. Here are a few that I currently love.
From left to right: 1) Bell and Ross BR-03 92 2) IWC Ingenieur AMG IW3227-02 3) Rolex Air King 126900 4) Chopard Mile Miglia 5) Tudor North Flag another you should check out that is not shown below is the Hermes H08.
Logan is wearing the Bell and Ross BR-03, BDlab Every Day Tank in Caramel + BDlab Adventure Short in Faded Army (both new colors coming in April).
Insider notes from the watch nerd: Kristin is right. Most dudes follow each other like sheep and are unwilling to take a risk with their watch choices. Many dudes like little dashes and dots rather than big numbers on their watches. For this reason, if you do find yourself researching watches online, be sure to ignore most of what you read. Dudes will tell you that watches with bold fonts are a crime against humanity. They are wrong. Find your own style. If you like it, go for it. Don’t let the dudes in the forums tell you what to like. I promise, most of the time they are just signaling to each other in a quirky watch bromance. Like Kristin says, you can do stuff that dudes (including me) can't.
You can find a link to many of the watches mentioned in this series at my personal link. If you want, you can use the code KRISTINMAYER to receive a sizable discount. Full disclosure, I will also get a small credit to my account. We reached out to Bezel because we used their service before this series and will continue to use them in the future. We asked them to collaborate and help make this happen for you guys. This is not a paid partnership.
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For about 20 years, I proudly wore my plastic sports watch. It was a badge of honor given that I was a full triathlon geek. Being a tri-geek was my identity. Wearing a sports watch told the world who and what I was about.
Over the last few years, however, the plastic fantastic just wasn’t doing it for me. That wasn’t the message I wanted to send when I wasn’t training or racing. I guess I am all grown up now.
When I went to replace my Wahoo when dressing up for a wedding or dinner out, I found that the watch industry was targeting me with tiny, little, dainty, annoying, “women's” watches. I was used to wearing a 46mm sports watch. A 31mm watch wasn’t going to cut it.
I work at home. I am athletic. I like a big, chunky watch with a fat bracelet. I quickly learned to ignore the watches marketed to women. I wear watches almost exclusively marketed to men. I encourage you to ignore what the watch industry is telling you to buy. Big watches are badass.
In also learned that women can wear bigger and blingier watches than men can. When men try to wear some of the watches I love, they can sometimes look like cheeseballs who are trying too hard. We can wear stuff that looks awkward on dudes. Because they don’t want them prices can be relatively low.
For example, I love my Breitling Navitimer. At 46mm it is no small watch. The industry tells you that this is too big for a woman but I disagree and so does every person who stops me on the street to ask about my watch. The watch wears like a cuff around my wrist and it is awesome. Lots of dudes can’t pull off a full size Breitling Navitimer. In this image I am also wearing my BDlab Quilted Bomber.
As another example, my IWC pilots chronograph is 43mm with a 21mm bracelet and it is a perfect size for my 5.5 inch wrist. What I am saying is that you shouldn’t be afraid to wear a big and bold watch. You can pull it off. I promise. These are the new rules of watches for women.
Insider advice from The Watch Nerd: Kristin mentioned a bunch of numbers in this article. These numbers refer to the diameter of the watch face. As you get more experience with watches you will learn what works for you. As a very general guideline < 32-36 mm watches are considered small and/or women’s watches, 37-40 mm are medium size, 41-43 mm are large, and 43+ are extra large.
Until now, women were pretty much instructed that they should wear small watches. Kristin (obviously) thinks this is dumb and dated. I have to agree. She can wear watches that are much bigger than I can pull off. I feel cheesy in some of the watches she wears because they are too big and blingy for my taste.
The size of the bracelet will also determine how big a watch looks and feels. 18 mm is small, 20 mm is average, and 22 mm or larger will feel large. Kristin loves a wide bracelet. Kristin styles her watch almost wears like a cuff around her wrist. This is a great look for women that many men can't pull off without looking like Johnny Depp on the set of 21 Jump Street in 1987.
The current trend in the watch world (for men anyway) is toward smaller watches. Companies are now making watches in the 38-39 mm range for men and more and more men feel stupid wearing larger watches that were considered normal size just a few years ago. Kristin will tell you that they should get over it and “if they are going to wear a watch, they should wear a watch.” I was recently harassed by Kristin and a female salesperson when I was looking at a 39 mm Tudor Pelagos. The salesperson asked me why all of the guys coming in wanted a small watch? She didn’t approve. It is possible that what guys want and what excites women are two different things. Whatever is going on with dudes and small watches in 2023 is a benefit to the women. Bargains abound on the pre-owned market because many men are passing on medium size and larger watches.
My watch nerd recommendation is to try on some watches at a jewelry store. They will surely look at you sideways when you tell them you want to try a 40 or 42 or 44 mm watch but hold your ground. You might not want to jump right in and follow Kristin with a 46 mm Breitling Navitimer but you should at least give a larger watch a try. If you are not used to wearing a big and blingy watch you might have to build up to it.
This is Kristin’s Breitling Navitimer on Courtney who has a 6.5 inch wrist. Courtney is wearing the BDlab Cross Back Sports Bra and BDlab Cargo Pant.
You can find a link to many of the watches mentioned in this series at my personal link. If you want, you can use the code KRISTINMAYER to receive a sizable discount. Full disclosure, I will also get a small credit to my account. We reached out to Bezel because we used their service before this series and will continue to use them in the future. We asked them to collaborate and help make this happen for you guys. This is not a paid partnership.
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The other reason I kept quiet all of these years is that my tastes in watches fall so far out of the mainstream I was always a little embarrassed. After talking with so many of you, I think it is time to get over myself and talk about what I like and maybe even a little about what think is wrong about the watch industry when it comes to women.
Sometimes it seems that the watch industry treats women like we are secretaries going to the office in 1972. Personally, I have no use for a teeny, tiny, 31mm, dainty watch. I am an athlete used to wearing sports watches. At a minimum, I need something to cover my ghastly 43mm tan line. We are going to get into all of it, but it will take me about 9 more articles to say what I have to say. Along the way, I hope to change your mind about what you think about watch style.
It is time to talk watches because a 31mm Rolex Datejust isn’t going to cover this white patch on my wrist and a dainty watch on a woman just feels out of place in 2024.
Buying watches can be a bit awkward…I mean, a lot of the places are fancy jewelry stores which intimidate me. Online it is difficult to know who to trust. Recently, I discovered Bezel. Bezel is basically the StockX of watches. Bezel is the solution to the problem of knowing who to trust. They are a marketplace for TONS of watches and authenticate them. I trust them and feel confident sending new watch lovers there to start shopping. Discovering Bezel is part of the reason I am coming out of the closet. Now I have a place to send you to browse + shop.
You can find a link to many of the watches mentioned in this series at my personal link. If you want, you can use the code KRISTINMAYER to receive a sizable discount. Full disclosure, I will also get a small credit to my account. We reached out to Bezel because we used their service before this series and will continue to use them in the future. We asked them to collaborate and help make this happen for you guys. This is not a paid partnership.
**Side note: “we” refers to myself and my nerdy husband. He is more obsessed with watches than I am. He understands all the details of how they work, the history behind brands, and how they market to customers. He will be referred to as “The Watch Nerd” throughout this series to bring real facts about the watches I love. It works out perfectly. I talk about fashion / styling and he can go on about brand heritage, etc. I may be biased, but I think we make a great (watch) team.**
]]>Google will tell you: "Skimo stands for ski mountaineering, which is simply climbing and skiing mountains. Today, the modern sport of Skimo has taken on a different form, although it’s still rooted in the traditional definition of ski mountaineering. Skimo is all about moving fast and light. It’s an endurance sport that heavily revolves around racing up and down mountains on skis either at a ski resort or in the backcountry. If you enjoy winter trail running or skate skiing, you’ll probably love skimo. You can think of it as “fitness skinning.” It’s a great cardio workout and excellent cross training for summer sports like trail running, mountain biking, and climbing."
Maybe I should have asked chat GPT because Google missed something with that definition. “If you enjoy winter trail running or skate skiing, you‘I’ll probably love skimo” is like saying if you like riding a mountain bike you will love doing Red Bull Rampage. I guess I could have broken a collar bone, twisted an ankle or got sunburn in triathlon and cycling but I wasn't hurling myself down a chute, ice luge, or 50% bowl where I could literally wind up in the hospital if I make a wrong move.
There was almost 50 years between the time my parents threw me on skis and when I worked my way down the Congo trail (a.k.a. The Ice Luge). My parents loaded us into the wood panel Jeep every Friday night after school and headed to Vermont. I would return to school on Monday smashed from a weekend of Nastar in Sugarbush. Those were my winters growing up.
During the triathlon years, Skiing took a back seat but with Matt and I progressively relocating to Park City, I followed the lead of my friend Lyndsay Meyer and my goal soon became to toe the start line at The Power of Four in Aspen.
To know me is to know that I obsess over stuff. Being a mom, design, sneakers, puffer jackets, Dex, and apparently maps. I am not sure if the sheer number of hours I spend studying the terrain is more mind blowing than the actual terrain itself but the terrain, specifically the steepness of the gradients going down AND up in this race, is mind blowing.
The Power of Four gets its name from four mountains you traverse during the race. Snowmass, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands, and Aspen. As I mentioned before, Google is wrong. This is not an endurance event. It is a survival event. The super humans (like Lyndsay) race it at the front it but for us normal people, it is a survival event more than anything else.
The downhills on this course, when they aren’t best characterized as an ice luge, have downhill gradients as steep as 50% where snowballs and ice come flying past you as you work your way down. The downhill, however, is not the problem. The uphill gradients are steeper than anything I could find in Park City and were a challenge to keep moving without slipping. The icing on the cake is the altitude. Starting at ~8300 and peaking out ~13,000—it's a thin air beast. Getting ready for the beast took some creativity.
Currently (I am praying it will change) Park City has an uphill policy limited to gentle terrain and is only available until 8:30 AM. Translation: Getting up at 4AM and marching up the hill in the cold, dark, wind, and at least this year, never ending snow.
Matt and I signed up as a team. I got myself super-light race gear (a.k.a. matchsticks), we hired a skimo coach, practiced transitions in the garage, and slept in an altitude tent to get us ready to tackle the challenge. I got the best sleep I've had in years while Matt got headaches and nausea. More on that in a minute.
To me, the sound of the pump in the chamber was soothing and put me to sleep. We did it for 4 weeks slowly ramping it up from 1000 feet above PC to 4000 feet above PC which put us sleeping at about 10,500. A month out from race day we went to Aspen to do some course recon. Matt started out promising but ultimately conceded to the altitude and threw up the white flag. We both realized the full Power of Four race was over our head for the type of training we'd been doing in PC. I downgraded to The Power of Two but with only 3 weeks out from the race I had to find a new partner if I was to finish the ~15 miles + ~8,000 vert.
There was a 7 day roller coaster of partners coming and going, phone calls, crying, and stress but when all was said and done I was lucky enough to meet my new partner - Ali. Ali hadn’t done the volume of training I did but she is a badass and her background/baseline fitness is best characterized as “fit AF.” You know the type.
Meanwhile, my former tri coach, Roch Frey had signed up to do The Power of Two with a mutual friend with roots in Southern California and we were planning on a So Cal x Aspen weekend but getting to the start line is half the battle with this race. Roch's partner landed in Denver the day before the race, his connection to Aspen got cancelled and he bailed on Roch 12 hours before the start of the race. FFS!
At the pre-race meeting Ali, Roch and I made a pact to make it a party, have fun, smile, and get to the finish. Race morning, as I was pacing in Lyndsay's kitchen singing to Beyoncé's Break My Soul, Gavyn texted me "Good luck today! Kick ass ❤️". After 21 years he understands the crazy stuff I do and mom watts are part of the recipe.
7 hours later - mission accomplished. The day was completely bonkers! The steepness (40% in places) + length of the first climb had people slipping backwards all over the place. The trees and 6 foot rock jump/decent in the middle of the trees had women yelling at each other. Some were afraid. Some were just dumbfounded, I guess. The boot pack hike up Aspen Highlands Bowl was gorgeous but 30 mph sustained winds with gale-force gusts had me clutching the rope.
Dropping into the guts of the bowl at 45%+ incline on matchsticks with no brakes and more winds was the steepest skiing I had ever done. The last challenge was the Congo Trail which was little more than a narrow ice luge that had Roch catching tips and flinging himself into the trees on multiple occasions. My power plow left my ass cramping but ready for the final, mind numbing ascent up Midnight Mine.
I have very few super powers. Actually, I only have one. (Well, maybe two. My feet are gorgeous.) My superpower is that at about 5-6 hours into a race I get a second wind and my super power was on form that day. By the top of Midnight Mine I was ready for the out-of-bounds run down a gladed, double black diamond, mogul field with massive moguls the size of Great Danes.
Whether it was the training program, the days marching up the hill in the dark, the altitude tent, the magical Betty Designs BDlab compression tights under my skimo race suit, or the Skratch Labs + Precision Gels combo (scroll down for the deets), I was able to laugh at the insanity all day. I never felt scared. Just put my head down and conquered the task + terrain and ski’d through the finish feeling like I could have kept going. When all was said and done, we crossed the line in just over 7 hours (good enough for 10th in the Women’s P2 category).
Thank you Lyndsay, Ali and Roch for making it an endurance experience to remember. I'm already trying to figure how to do the Four next year.
Now that I've had a few days to reflect, the one word that keeps coming back to me is grateful. Grateful that my parents gave me the ski base and genetic mindset to do something like this (even though they don't understand where it came from!) and most importantly, I am grateful that at 55 I can still physically and mentally get stoked, stay injury free + highly motivated to push my personal boundaries.
(hopefully) See you next year, Aspen! XK
All of this would not be possible without the training plan from Summit Endurance Academy, strength from EverAthlete, my daily boost of Monster Energy, constantly fueled by Skratch Labs + The Feed, my feet being protected by Curad Performance Series sports tape, sunscreen from Zealios, all the metrics monitoring with Strava, Wahoo Fitness and the expert equipment advice from the staff at Skimo.co.
RACE NUTRITION STRATEGY
BREAKFAST = 660 calories: 2 tablespoons peanut butter (200) / 2 oatmeal packets (240) / 1 Ensure Nutrition Vanilla Shake (220)
ON COURSE = 2,015 calories: 21 scoops Skratch Labs Super Fuel Drink Mix in 2 liters of water. Drank about 50 ounces (1,000) / 1 x 90g Carb Precision Nutrition Gel (360), 3 x 30g carb Precision Nutrition Gels w 100 milligrams of caffeine (360) / 8 x 15g Precision Nutrition Chews (480) / 3 oz. Skratch Labs Sport Hydration (40) / 6 oz. flat Coke (75)
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I’m thrilled to announce that Betty Designs partnered up with Delfina Athletics to offer custom triathlon + cycling kits for teams and organizations. Our program offers no minimum order quantities, free design work and exclusive custom team shops to serve your community the best way we can possibly do it.
This launch marks a new era not only for both brands but for the triathlon community as a whole. In an industry dominated by men for decades, the partnership of two women-owned companies is nothing short of a precedent. But there is more that makes the Delfina Athletics x Betty Designs partnership stand out – it is the will to empower and the desire to create something special that will allow you to elevate oneself and those around you.
After working with Nina Sadauskas on a handful of projects for Betty Designs, I knew she was the perfect fit to take on the custom side of the business. This partnership will give small teams the attention they deserve in creating their custom gear. You can learn more about the program at delfinaathletics.com.
Let’s get it #elevatedcustom.
#BadassIsBeautiful #DisruptTheRaceCourse #EnduranceCouture #BettyStyle #SlayAllDay
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Betty + OPEN joined forces again this year and this time we collaborated on a Betty x OPEN min.d. LTD road frame. Betty went all in on design with striking graphics in metallic gold + gloss black atop a matte white base.
Thoughtful Betty Designs motifs including; "Badass + Beautiful" lettering on thetop tube, butterflies on the seat stay, the Betty Designs skull / butterfly logo on the head tube, and a logo lock up badge between BD + OPEN on the seat tube.
So extra. So limited.
Only 14 small, 3 medium, 2 large exist on the planet. Will you make one yours? SHOP HERE
OPEN MIN.D. SPECS / CHOOSING YOUR SIZE
ABOUT BETTY DESIGNS + OPEN
Since founding Betty Designs in 2010 my mission is always to design beautiful + functional endurance apparel + equipment that stands out + empowers women with attitude. In the last few years I've moved from racing triathlon to riding road bikes + dabbling in mixed surface / gravel events as a way to stay fit. Design collaborations are what drive me and OPEN was a natural fit for a few of reasons: 1) their founding roots + principles are similar to Betty Designs; 2) they focus on a core product that both performs and is stylish; 3) they are committed to bringing more women to the sport; 4) they love collaborating on rad designs / bike builds. I'm beyond stoked they decided to work with me in designing / building my dream road machine. I see a lot of triathlon women looking for new ways to challenge themselves outside of their core sport.
MORE ABOUT THE BUILD
The Betty Designs X OPEN MIN.D. LTD road bike collaboration. Frame design + art direction + video production by Betty Designs. Dream bike build made possible with contributions from OPEN, ENVE Composites (enve.com), Monster Energy , Wahoo Fitness , ROKA and IRC tires
VIDEO TECH NOTES
This video was shot on 35mm film during the smoky summer of 2021 at Bonneville Salt Flats, UT using a Nikon F6 camera and 37 rolls of film.
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In Kristin's words:
"We have to do more. I have to do more. I did not feel comfortable speaking up until I could take action. I want to give back to the african american community with something that speaks to what I know + understand while paying it forward. I designed this Unity T to show Betty's commitment to reinforcing our everyBODY initiative. This is more than just a physical body. While Betty is a brand focused on supporting athletes + designing endurance apparel, I am also passionate about design + making a career out of creating something that inspires others. 100% of the profits of the Betty Unity T will go back to AIGA @aigadesign WorldStudio Scholarships to allow U.S. college students from minority and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to realize their artistic dreams. Each year the program receives hundreds of applications from aspiring designers and artists eager to influence the world with their amazing talents, but without the financial means to do so."
Scholarships were announced this week. You can read about the recipients Adreenah Wynn + Sydnei Pitts in the official AIGA announcement.
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By now, most of you know that Kristin's favorite race is the Belgian Waffle Ride (San Diego Edition). Read the interview between BWR founder Michael Marckx + Kristin:
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Stoked to be featured in the Oxygen Mother's Day Gift Guide.
]]>Fashionably. Powerful.
Luxe Athletic Apparel For The Woman Who Wears What She Wants.
What is BDlab. / The BDlab Product.
BDLab is a collection of luxe athletic apparel for the woman who wears what she wants, whenever she wants to wear it. High performance seamless fabrics provide comfort + light compression for running, yoga, the gym and beyond, while flattering construction + runway style delivers maximum versatility for everyday life. Activewear has become an essential piece of my wardrobe, and I can't wait to reveal this badass collection in its entirety. First launch arrives late October and includes seamless bra top, tank, 7/8 tight, capri + performance onesie.
Who is the BDlab Girl.
This line was crafted for all the women who bend the rules when it comes to mixing street + workout clothing. She loves to rock the latest in workout gear and is always put together + on trend. She lives for staying fit + exudes energy of her decade-younger self. She's part tomboy, part couture queen. She always wants to stand out. She knows how to dress for her body + always with a bit of an edge. She's confident, sporty, feminine + badass. She's not afraid to take risks. From the gym to the juice bar or cooking for family, this line can be worn with confidence anywhere you dare to wear it.
[ vision board below ]
BDlab drops January 1, 2021 to kick off the new year.
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'Tis the season to reflect. 'Tis the season to be grateful for each of YOU. 2019 was a year for the books + could not happen without your support, follows, tags, passion + style. We launched our greatest number of collections in a 12-month period (11 to be exact), collaborated with insane brands including; @alohacollection, @roka, @sciconsports + @opencycle. On a personal level, I rode bikes more, skied more, laughed more, completed my 5th Belgian Waffle Ride, "raced" my first Fondo + tackled the college application process with G. As a designer I pushed my creative limits + believe I am just scratching the surface of what is to come.
Looking forward to 2020, Betty Designs will celebrate her 10th year anniversary. A decade of Betty. WOW. It's crazy to think back to 2010 where it all began stepping off a plane in Kona with a backpack of jerseys, tanks + wristbands. I pinch myself on how the brand has grown + I look forward to evolving my vision. I hope you will stay with me. One thing is for sure, Betty will stay true to her roots. The brand voice will be bold, unapologetic + disruptive. It's not for everyone + I intend to keep it that way. I can never be all things to all people + 2019 definitely showed me that.
Social media has brought out the worst in society with humans being offended by every. little. thing. It is never my intention leave out a culture, race, color, age, shape, size or ability. It's impossible to tick all the boxes at every touchpoint. I will stay true to me + be authentic, honest + kind as best I can. I will continue to use the athletes that inspire me on a personal level as models on our site. There will be 10 collection launches, special anniversary-branded items + so much more. Stay tuned. Something you want to see in 2020? Shoot me a note. Share your story.
Stay well + kick ass.
xoxo
#badassisbeautiful #doepicshit #baller#endurancecouture #everybodyisabetty#disrupttheracecourse #bettystyle
Upon founding Betty Designs in 2010 my mission is always to design beautiful + functional endurance apparel that stands out on the race course + empowers women with attitude. In the last few years I've moved from racing triathlon to riding bikes + dabbling in mixed surface / gravel events as a way to stay fit (my fave—Belgian Waffle Ride). The gravel scene is growing and my mission is to find the perfect bike that melds both performance + style. Design collaborations are what drive me and OPEN was a natural fit for a few of reasons: 1) their founding roots + principles are similar to Betty Designs; 2) they focus on a core product that both performs and is stylish; 3) they are committed to bringing more women to the sport; 4) they love collaborating on rad designs / bike builds. I'm beyond stoked they decided to work with me in designing / building my dream machine. I see a lot of triathlon women looking for new ways to challenge themselves outside of their core sport + tons of interest in taking to the dirt. Women are unique in that they love to by stylish as well as go fast and by designing something in Betty's signature hue we've created a beauty of a bike that appeals to this market. Built up with the best wheels, group + cockpit in the biz, this is an amazing ride. Special thank you to RIDE cyclery for bringing great brands together!
Betty x OPEN | Kristin's personal specs build with SRAM, QUARQ, ENVE + IRC.
BIKE | OPEN U.P. size M with custom Betty Designs paint scheme
WHEELS | ENVE SES 3.4 All Road Disc
TIRES | IRC Serac CX Sand 700x32
COCKPIT | ENVE Road Handlebar 42cm compact drop + ENVE Road Stem 90mm
SEAT POST | ENVE Seat Post 300mm
GROUP | SRAM RED eTap AXS 2x + RED 172.5 mm cranks + Quarq DZero power measurement
BAR TAPE | Betty Designs Signature Bar Tape
BIKE COMPUTER | WAHOO Fitness ELEMNT Bolt pink edition
]]>On May 29, 2019 I had the privilege of sitting down with Jess + BJ of YogiTriathlete to share my story on their podcast. They didn’t hold back + dove right into asking what my life looked like before Betty, how Betty began + and how I got through one of the most difficult times of my life—in the face of sadness, fear + shock. It seems silly to talk about this stuff 8 years later, but I know that everyone goes through something difficult at one time or another + hopefully my story will show you what YOU are capable of in the face of adversity. Thank you to Canyon North America for opening your doors to us, to those to who came to listen to me ramble and to Jess + BJ for being who they are and bringing out the real stories of what matters in life.
Intro as told by Jess of YogiTriathlete:
Kristin Mayer started her morning on a seemingly ordinary Monday utterly unaware that her life was about to change forever. Married for over a decade, she knew it wasn't perfect, but she was in it for the long haul, especially since she and her husband were raising a son together. By all accounts, they were a family and a family they would remain.
At 1 pm that afternoon, Kristin's husband confessed that he was no longer happy and no longer committed to sharing his life with her. So many questions flooded in. Fear, sadness, and shock took her over. In those moments, Kristin experienced everything that one could imagine when their life turns upside down.
What would she do? How would she raise her son? Pay the mortgage? Move on? Heal? Ever love again?
One day at a time and on many days, one moment at a time she rebuilt herself and discovered strength she didn't realize she possessed. Today Kristin finds herself at the top of one of the most recognizable brands in endurance sports and living an active and more love-filled life than ever before. In this episode, we dive into the details Kristin's story and the great community of Betty Designs that was born from this life-changing experience.
This podcast was a long time coming, and we are so grateful that once again, perfect timing showed up. Not only were we able to interview Kristin in person, but we had the opportunity to do it in front of a live audience on location at Canyon's North American headquarters here in Carlsbad, California.
]]>THE WINTER TRAINING
When I crossed the finish line in 2018 I said it was my last one. This is by far the most fun day on bikes here in the San Diego area + I cannot pass up a good sufferfest with friends. Every year the training is different. I want to BE BETTER. The base miles started a bit earlier in lieu of BWR Survival Camp (January 11), but I was prepared enough to be able to do the work for three days. Post-camp the volume went up + it was rad. Until it wasn't. I love trying to find my limits and well, I found them. Week after week of larger volume coupled with me burning the candle at both ends (staying up late to savor any moment with G when he rolled in the door at 11pm on weekends + sharing snacks close to midnight, then up at 5am the following morning to get out the door early), the wheels started coming off in early March. Even the hubby suffered. (not sure why because he is SO much better at sleeping + recovery than I am ) We were starving, grumpy, unmotivated + I lost weight. NOT GOOD. Only thing I knew was I had to dial it back or there was no way May 5 was gonna happen. We chilled out, Matt took off for Iceland and froze hit nuts off trying to photograph the Northern Lights, + I tried to take things in stride. Almost 3 weeks was mentally rough. Short, easy riding was all I was allowed to do. While it seemed everyone else was stacking up the miles. Not gonna lie. It messed with my head. My saving grace was hosting Betty Epic Camp March 25-March 29. It was just what my body + spirit needed. 4 days with incredible women who I'm proud to call my friends from around the globe. The break worked and although hesitant, my first long ride (7 hours) back the last week of March was a success. The love came back!!
THE DAY BEFORE
Lucky me thanks to the guys at IRC Tires + Pure Gravel I got to be part of the Tire Therapy panel at the expo on Saturday talking equipment set-up with a star-studded line-up of athletes. Panel + #KitGame photos by Matt.
Anyone who knows me knows that aside from the fact I love to train + stay fit, designing rad kits is my passion. Every year I need to design something special to toe the line at this race. Because the course is approximately 135 miles with 40 miles of dirt I came up with the idea to where white a couple of years ago. Why not? Pretty funny since it's definitely gonna get dirty. This year's had even more white with pops of neon coral + sky blue. 2 of my faves. For all my friends joining in the BWR fun I did some guys + girls kits as well. All-in-all, we had about 20 of these specific Squad kits on the roads come race day and nothing could have made me smile more. Thanks to all the great athletes who were part of our Squad for the day; Matt, Karen + Sean, Roch, Mike the Bike, Alison, Jen, Sarah (who ended up 2nd overall!!), Katya, Kimber + Mike, Heather, Kari, Dave, Brad, Mike, Leeann, Elke.
DURING
Mike Swim Photo @mikezswim
The start + neutral roll out was, well, anything but neutral. Starting in Wave 1 with all the pro men + women, I found myself off the back at the start of the descent down Del Dios. Nothing neutral about it. It was balls to the walls from the start. 1) Thankfully I was not alone + found a couple girlfriends to ride with, 2) this made for less crowding on the first single-track dirt of the day. Yippeeee. Riding dirt is not my strength and I'd prefer not to navigate it throwing elbows with strangers so this was awesome for me. Aside from our Canadian friend, Norm, sliding out in a turn just in front of me, I made it through the first section quickly and even rode the river crossing.
Photo by Danny Munson #BWRPhotoPool
The sand in Black Canyon was out of control this year. Matt + I had ridden it a couple of times and it had it's typical brake bumps and loose stuff, but on race day someone decided to dump a bazillion pounds of loose dirt all over. I was like a grandma out for a stroll paranoid I would slide out every second. Needless to say this was not my best riding of the day. It was also the section where I realized I was not feeling that hot. I did not have the climbing power I was used too + came to the realization that was going to be "it" for the day. Turns out Matt was sick with a horrific head cold the week leading in and it decided to rear it's ugly head around mile 50. Oh well. I knew I could finish, but I was not going to be my fastest time. Exiting Black Canyon I waved our riding group off + was somehow doing bad math that I was going to be on the course for 11 + hours and I did not want anyone waiting for me all day. I knew Gavyn was waiting for me at the top of Double Peak + I had the ability to go the distance even feeling ill so we moved to Plan B. Matt was still not feeling great so after the other took off we slowly got back to it. I loaded up with caffeine + sugar which seemed to do the trick and somehow came back to life. Sandy Bandy didn't feel sandy this year post-Black Canyon and where I typically have a minor mental meltdown on the obnoxious 2k climb at the end of Bandy, I felt totally fine. I even road Hodges + Lemontwistenburg like a champ (for me). Settling into Elfin Forest tucked in on Matt's wheel we made great time out into the final Questhaven / Oasis section + the 5.5 mile climb to the top of Double Peak. I was so stoked to see Gavyn half way up the DP climb my smile must have been enormous. Climbing out of the saddle on the steepest part I could only offer him my pinky for a hi-5 before I got over the top and headed down the backside to Lost Abbey + the finish. Riding time 9:35 // Official time 10:03. Not so bad for how I felt earlier in the day, but not gonna lie, the carnage at home that night was tough. I was absolutely spent. It took more out of me than last year.
AFTER
Will I do it again? Ideally I'd love to talk to Michael about hosting a women-only gravel camp for those wanting to come out and do either the Wafer or the Waffle in 2020. I think I'm gonna ride the Wafer for a change next year + help introduce some newbies to skinny tires on dirt.
EQUIPMENT SET-UP
bike | Trek Domane SLR 9 Disc + ProjectOne custom white / gold
drivetrain | Quarq Zero Carbon Power Meter 172.5 mm crank + Shimano Di2 Ultegra 53-34 + compact
wheels | ENVE SES 4.5 AR Disc
tires | IRC Formula Pro X-Guard Tubeless 28mm (why? because it's a ROAD RACE)
computer | Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt PINK Edition!
pedals | Crankbrothers Eggbeater 11
helmet | Rudy Project Boost 01 with custom Birdworx graphics
sunglasses | ROKA Custom CP-1x (matte sky blue, torch + white spec)
]]>Kristin's ultimate cycling Kit Game comes from matching everything to her kit on the day. This includes your helmet, glasses, gloves, socks + shoes for a head-to-toe stunning look.
Kristin has raced over 100 triathlons in her life time. She loves minimalist solutions to essential items, hence her "race belt hack" suggestion above to shave precious seconds in T2 and losing the race belt bulk. Placing a colorful towel in your transition area can help you locate your spot easier in the race day transition frenzy that ensues. Try it out and see what you think at your next race.
]]>This launch was the beginning of our Disrupt The Race Course SS19 campaign. Complete with edgy photography out at the Salton Sea in California. It was so much fun to do heavier make-up, bold accessories and insane locations.
]]>We are beyond excited to introduce the 2019 BettySquad!! As part of an worldwide tribe of women who represent all that is family + fitness + fierceness, they will represent our brand that stands for keeping performance + fun + fashion at the forefront all while doing it with a rad, supportive group of women who have their backs! #BadAssIsBeautiful #DoEpicShit #EnduranceCouture #stylishAF #kitgame #BettySquad19
]]>Betty Designs Kona 2018 from Betty Designs on Vimeo.
Betty Designs launched in Kona in 2010, 8 years later we went back for our 5th expo + limited design capsule. We had a partner ride with ENVE composites + Wahoo Fitness with proceeds going back to Keep-A-Breast in support of breast cancer month. We had 4 athletes racing, another dozen on the Island supporting and in the end it was ONE. AMAZING. WEEK. Mahalo until next year!
]]>Why the Betty Squad? Why do I believe in an ambassador program? Why is this team so important to me? What am I looking for in a Betty? Listen up to hear where some of my fight comes from + why I believe all badass women deserve a chance to join the SQUAD regardless of competitive results, status or looks.
APPLY TO BE A BETTY HERE. DEADLINE TO APPLY IS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018.
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