Sunshine pro: Help and the Homestretch
Marie-Soleil Blais finds community and support for training in Tucson through Homestretch Foundation
by Marie-Soleil Blais
It’s been pretty cold down here in Tucson, Arizona. Well, 8 to 12 degree Celsius kind of cold. I shouldn’t complain because I know how terrible it’s been up in Canada! When people see me bundled up on my bike, I always get the same reaction: “Aren’t you Canadian? You must enjoy the cold!” Haha, no, I don’t!! Cycling comes with a lot of sacrifices but I really enjoy having to travel to a warmer place during the winter. I spent so many winters away from home that my body actually doesn’t remember what -20 feels like!
Tucson has become my favorite training destination for various reasons. It’s kind of the cycling hub in the winter/spring. A lot of pros are in town at this time of the year so you can find really hard group rides. The variety of terrains (flat and hilly) and the dry climate are great assets as well. What I like the most about Tucson is the friendly and welcoming community, not just inside the cycling community but with the locals as well. People smile to each other, they wave. I feel like people are more connected to one another here than what I’ve experienced in Canada or Quebec.
This year I was very lucky to be accepted as a resident at the house of the Homestretch Foundation for the month of February. The Homestretch was founded in 2017 by the former pro cyclist Kathryn Bertine, with the primary mission of providing free housing to women cyclist to help bridge the gender pay gap.
By staying at this house, we get more than just free housing, we become part of the “Stretchy family,” a group that shares important values such as supporting one another and giving back. We get to build friendship and connections that will last throughout the rest of our cycling career. In order to give back, residents must give two hours per week of volunteer work to the community of Tucson.
The Homestretch Foundation also have for mission to educate its residents on the journey toward gender equality pay in professional sport. I learned a lot from the founder Kathryn, about what have been done in the past to initiate change, how it is currently evolving, and how we can contribute to the change. I will go into more details in a future article. Until then, I would love to hear your feedback, comments or questions regarding that topic.
The Homestretch Foundation is always looking for sponsors and donations. If you would like to contribute or to find more information you can visit the Homestretch Foundation online or through the foundation’s Facebook page.
Marie-Soleil Blais is a 30-year-old first-year professional rider with the Astana Women’s Team from Centre-du-Québec. She is a seven-time Quebec champion on the road, individual time trial and track. She is a multiple-time winner at the Championne des Mardis Cyclistes de Lachine and the Criterium National de Montréal.
