On the road to adventure: Meet Kelowna-based ultra-cyclist Meaghan Hackinen
KELOWNA, British Columbia — Meaghan Hackinen is a “Kelowna-based ultra-cyclist and writer whose two-wheeled adventures have taken her from Haida Gwaii to Mexico’s high plateaus, across Canada and the United States, and from North Cape to Tarifa along some of Europe’s highest paved roads.”
Meaghan is a multi-faceted rider with a dozen women’s wins, several FKTs (fastest known times), as well as the course record at the World 24-Hour Time Trial Championships. Meaghan has an MFA in Writing and is the author of South Away: The Pacific Coast on Two Wheels, finalist for the Kobo Emerging Writing Prize and Alberta Book of the Year, and Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race (NeWest Press, 2019 and 2023).
Meaghan’s next big ride is the Tour Divide Mountain Bike Race in June, which is a 4,400 km self-supported bikepacking race from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. Traversing the Rocky Mountains, the route crosses the Continental Divide more than fifty times to accumulate a total of 60,900 meters of elevation. Amazingly, there is no prize money and the attrition rate is over 60%. While there are one hundred cyclists signed up, Meaghan is just one of five women who are registered.
Training for such an event takes a ton of dedication and perseverance. Meaghan puts in six days a week on her indoor trainer during the colder months, averaging between twelve and eighteen hours a week.
As the weather starts to warm up, she will begin to incorporate longer outdoor endurance rides into her schedule, exploring the local forest services roads.
For those itching to start their biking journey, Meaghan has some great advice. First of all, Glenmore is a great place to start. “There are plenty of trails and quiet neighborhood roads to explore, plus bike paths on the major thoroughfares.” Anyone who is just starting out should “lean into their adventurous spirit.” For example, if there’s a coffee shop you’ve been meaning to check out, or you haven’t connected with a friend in a while, why not hop on your bike to explore?
Biking is an amazing activity to get into. Says Meaghan, “Whether you are biking for practical reasons or just for pleasure, you’ll reap the health benefits—and the fun—that come with hopping on the saddle, even if it’s just for fifteen minutes.”
Good luck to Meaghan on her biking journey and we wish you all the success on the Tour Divide Mountain Bike Race!
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