Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Abbott.
Cindy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
This question is really challenging for me because I look back on 32 years of life and am surprised that I have accomplished so much. I like to say that I’m a Swiss Army Knife, dynamic and moldable into whatever career or passion I set my mind to. To put it plainly, I have done a lot of random and obscure stuff in my life and it’s hard to simply give a quick recap but I will make an attempt at it here. I was always an athlete from a young age and went on to accomplish my first dream of playing Division 1 collegiate soccer. While on many long training trail runs for soccer in the remote hills of northwest Austin, I was always drawn to the adventure of the outdoors. I loved opening my front door and feeling the freedom that only the trail could provide. Additionally, on family trips to Enchanted Rock I idolized the rock climbers, clad with the coolest gear I had ever seen and I dreamt of one day being one of them. It was a culmination of these experiences that made me realize I had to have a career in the outdoors. Since these early memories, I have created many unique outdoor opportunities for myself, all drawing from that same passion for living a life full of adventure and the freedom to do anything I put my mind to.
I have since been a professional climbing guide, climbing some of the tallest peaks North America has to offer; earned a degree as a recreation professional from Texas A&M University; pursued a career as a professional XC mountain bike racer winning various national titles including a XC mountain bike national championship; proven myself as one of the best professional freeride/enduro mountain bike racers in the South, traveling the world racing the most gnarly terrain in the Enduro World Series; helped many Texans from all walks of life increase their mountain bike confidence through my work as a professional mountain bike instructor and coach; now I have somehow fallen into a career as a professionally certified arborist and tree climber, winning the 2019 Texas State Tree Climbing Championship and garnering a full-time job as a Forestry Tech for the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department; and to top it all off I am currently in school to start the next chapter of my life, pursuing a career in emergency medicine as a Paramedic. Throughout all these experiences, I’ve realized that one thing remains the same for me-my dreams and goals are fluid, ever-changing and rooted in a desire to always pursue what sets my soul on fire.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road for me. Starting from my days as a collegiate soccer player, I was super hard on myself and uber competitive. That ultimately drove me to move on from my love of the sport and pursue other adventures life had to offer. I have also tended to gravitate toward male-dominated careers and outdoor pursuits. In doing so I have found it hard to earn respect from my male counterparts but have FINALLY made progress because I am continuing to push the limits of what females can do. For example, in professional Downhill and Enduro mountain bike racing there are very limited sponsorship opportunities for females whereas the males seem to have an easier time securing support. I have to continue to push the limits of going big to keep up and impress those who hold the keys to industry sponsorship. One of the additional downfalls of this is injury. I had a moment of pushing myself beyond my limits to keep up with the guys and I was in a severe crash that almost left me paralyzed. I was riding a gap jump for the first time on my local trails and although I was very proficient at most obstacles on the trail, jumping was not a skill that I had dialed yet. So I misjudged the speed of the jump and ended up getting bucked on the landing, ultimately causing me to hit the ground on my back at about 20 mph, which instantly broke all of my ribs, punctured my lungs, and broke my spine. After this, I realized the importance of taking it slower and really focusing on technique. I knew I had to continue to work at this skill instead of letting fear get in my head so once I recovered, I felt ready to really get after it and learn how to jump. Now I routinely hit 30 foot gaps on my daily rides and haven’t looked back.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In the Austin community and beyond I am known for being a sort of Jill of all trades. I have professional certifications/licensure in a variety of fields ranging from professional mountain bike instruction/coaching, professional arboriculture, professional tree climbing, wilderness medicine, emergency medicine, and professional rock climbing guiding. Currently, I specialize in private mountain bike coaching and instruction as well as professional arboriculture and tree care. I am also known for being the crazy female enduro mountain biker who will likely be faster than your boyfriend and can stare down even the most terrifying drops where most people say, “nope”. I think I am most proud of my ability to be talented at a variety of skills and not being afraid to try something new. It is these skills that set me apart from others because I tend to find a way to pursue the most random careers and excel at them quite naturally. Honestly, I think most of this stems from a lack of fear and the necessity for fun and excitement in everything I do.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I have found most success in just simply being personable, wanting to learn about others’ stories rather than just sharing my own. A healthy dose of humility can go a long way, and I think in this world where technology has removed a vast amount of human interaction, it’s refreshing to just have face to face conversation, even with complete strangers. I would also suggest that it is okay to be comfortable talking about yourself and your strengths when it’s appropriate, and in fact networking is about selling yourself. I have been able to share my story with so many folks because I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished and this has helped me immensely in building connections across a variety of industries.
Pricing:
- $70/hour for private mtb coaching
Contact Info:
- Email: cindyabbott.climbing@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindit.mtb/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindy.abbottnaturewoman
Image Credits
Nick Berard @nickberardphoto @whoruatx
