Start of an October 2021 mountain bike race in Manti, Utah. Many lessons from the trail apply to building brands, leading teams, and communicating with impact.
Some people find peace in yoga. Others in baking sourdough bread.
Me? I find it racing down a trail — dirt on my calves, wind in my ears, and a kind of quiet joy that doesn’t show up in selfies.
I started competing in mountain bike races in 7th grade through NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) — and I haven’t stopped riding since. Now, as a PR student and intern, I’m realizing just how many lessons from the trail apply to building brands, leading teams, and communicating with impact.
If you’re leading a team, building a brand, or trying to grow your message with more strategy and authenticity, here are five key lessons from the trail that just might help you in the boardroom:
1. Look Up and Ahead
In mountain biking, if you focus only on the rock right in front of your wheel, you crash. You have to stay alert and scan the trail ahead, or risk wiping out.
In PR, the same is true.
A solid campaign isn’t just about reacting to the now, it’s about reading the terrain ahead. Trends and risks. Are you anticipating what your audience needs next? Are you spotting blind turns before they hit?
2. Ride as a Team
Sure, mountain biking can be done solo. But racing? Training? Growth? It’s all about the team.
In business, collaboration matters.
You need people who will push you, steady you, and see what you can’t. Like mountain biking, PR isn’t a solo sport. It’s about aligning messaging across departments, listening to voices beyond your own, and creating communications that help your organization speak with one voice.
3. Pace, Then Push
Cycling taught me how to train for long distances and surge when it counts.
For your brand, this means staying consistent with content, presence, and then knowing when to push hard with a campaign, a pitch or a launch.
Pacing matters. So does the push.
4. Recover Like a Pro
I’ve gone over handlebars. Skidded out. Lost races I trained all year for. But falling isn’t failure. Quitting is.
If your messaging flops, a product doesn’t land, or you get negative press, silence is not a strategy. It’s surrender.
Instead: Recenter. Regroup. Respond.
PR is about resilience, and audiences notice when you get back up — not when you stay down.
5. Ride With Purpose
Races are hard. The weather is unpredictable. You question why you’re doing this.
But when I remember why I ride — for freedom, confidence, grit — I keep going.
Businesses need that same clarity.
Why are you here? Why does your message matter? Why should people trust you? Why should your audience care?
If your PR doesn’t connect to something meaningful, then neither will your audience connect with you and your messaging.
Let Young Professionals Contribute
I’ve learned these lessons on the trail, and I now apply them daily as a PR intern at AuthenticityPR. I bring that same energy and discipline to the workplace, helping clients tell real stories and connect with real people. As a Brigham Young University student about to enter my senior year, I offer the fresh perspective of a rising communicator who understands both strategy and storytelling.
If you want to help young professionals get a jump start on their career, I encourage you to hire an intern or two. With proper training and guidelines, we can be fast learners who will contribute in meaningful ways to help support your business.
3 Big Takeaways
1. PR, like mountain biking, demands vision.
You can’t just react, you need to anticipate. Strategic communication starts with looking up and scanning the horizon.
2. Consistency wins races — and campaigns.
In both cycling and PR, pacing matters. Show up, keep momentum, and then push hard when the moment’s right.
3. Resilience is your brand’s best gear.
Crashes happen. So do flops. But recovery, not perfection, is what builds trust on the trail and in business.
Want to talk PR, internships, or trail tips?
Reach out to me or the team.
Stay authentic — and keep moving forward.
Miriam Conover, AuthenticityPR | Authentic PR Assistant
Miriam Conover is a public relations major at Brigham
Young University with a passion for meaningful storytelling
and results-driven communication. With a deep respect for
ethics and a knack for message strategy, she brings a blend
of curiosity, skill and professionalism to every project she
touches.
Her PR experience spans media relations, social media
engagement, branding, and content creation — all rooted in
her belief that stories are more than information… they’re
connection.
Miriam’s writing is clear, concise, and always on-brand. Whether she’s building out a campaign or fine-tuning messaging for a newsletter, Miriam delivers work that’s both thoughtful and effective.
She’s also fluent in Instagram, LinkedIn and X — and she doesn’t just
post. She pays attention to analytics, optimizes performance, and knows how to build community.
Miriam was drawn to AuthenticityPR’s mission because of its unapologetic commitment to integrity, truth, and client-first storytelling. She thrives in environments where creativity meets character, and where learning is a lifelong pursuit.
A firm believer in doing the right thing (even when no one’s looking), she brings a teachable spirit and strong work ethic to everything she does.
When she’s not crafting content or curating campaigns, you’ll find Miriam reading, running, or exploring the intersection of communication, faith and culture.
