Feeling fear... and doing it anyway!

A weekend in Charlevoix between women Sportive Plus

Our Sportive Plus team treated themselves to a getaway to Charlevoix.
On the agenda: laughter, breathtaking scenery, and… an experience that scared more than one of us: mountain biking . 😬

When courage is admitting you're afraid

I am often told:

"Hey, you're really brave! I would never have done that!"

But the truth? I am a person who is afraid .
Fear of being afraid. Fear of not being good enough. And mountain biking, for me, was downright terrifying.

That weekend was also the first time I experienced a 100% women-only activity , with plus-size women .
That already changed everything. We knew each other a little, but not enough to imagine how much this adventure would bring us closer.

The meeting that changes everything

That's where we met Kim , our coach.
Honestly: Thank you, Universe. 🌟
I didn't expect such a significant encounter.

From the start, she put us at ease. We told her frankly:

“Look, there's a group of six of us, and for three of us, mountain biking… it's really scary.”

She thought it was really cool!
And above all, she welcomed us as we were: without judgment, with kindness.

With Kim, I discovered for the first time what it meant to be accompanied in one's fear .
She explained each step, made us practice, and above all, she validated our emotions:

It's normal to be afraid.
It's okay to cry.

And yes — we all cried at one point or another that weekend.

When the framework is there

The craziest thing is that Kim is trained in fear management in sports .
Not just in cycling technique!
She helped us manage anxiety, panic, and doubt. It was powerful.
Honestly, I could have spent the whole day practicing in the parking lot with her, it was so reassuring and motivating.

The next day, I rode with another coach, in a large group.
And there… the experience was completely different: stiffer, less educational, less human.
I was scared, I cried, I even fell.
The confidence I had gained the day before crumbled.

That's when I realized: the coach you choose changes everything.
Having a teacher who understands our realities makes a huge difference—not just in technique, but in how we feel welcomed , as a woman, as a beginner, as a plus-size woman.

What I remember 💫

Thanks to Kim, my friends, and this getaway, I realized that:

• It's normal to be afraid.
• We can still try , if we are well surrounded.
• We have our place , as women, as beginners, as plus-size women.

And that's what I want for us.
Let's create a community where we dare together.
Where we give ourselves permission to try things that scare us, but knowing that we will never be alone.

Maybe next time it will be cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, or some other activity we don't dare do alone.
Never mind.
Because this weekend proved one thing to me:
👉 We are stronger, more confident and above all freer when we are together.

And you, are you ready for the next adventure? 💪✨

At Sportive Plus , we dream of organizing other getaways like this one — weekends where we move, we laugh, we learn, we push ourselves, and above all, where we support each other as women.

If this experience speaks to you, stay tuned:
👉 Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on our networks to discover the next “Formes en Forme” adventure .
Whether in the mountains, on the water or in the snow... we'll dare together. 💜

Thank you Sportive Plus
by Florence Brière