Robin Cummings

About

Person

Robin’s favorite thing to do has long been supporting others in learning and growing. Their very first job was as a ski instructor, and they still fondly remember the sense of satisfaction they got from having their doubles tennis partner’s back as a high schooler. It has been a through-line in their paid and volunteer labor, from freeing doctors’ hands as a medical transcriptionist to lending extra assistance to students in need as a classroom assistant and facilitating trust-building directing a high-ropes course at a summer camp. 

Athlete

Robin’s path to endurance sports has been an indirect one. They grew up a dedicated freestyle skier, racking up as many days on the mountain as possible while holding a full-time job through their early 20s, but successive knee injuries led them to branch out from casual mountain biking into road cycling, first as part of physical therapy and subsequently as a passion all its own. What truly hooked them, though, was their first cyclocross race - shortly after moving to Portland in 2016. Every winter since has been focused on trainer time and training camps rather than snow. Like most athletes, their relationship with endurance sport has since been a nonlinear process, with breaks for mental health and new jobs and balancing the novelties of trail running and Nordic skiing with their dedication to bike racing. They currently strive to normalize the presence and success of non-binary athletes at elite events, including UCI cyclocross, high-profile national gravel events, and domestic road racing, and are proud to consider themselves a member of the wider Portland off-road community.

Coach

Having competed at an elite level while balancing both regular full-time work and unpredictable part-time positions, Robin recognizes the importance of flexibility and communication in building and adjusting a training plan that aligns with each athlete as an individual. They similarly appreciate the importance of a sustainable relationship with athletics, balancing dedicated training sessions with the more relaxed and social side of sport. This ultimately helps athletes build meaning and joy through commitment to processes and community engagement - and a happy athlete is a fast one!

Residence:
Portland, OR

Country of Origin:
United States of America

Sports Coached:
Cycling
Cyclocross
Mountain Biking

Certifications:
USAC Level III

Price:
$300 / month