Sarah Powers is a cycling enthusiast, and she was looking for an event she could use to raise money for her local charitable group. About a year ago, on a Sunday ride with Kristin Swinburne and Jackie Harrison, she had an idea. How about racing across the United States? Today, Powers is part of an all-Polk County, four-woman team – along with Swinburne, Harrison and Kristin Coker – who will compete in the 2024 Race Across America.
Beginning June 15, the event spans more than 3,000 miles from Oceanside, California, to Atlantic City, N.J. They’ll compete in the all-female, four-person relay in support of Top Buttons, a county nonprofit aimed at helping girls and young women.
“I really like cycling, we do a local cycling event each year,” said Powers, a Lakeland resident. “So I started that to raise money for Top Buttons and there's a lot of runs in Central Florida and there are just a couple cycling events to raise money. So I thought, hey, maybe this is a unique idea.
"The thing I love most about cycling is the endurance riding, and there aren't as many females in cycling as men. It's typically a male-dominated sport. But right here in Polk County, there are these four, well, three exceptional female cyclists who also love endurance riding.
” Powers described herself as extreme. She grew up in competitive water sports, and the challenge of cycling across the country appealed to her. “Not everybody can do it, and let's do that for a cause, something bigger than o.
