Being Megan Monk – Finding the person behind the athlete
Megan Monk is the kind of person who it’s easy to talk with, and who you go away from the conversation thinking that you’ve grown, simply by having the privilege to listen to her. This determined, intelligent and talented woman has been on a journey unlike many others within cycle sport; and yet, she has managed to steer it herself and to keep control of her own direction and destiny, with a focus on that most simple but hard to achieve element of life and sport – to be happy.
Ultimately, we are all unique; but some people stand out for their character and their strength, and for the life force that they radiate. Megan is one such person and is an athlete whom the team here at Lake are proud support in some small way, as she traverses the world of professional cycle sport.
Speaking with Megan, it’s obvious that whilst she has achieved a lot in a short space of time as a pro cyclist, her focus hasn’t always been on this activity or this competitive sport. At heart, Megan is simply a person who loves being active, loves challenging herself, and who feels at home when she immerses herself in the varied landscapes and cultures of the world. Thankfully, sport has given her the opportunity to do this – to explore the world and to explore herself and her own limits.
‘Hills have always provided me with solace – I’d love hours on the bike exploring. I never set out with the intention of it becoming a job!’
A journey towards cycling
One aspect of life and cycling that we all share, whatever level we ride at, is that we can all remember our first bike. It usually isn’t anything special in terms of technology or performance – but it is special for simply being our first bike. For Megan, growing up in rural Ireland, within a farming community, her first bike was simply one that her granddad recovered and recycled, gave a wash and spruced up, and which subsequently allowed Megan to explore her surroundings at speed, in that innocent way that we all ride as kids – with fun and adventure being the prerequisite.
It was a bike that both her radiant face and her words today tell me she loved; but cycling was to her simply another activity within a childhood filled with sports of all kinds. Running, sprinting and hockey were more of a focus for Megan, with hockey probably taking the priority during school years. No, cycling didn’t really come to the fore until university years, when she studied law and French, and spent a year in France, living in Toulouse and close to the Pyrenees.
During this period, Megan suffered a significant injury and was unable to train as a runner. A friend suggested cycling as an alternative, and the pair of them would simply hire mountain bikes for the weekend and head off into the nearby mountains in search of fun and adventure. Term breaks gave them more time on the bikes, and Megan was soon hooked, scheduling studies to enable her the opportunity to get away on the bike, exploring the Pyrenees. And yes, she soon discovered that she was good – but, more importantly, she knew that she loved the adventure of it all and the sense of freedom and energy it gave her.
‘I’d love it and I would amend my study schedule around things, so that I could ride off from Friday to Monday, wearing nothing fancy, just regular shorts and sports kit, with a focus on having fun in the hills!’
Whilst listening to Megan, it’s clear that this sense of being alive is just as important as challenging herself physically is. And, ultimately, it’s this sense of balance which defines Megan and separate’s her from many pro athletes. Buying a road bike was for Megan, simply a way to extend her exploration and to test and challenge herself.
Making the most of opportunities
Unfortunately, covid then hit the world, and like all of us, Megan had restrictions placed on her. Cycling quickly became an extension of who she was, and a means of escaping, whilst she also began to focus more on it as a sport and not simply as an activity.
Heading back home to County Offaly, and the Slieve Hills of Ireland, it was whilst out on a lockdown ride that she met Aussie pro rider – and her now husband – Cyrus Monk, who saw the potential that Megan had in the hills, encouraging her to enter races.
Competing locally, led to finishing 8th in the Irish championships, and then, whilst watching the Olympics on TV, Cyrus pointed out that Megan could do that – which formed a plan for this team of coach and rider. Heading to Belgium, races became more focused and more intense, as the world of pro cycling began to slowly emerge into her vision. And, true to the character of this strong-willed and determined human being, Megan subsequently achieved the Olympics, with the same tenacity and strength of character that radiates from her – joining the Ireland Olympic squad for the 2024 Road Race. And, whilst the road race didn’t go to plan, standing there and seeing the Eiffel Tower and the sites of Paris was thrilling and exciting, and gave Megan a huge sense of achievement.
However, even with all of this, Megan tells me:
‘I was Naïve in cycling. Yes, it brought me a hell of a long way – from university and finals straight to Belgium, racing and one door after another opening for me. It was a learning period for me, and I loved it – loved the racing. But there are aspects of the cycling word for women in particular that are still hard. Support comes with expectation and the game changes slightly.’
Joining the pro peloton – the high and lows
Talking with Megan, she tells me that the break came in late 2022, being offered a contract with B&B Hotels, to race alongside riders such as legendary French cyclist, Audrey Cordon-Ragot. However, whilst the uncertainties of women’s pro cycling didn’t allow this, Megan’s ability had already drawn the attention of others, with her subsequently signing for Arkea and winning the Vuelta Extremadura stage race in March, followed by fourth at the GP Féminin de Chambéry in April. Performances such as these led to a 3-year contract with world tour outfit, EF-Oatly-Cannondale, and she had reached the top level of the sport within only a few short years of taking to the bike.
However, we live in a global cycling environment where women’s pro cycling is still evolving. The unfortunate truth is that women have more to prove still, and those directing the sport, frequently believe that riders need to suffer as they did; even though the situation ought to be changing more rapidly. It can be overly intense, and the identities of the riders can become lost in all this pressure. It was ultimately this atmosphere that found Megan lining up one race day, and thinking:
‘I should be proud to be there and excited, but I didn’t. Yes, I had been obsessed with races and yet was frustrated towards the end. I’d raced in the most amazing places but was hiding a pain inside and trying reminded myself of the places. I was missing aspects of life at home and elsewhere. Ultimately, there’s no point doing something you don’t like.’
‘Riders [like me] were caught in a system and growing too fast and struggling mentally. Personally, I didn’t want to get to a point where I didn’t like riding. I wanted to be my best and be happy. It became an environment where teams didn’t always see the riders as people – and I wanted to step away from that.’
Post-peloton life and sport
Saying goodbye to the peloton was difficult but also necessary. In terms of her focus, Megan is a person who will always find direction and meaning. She loved the structure of training, and whilst she didn’t want to hang up the bike, she had to try something different – and triathlon became the new focus, along with a life based with her new family in Australia.
These days, Megan is back to being her relaxed self, with having that defined structure that is also part of her character – and which took her in a few short years from cycling for fun in the Pyrenees, to the streets of Paris in the Olympics. She’s also studying again – this time nutrition and physiology, and she’s still supported by the team here at Lake cycling shoes, because she values performance and quality and knows the importance of being comfortable on the bike and being comfortable in life.
Utilising our CX333 road cycling shoe, and our latest TX224 triathlon shoe, Megan has a relaxed and radiant air once more, clearly enjoying life – and enjoying her sport. And, with her previous track record of determination and success, who knows where this renewed vibrancy will lead her.
What we do know is that the team at Lake will be there alongside Megan, to support her all the way! Ultimately, we all take a variety of paths on our journey through life. Being happy and comfortable is the true measure of success, for all of us. Megan Monk typifies this and is an ideal ambassador for us here at Lake, as she continues to ride into an exciting and varied future.