Miles After Motherhood: Rachel Strait’s Return to the Start Line
When Rachel Strait lined up for the Park City Point to Point just seven months after welcoming her second child, she wasn’t chasing a podium. She was chasing perspective.
At 76 miles and over 10,000 feet of climbing and descending, nearly all on singletrack, the Point to Point is known as one of the hardest endurance XC races in North America. For Rachel, it wasn’t just about miles. It was about rediscovering her own strength as both an athlete and a mom.
Her journey, from early morning feedings to finish line tears, is captured in Miles After Motherhood, a new short film from Ari Bicycles that follows Rachel’s comeback story with honesty, grit, and heart.
Redefining Strength
“You know, you’re selfish for doing that. You should be home. Your number one priority is your kids,” Rachel says early in the film. “Well, yeah. My number one priority will always be my kids. But I’m my own priority too.”
That duality of devotion and self-worth sits at the heart of Miles After Motherhood. The film starts in the middle of the race as Rachel and her sister Amber quickly re-supply at an aid station, scrambling to quickly get back on the bikes and continue to chip away mile by mile.
“I want my kids to see that, dang, mom set that goal and she did it. Like, I can do that too.”
Training for Something Bigger
“I’ve always been a goal-oriented person,” she explains. “After having Harvey, I needed something to work toward, something that made me feel like myself again.”
As the film shows, Rachel returned to her cross-country roots aboard Ari’s newly redesigned Signal Peak, a 120/110mm trail machine built for big days and bigger dreams.
“We talked about bikes that were launching, and Tyler brought up the Signal Peak. I thought, let’s find something that connects me back to endurance. It just worked out perfectly.”
Her decision wasn’t just about racing. It was about proving to herself that she could set a goal, commit, and finish, even when everything around her looked different than before.
Race Day: Balancing Racer Mode and Mom Mode
At dawn, Rachel rolls up to the start line cold, excited, and determined.
“It’s kind of nice when you’re a little cold and nervous,” she smiles in the film. “The first few miles just happen before you even realize it.”
She rides alongside her sister Amber, with Kyle, and the family & friends crew leap-frogging aid stations to make sure she has the support she needs while also feeding Harvey along the way.
“Being a mother on the start line feels like an accomplishment,” she says. “But it also feels like pressure, pressure to still be a mom even though you’re racing.”
By the mile 51 aid station, she’s an hour ahead of the cutoff.
“That’s when I knew I was going to finish,” she recalls. “I told myself I’d crawl to the finish if I had to.”
The Support That Makes It Possible
Throughout the film, the theme of family shines through.
“Before you’re a parent, everything revolves around racing, your bike, your own time,” Rachel says. “When you’re a parent, that all comes second because your babies are number one.”
Kyle appears in the film offering encouragement.
“It’s been awesome watching her go through the process. Each ride she got more confident, more excited. Seeing her put it all together for race day is inspiring.”
Rachel adds,
“I could not have done it without family. We don’t do it alone. It really takes a village.”
The Bike That Carried the Story
The film highlights Rachel’s Ari Signal Peak, a lightweight yet capable race platform that matches her mix of power and precision.
“The 120/110mm suspension feels so playful on descents but so efficient climbing. It was the perfect bike for Point to Point.”
Her setup included Rockshox Sid Ultimate Flight Attendant suspension, a 30T front chainring, and Michelin Wild XC tires, small details that made a massive difference across 10,000 feet of climbing.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing,” she says with a laugh at the finish line. “The Signal Peak gave me confidence all day.”
Finding the Finish Line and Herself
By the final miles, fatigue and emotion take over.
“I knew it was going to be hard and long,” Rachel says, breathing heavily in the film’s closing sequence. “But it was actually harder than I thought. I’m seven months postpartum, and I just finished Point to Point.”
Her voice cracks with joy and exhaustion as she crosses the line to find her friends and family cheering her on!
What Comes After the Miles
Reflecting on the experience, Rachel shares:
“Trust the process. It’s not easy coming back after having a baby. There were moments I wanted to give up. But every day I moved forward. Every small step mattered.”
She hopes her story encourages other parents to find their own version of balance and ambition.
“I hope my kids see that you can accomplish anything when you put your mind to it. Motherhood doesn’t slow you down. It gives you a new reason to go further.”
Watch the Film
Miles After Motherhood is more than a racing film. It’s a love letter to resilience, family, and the freedom found on two wheels.
Through late nights, early mornings, and 76 miles of Utah singletrack, Rachel Strait redefines what it means to be strong as an athlete, a mother, and a human.
Watch the full film: Miles After Motherhood
Learn more about the Ari Signal Peak ari-bicycles.com
Rachel Strait on Instagram: @rachelstrait1
Ari Bicycles on Instagram: @ari.bikes
DHaRCO Apparel: www.dharco.com
MEKA Pouches: www.mekapouches.com