Jennifer Malik is a few months away from earning a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering from The Ohio State University. But that鈥檚 not the only way she鈥檚 been keeping busy: Malik also became the latest Buckeye to win a national championship.
Malik competes in cyclocross 鈥� a form of off-road bike racing that features grass, dirt, mud, gravel, sand and physical barriers, which require riders to constantly dismount and remount their bikes.
鈥淐yclocross is basically taking your bike over all the things you don鈥檛 think it should go over and then doing it anyway," Malik said.
In January, Malik took home the gold in the Collegiate Club Cyclocross National Championship in Reno, Nevada.
Malik only started competing four years ago, but already she鈥檚 racing in over 30 events per year. She said she uses the sport as a way to unwind from her demanding Ph.D. program.
Malik鈥檚 thesis examines new treatments for patients who experience chronic ear infections, something she researches by using computer models to develop updated drug delivery methods. Her professional goal is to eventually eliminate the need for children to undergo operations for Eustachian ear tubes.
鈥淐yclocross is definitely my escape when I can鈥檛 get a [computer] model to work,鈥� Malik said. 鈥淪ometimes, I just need to take a step away, go outside, ride my bike and burn off that negative energy. Sometimes I even come up with new ideas try in the lab when I鈥檓 on the bike.鈥�
Many of the women Malik competes with have difficult day jobs. She said her female competitors are doctors, biochemists, engineers and other STEM professionals.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting that the women鈥檚 field is dominated by individuals who can manage these rigorous full time jobs, and then also manage full time racing as well,鈥� she said.
Malik said she hopes to eventually make the U.S. Women鈥檚 National Team. The team accepts the top eight riders, and Malik is currently sitting in the top 15.
She also expressed a desire to help other women find joy in cycling. She recently formed a mountain bike team that hopes to encourage other working women to ride.
Malik said the hard part is convincing women that they can, in fact, do it all.
鈥淵ou can keep your full time jobs and still compete on the pro-level,鈥� she said.
Cyclocross requires determination and lots of preparation. Malik trains between 10-18 hours per week by biking, running and practicing yoga for core strength. But no matter how many hours she pours into the activity, she says she has to remind herself why she competes.
鈥淚f you get too obsessive over something, you鈥檙e going to miss the whole reason of why you enjoy doing it,鈥� she said.
