Name: Alison Kerr
Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland
How did you get into cycling? I used to run marathons and a friend said they thought I’d also be good on a bike, so when my ancient commuting bike needed replaced I bought a road bike in September 2019. But the traffic on the Glasgow roads I commuted on scared me, so the bike never got much use.
Fast forward to empty lockdown roads in April 2020 and I loved the freedom to escape the daily grind of lockdown/homeschooling/still working full time that the bike brought. I gained confidence on the bike and when traffic reappeared I held my road position and felt safe enough to ride IRL.
How many years have you been racing on Zwift? Since October 2020. I was concerned that lockdown would become a total lockdown/no leaving the house situation. So I bought a smart turbo in September 2020, discovered Zwift, and then the Zwift Riders Scotland team. I got utterly hooked on the social aspect, the ability to meet new people and make friends. Feeling like I was leaving the house mentally if not physically was a huge thing.
I saw a post about ZRL season 2 and took part with Zwift Riders Scotland January 2021 and loved racing as part of a team. It was perfect for childcare whilst my son was younger. I could still ride for several hours but be in the house, even helping him with homework and dictating spelling words at him to write down!
Are you part of a Virtual team? I’m in several and do different things with each. I now mainly ride WTRL TTT with Zwift Riders Scotland, I mainly race ZRL and some TTTs with Wahoo Esports ladies A, and love taking part in ladies team events, ZRL recons and mixed ladder with Level Velo.
What do you love most about racing? Racing in a team event. Especially cross category events where all categories add points. Knowing you are contributing to a team really makes me work harder. Hearing teammates’ voices as we ride makes me smile… although what the DS is telling me to do does not always make me smile! The friendly chat and banter in races is also great. Even in ladies A races, the riders can post jokes and have a laugh during it. Overall the Zwift racing world is an awesome, supportive community to be part of.
What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? I adore TTTs, knowing each pull you do helps, or even when you have given your all and just have to sit in and be part of the momentum. I think it is because I’m calmer, knowing none of my teammates are actively trying to drop me, not like in a standard race where competitors are. I can simply focus on my rotations and pulls.
What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? Current active series has to be Tour de Boudicca, Karla and the Warrior Games do so much to encourage all categories of ladies to try their hardest and push themselves to discover just what they can achieve whilst being in a super supportive setting. When Zwift Riders Scotland had no other A cat ladies able to take part, Karla helped find me a team for 2 years in a row. That’s how I first met Mim and some of the Level Velo ladies.
What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? In a Herd ladies series from back in 2021 I was dropped on the Legsnapper alongside one other rider I did not know. We gave each other a thumbs up and 2-up TT’d it to the finish line. We commented on each other’s activities in the app and that was the start of a hugely supportive friendship with my wonderful friend Bella (of the inspiring SeekTravelRide podcast) whom I’ve been lucky enough to visit twice in the Pyrenees and ride IRL.
She introduced me to other brilliant female riders Kirsty and Brandi, and for 4 years we’ve been a wonderful virtual and IRL support to each other despite us at times being in Oregon, Australia and UK. All from working with an unknown rider after getting dropped in a race. I don’t have a memorable outside race experience… yet. My 2025 resolution was to try an IRL race and I’ve just signed up to a hilly irl iTT in Scotland in March.
What is your favourite food to eat post race? Tuesday night is burger night in our house, so post ZRL it is usually a burger.
What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Message to say hi/good luck in the pen and I bet others reply to you and just that wee act will make you feel part of a community. Don’t be nervous, it is just 1 race, there are plenty of different styles of them on plenty of different types of routes. I’m sure you’ll find one that you enjoy.
Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? The Rhino team have a really interesting mixed gender 2-up TT race starting in March. And I really, really hope that Herd do their “no spring chicken” race series March/April again. They held it last year with a ladies category and I adored the fact that my added years gave me some sort of bonus/payback.
