Matt Wilpers: Building a Fitness Community

It’s been a busy year for endurance athlete Matt Wilpers. From taking the plunge to…taking a plunge, Oars + Alps’ Chief Fitness Officer balances hard work and having fun to deliver his best every day. 

Matt was kind enough to let us follow him around for a few days so we could better understand what keeps him going. From the hustle of New York City to rural vistas where he likes to ride, our favorite coach cultivates a vibrant fitness community that shares his grit and optimism.

There’s something special about a group of full-grown adults who consider multiple hours riding a bike an ideal Saturday (and we don’t just mean the fluorescent spandex). Having a supportive social group can help insulate you from a broad range of health risks including dementia and heart disease (1). However, US society is in the midst of an ‘Epidemic of Loneliness’ according to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy (2), and men in particular are struggling to find emotional support and close friendships (3).

So what does all this have to do with cycling and Matt Wilpers? It turns out that male friendships are more likely to flourish through shared activities like shooting hoops, weightlifting, or riding bikes (4). In addition to building strength, endurance, and skill, you’ll be building your community the next time you share a workout with your buddies.

Just like Matt Wilpers and his fellow cyclists, we at Oars + Alps encourage you to Connect your Crew. Stay tuned to our emails and socials for tips from Matt to build your fitness community and for a chance to win some fabulous prizes. We’ll be raffling off:

• A private, personalized coaching session from the phenomenal coaches at Team Wilpers who will take you to the next level in your activity of choice (cycling, running, swimming, strength or triathlon)
• 3 Oars + Alps kits that feature Matt's favorite skincare routines

Head on over to Oars + Alps' Instagram to find out how to enter on our #ConnectYourCrew posts each Sunday of this month.

OH! And if you haven't seen it already, check out the 'The Ride'. It's a short form documentary we made about Matt Wilpers and his teammates riding in the Hincapie Gran Fondo. We hope you find Matt's journey as inspirational as we do.