Community Spotlight
Sullivan > Westridge
Take The Bridge started 7 years ago in NYC, as an outlet to give runners another option for racing and to bring the community together. The races are now thrown worldwide, from Melbourne to London, and now LA.
We went for a ride with Darcy to learn more about her and Take The Bridge.
1) The Basics
Name: Darcy Budworth
Instagram: @darcybud
Community Initiative: Take The Bridge
Instagram: @takethebridge
Website: https://www.takethebridge.us
2) What is your first memory of riding?
My ex-husband bought me a bike for my birthday one year. I did not ride and thought, WTF, there are MANY other things I would have liked with this money. He took me on a ride over the George Washington Bridge and on to River Road in New Jersey. The end of the River Road has this famous steep climb. When we got to the top I remember being so gassed and pissed off. I vowed to never ride again!
3) What's your favorite place to ride/run?
NYC: There is nothing like running through the streets of NYC, in the traffic, running with the lights, jumping over guard rails. It’s thrilling and it makes you feel alive! LA: I LOVE to climb. My favorite climb is Latigo. You go with a group and just grind for 8 (or is it 9) miles. The group may split up, but with all the switchbacks and the expansive open views, you can see each other no matter where each person is on the climb and still feel like a pack.
4) Without Riding or Running I’d be…
Running, and now riding, are my outlets. It gives me time to myself to just chill and live in the moment. I have always struggled with anxiety, and I find both to be my main outlet to reset and help me get through whatever struggles I'm dealing with.
5) NY or LA? What’s Better? You have one sentence to make your point.
LA. Canyon Roads over 9W and River Road ANY day.
6) After a long ride you…
Have a beer . . . and Tacos . . . or Pizza.
7) Breakfast or Dinner? What's Chef Darcy's specialty?
Dinner. I love tacos, and I can make a killer guacamole.
8) What is your favorite bridge?
The Golden Gate at 5 am when the bridge first opens. You have the bridge to yourself. It’s dark out, so it still feels like night. And there is this thick fog that makes everything feel like magic.
9) Finally, Tell us more about Take The Bridge
Take The Bridge started 7 years ago in NYC, as an outlet to give runners another option for racing and to bring the community together. It is structured like an alley cat race. We give you a spot to show up at race night, and when you arrive, we chalk the start/finish line and then give you a number of checkpoints. How you get from the start to the checkpoints and back to the finish is up to each runner. Jumping barricades, running through someone else's back yard to cut the course, nothing is off-limits. Locals have a home-field advantage because they know all the shortcuts. No set distance, no mile markers; it forces runners to race in their element, and I fucking love it. The races are now thrown worldwide, from Melbourne to London, and now LA.“
We asked Darcy to share a playlist that best represents her and what she listens to while running or riding.