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Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor, owner of Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor near Washington, DC, flies down a gravel road during GRUSK 2025 in West Virginia wearing her custom pink, blue, and white team kit with the studio name and rainbow socks, race number 436 on her handlebars and a dust cloud trailing behind her. Photographer Bruce Buckley. Used with permission.

Elizabeth Taylor: Gravel Cyclist and Mountain Biker

I am an endurance athlete.
I can do hard things.
I will learn from my experiences.
I do what was once impossible.

~Elizabeth Taylor

My mantra grew out of taking Peloton classes with Christine D’Ercole and shaped my understanding of who I am and what I am capable of as a cyclist and athlete. When I doubt whether I belong at a race or event, I repeat “I am an endurance athlete.” When I’m chasing a competitor and my legs are burning, I repeat: I can do hard things. When I make a mistake, I reframe it as a growth opportunity: I will learn from my experiences. And when I’m climbing up a mountain, I smile big knowing that I do what was once impossible.

As Christine D’Ercole reminds us in class, the words we say to ourselves matter. That’s as true at the start line as it is anywhere else in life.

How I Became a Gravel Racer: The Dirty Kitten Gravel Race and a Starting Line Perspective Shift

My very first race was the Dirty Kitten Gravel Race (DKGR) in 2022. I was scared. My goals were modest: don’t crash, don’t get heat illness, and have fun. When I pulled up to the starting line, the women next to me mentioned it was their first gravel group ride. Something shifted in my brain immediately. I thought, “I’m not going to finish last. Let’s go!”

I treated the whole event like a race from that moment forward and loved every minute of it. I was high for five days afterward. I met all three of my original objectives and discovered that I love racing my gravel bike!

I had been working with my gravel coach Jill Patterson since August 2021. Jill is a UCI Gran Fondo World Champion and three-time USA Gran Fondo National Champion who knew the Dirty Kitten course inside and out. She won the elite category in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Having Jill as a coach from the very beginning made all the difference in helping me feel brave enough to sign up for that first race. She prepared me mentally, physically, and tactically for DKGR and every race that has followed.

I’ve been racing ever since.

Gravel Racing in LGBTQ+ Pride and Trans Pride Colors across the Mid-Atlantic

I compete in a branded Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor jersey in trans pride colors paired with rainbow socks. I wear this kit at gravel races and mountain bike events throughout the Mid-Atlantic — in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland — including at rural race venues and training destinations where LGBTQ+ and trans visibility are less common.

I do this deliberately. You’d be surprised how many compliments I get on the socks, even far from Washington, DC. Visibility matters, and I want to represent, including on race day.

If you’re a trans cyclist, a nonbinary rider, or a trans-allied athlete who has seen the kit at an event or my team name “Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor” on BikeReg, welcome! Several of my clients are cyclists themselves, ranging from enthusiastic hobbyists to serious competitors.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Gravel Race Results and Podium Finishes

Podiuming in Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor Team Kit

After a successful gravel racing season in 2024, I designed a team kit featuring my business, Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, with my motto, “Let Me Transform You.” Since I work with the trans community, I used trans pride colors and butterflies, which symbolize personal transformation, on the jersey.

Camp Michaux Gravel Grinder — Women’s 40-49 — June 2026

Elizabeth Taylor places third in the women's 40-49 age group at the Camp Michaux Gravel Grinder Half in 2026. She is representing Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, which offers makeovers for trans women and those exploring their femme side.
Elizabeth Taylor places third at the Camp Michaux Gravel Grinder 2026, half distance, in the women’s 40-49 age group.

Roughneck Gravel Roubaix — Athena — May 2026

Elizabeth Taylor places first in the women's Athena category at Roughneck Gravel Roubaix, 62 miles, in 2026. She is representing Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, which offers makeovers for trans women and those exploring their femme side.
Elizabeth Taylor places first in the Athena category at Roughneck Gravel Roubaix 2026 in the 62 mile distance.

Gravista Gravel Race — Women’s 40-49 — May 2025

Elizabeth Taylor places third in the Women's Worthy 30 at Gravista 2025 in the Women's 40-49 age group. She is wearing her team kit representing Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, a MtF transformation service located near Washington, DC.
Elizabeth Taylor places third in the Women’s 40-49 age group category at the Gravista Worthy 30 in 2025.

My First Full Year of Gravel Racing in 2024

I landed on the podium five times in my first full season of intentional racing, from March through August 2024. These successes inspired me to design my Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor team kit in trans pride colors.

Lost River Classic — Athena — August 2024

Elizabeth Taylor placed first in the Athena class at the Lost River Classic 2024, medium course. She races under her business name, Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, which provides MtF makeover and photography services.
Elizabeth Taylor placed first in the Athena class at the Lost River Classic 2024, medium course.

Dirty Kitten Gravel Race — Women’s Open — July 2024

In a crowded field, Elizabeth Taylor places fifth at the Dirty Kitten Gravel Race 2024 in the 40 mile race. She wears a tie dye tshirt and a green skort. he races under her business name, Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, which provides MtF makeover and photography services near Washington, DC.
Elizabeth Taylor placed fifth on a five-deep podium at the Dirty Kitten Gravel Race 2024 in the 40 mile race.

Rothrock Grit — Athena — June 2024

Elizabeth Taylor placed first in the Athena category at the Rothrock Grit long course in 2024. She races under her business name, Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, which provides MtF makeover and photography services in the Mid-Atlantic.
Elizabeth Taylor placed first in the Athena category at the Rothrock Grit long course in 2024.

Whipple Dam Gravel Race — Athena — April 2024

Elizabeth Taylor placed first in the Athena category at the Whipple Dam Gravel Race in 2024. She races under her business name, Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, which provides MtF makeover and photography services in the Mid-Atlantic.
Elizabeth Taylor placed first in the Athena category at the Whipple Dam Gravel Race in 2024.

Croatan Buck Fifty Short Course — Women’s 40-49 — March 2024
My first podium ever!

Elizabeth Taylor placed fourth at the Croatan Buck Fifty race in 2024 in the 50 mile distance in the Women's 40-49 age group. This was her first gravel racing podium. She races under her business name, Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor, which provides MtF makeover and photography services in the Mid-Atlantic.
Elizabeth Taylor placed fourth on a five-deep podium at the Croatan Buck Fifty race in 2024 in the 50 mile distance in the Women’s 40-49 age group.

My Coaching Team for Gravel Cycling and Mountain Biking

Just as my clients come to me for coaching and personal progression, I invest in coaches to better myself. The coaching relationship is both personal and professional: having a good personality match and communication style matter as much as technical expertise.

Gravel coaching: Jill Patterson of Jill Patterson Cycling Coaching — UCI Gran Fondo World Champion and three-time USA Gran Fondo National Champion. Jill has been my cycling coach since August 2021.

Mountain bike skills coaching: Harlan Price of TakeAim Cycling, with training at Western Slope of Massanutten and Bryce Bike Park; Shanna Powell of Endless Bike Girl, with whom I completed skills rides at Pisgah and DuPont State Recreational Forest in North Carolina; and Marlie Smith of All In MTB at Pocahontas State Park.

My Mid-Atlantic Cycling and Mountain Biking Playground

Gravel and road: Events and training throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland. I love training for gravel events in Michaux Forest near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Mountain bike coaching locations: Pisgah National Forest and DuPont State Recreational Forest in North Carolina; Pocahontas State Park, the Western Slope of Massanutten, and Bryce Resort in Virginia.

Mountain bike riding: Montgomery County, Maryland and Patapsco State Park cross-country MTB trails. I occasionally ride the Frederick Watershed when I’m feeling brave and surrounded by even braver women.

I’d Love to Help You Achieve What Was Once Impossible at my Mid-Atlantic MtF Makeover Studio

Preparing for a race takes dedicated time, consistent practice, and mental toughness. If you are a trans woman, crossdresser, or genderfluid, seeing yourself en femme for the first time and possibly even going out in public can be daunting. In both cases, the mental work matters as much as the physical preparation, and a good coach makes all the difference.

I bring what I’ve learned on the bike to our time together at Makeovers with Elizabeth Taylor: the discipline of preparation, the value of expert coaching, the power of a mantra when things get hard, and the belief that you too can do what was once impossible.

Read more about me, Elizabeth Taylor, at my bio. Learn more about my MtF makeover services with trans women, crossdressers, and genderfluid people. Check out resources for the trans community. Check out my gravel and MTB adventures on Instagram.

Check out Elizabeth Taylor’s MtF Makeover Services here →

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