What are they having crises about? Conflicts with family life? Or just a plain "argh, is this it"-crisis? To my mind somebody who races and still manages to have a family has achieved more than someone who has all the time in the world to race but no wife or kids.
It may just be that they think that you as a woman (or just as a person - fancy that
) are a better listener, and being a cyclist yourself you understand the problem more than their non-cycling spouses. I have a lot of male friends, and I appreciate it when they feel they can talk to me about some things because I'm sort of one of the guys but still a woman with a woman's point of view.
But that's no licence to dump all their angst on you, 'f course.
Winter riding is much less about badassery and much more about bundle-uppery. - malkin
1995 Kona Cinder Cone commuterFrankenbike/Selle Italia SLR Lady Gel Flow
2008 white Nakamura Summit Custom mtb/Terry Falcon X
2000 Schwinn Fastback Comp road bike/Specialized Jett