Category 2 Road, Category 3 Cyclocross

 

YearsRiding/Racing: Ironically, as a young kid I was a bit of a slow starter when it came to riding my bike. It took me a long time to ditch training wheels and I was always terrified of crashing (some things never change). That said, once I started I was hooked.

 

Why I started Cycling: I started riding because in rural Vermont it was a necessity. I started riding to see friends, 10 miles each way on dirt roads, and I really grew to love it. It was such a freeing experience to be able to get where I needed to go without relying on cars. Once in high school I started riding to school 13 miles each way. It really felt like an adventure each time and was way better than taking the bus which had to go a round about way to drop everyone off. I would often beat it home! Once in college I started racing and the rest is history.

 

Keys to Success in Cycling: Discipline is key, particularly as you get older and have more and more responsibilities. I’ve always been a bit of a disciple of the Eddy Merckx school of training (“Ride Lots”), and when I was younger it worked pretty well but now I am starting to try to plan my training out more. Having a group of friends and teammates who are really excited to ride is also key. I feed off the energy of those around me and when I surround myself with people who are keen to ride and race a lot I really benefit from that.

 

Other Activities and Hobbies: Riding takes up a ton of time, and outside of hanging out with my wife and son there is little else I would rather do than ride my bike. When I do take a break from the bike I enjoy hiking, alpine and nordic skiing, and I read a lot.

 

Goals for 2014 and Beyond: Find a new balance. My wife Kristen and I recently welcomed our son Simon into the world and it has introduced a whole new set of challenges into my life. Lack of sleep, less time to ride, less time to prepare excellent food, and all the other normal new parent challenges make riding tough. Cycling has been a part of our lives from the beginning and with my family’s blessing I am going to continue racing for as long as it is practical. Beyond finding my balance, I just want to support my teammates on the Aetna-Expo Wheelmen as best I can and even if we don’t always win or podium to ensure we are always a factor in every race we enter. I also want to work to make sure we are a positive influence on the cycling community and inspire others who have busy lives to strive towards their fitness goals