The Team Priority Health Masters Team never enters a race without a plan for Team success. And although I am reluctant to publically expose all of our Team’s strategies and “secret weapons”, if Michigan Masters bike racers don’t have enough sense to keep an eye on Loren Simmons, then the finer points of our race [...]
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I started racing a bike in the mid 1970's as cross training for hockey. But, my cycling career really took off when I went to Michigan State University because there was an amazing concentration of very good bike racers there at the time, including Jeff Pierce who eventually competed in the Tour De France with the 7-11 Cycling Team. After graduating from MSU I went to University of Wisconsin in Madison to pursue my graduate degree and I continued to race. Madison is a great bike town and the Super Week races and Milk Race were right in my backyard. Probably my best results were in 1984 when I placed 2nd in the Wisconsin State TT Championship followed by a 3rd in the State Road Race Championship. I raced until the late 1980's when I gave it up to pursue my career, raise a family and coach my 2 sons in hockey. A career move brought me to Grand Rapids from the Detroit area in 2005. It eventually became apparent that Grand Rapids is a great bike town which sparked me to get back on a bike a few years ago. I lost 30 lbs and start racing again last year. |
| Age: | 53 |
| Hometown: | My hometown is Wyandotte, MI and I currently live in Grand Rapids, MI |
| What‘s your history? | My favorite races were Super Week in Wisconsin. The Tour of Minnesota is up there too. I think it was only held once in the early 1980's. It was an honest to goodness 7 day stage race that started in the Twin Cites and hit pretty much every major ciy in eastern Minnesota. We raced from one city to the next every day with a crit, TT or Team TT thrown in for good measure. |
| Tell us about a memorable race experience. | Probably my most memorable racing experience was competing against Greg LeMond. Back in the early 1980's (remember it was pre-cell phones, internet AND Lance) we heard vague rumours of this junior phenomenon from Reno, California named Greg Lemond. Supposedly he was so good he was racing and winning Senior Cat 1-2 races. "Just wait until he races in the midwest and competed against the top racers in the country. We'll show the kid what bike racing is all about." Well he showed up to Super Week and entered the Cat 1-2 Holy Hill Road Race. All the top riders and teams were there and he Single-handily trashed us. I knew then this kid was going to be good but I never dreamed he'd be that good. |
| What are 3 adjectives that describe your approach to your sport? | Competitive, Curious, Thankful |
| What are nutritional tips you use to gain optimum performance? | Eat REAL food. |
| Give us some inspiration! | I was a fat little kid and bike racing helped me get fit. I turned into a fat middle aged man and bike racing has helped me get fit again. |
| What is your single most important goal this year? | Improve my fitness over last year and have fun racing with my new teammates. |
| Complete this sentence: The thing I love most about competing is______________________. | achieving more than I ever thought possible. |
Author Archives: Peter O'BrienLast Word on the Priority Health Master Team’s Hypothermia Ride?By now you’ve all heard about the Master Team’s Up Nort’ Hypothermia Ride. But, I thought it would be interesting to see the infamous day through the eyes of of Joe Kuchnicki, President of the Harbor Springs Snowmobile Club.
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Warm Days = Fast LegsMike Walden the legendary Wolverine Sports Club cycling coach had two spring training rules to safeguard the knees of young bike racers:
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Team Work a Priority for Team Priority HealthThe French refer to the Individual Time Trial as “The Race of Truth” because unlike a road race or a criterium it is just the rider against the clock; no drafting and no support from teammates. But, my recent experience at the Willow Time Trial highlighted the value of a supportive team even in an [...]
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Confessions of an Indoor Trainer HaterYes it’s true. I am an indoor trainer hater. I am reluctant to admit this ant-social/cycling behavior because I see myself as a tolerant/inclusive person. Also, with the overwhelming popularity of indoor trainers, I fear that if I admit I hate the darn things I will be shunned by the greater cycling community.
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Smith Rules the SlopesWe all know our sponsor Smith Optics make great sunglasses for cycling.
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No Off-Season from an Active LifeRecently I was splitting wood to get a good warm-up for my first cross country skiing outing of the season and it hit me…
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Priority Health Masters Take Top Team HonorsI just completed my first season racing with the Priority Health Masters Elite Team and am very proud of our Team’s accomplishment – Top Master Men’s 45+ Team in the Michigan Challenge Race Series
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Athletic Mentors Provides Great Information on Correcting Digestive IssuesWhen Eddy Merckx, widely considered the greatest bicycle racer in the history of the sport, was asked in a 2004 interview what made him so great he replied:
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