Teaming in Temecula! by SimplyStu

Editor's Note:  Recently several Team RaceAthlete's had the chance to ride with the Stars at a cycling camp in California. This is the first in a series of reports from the team.

It all started with a simple idea. What would happen if you put the best equipment and training in the hands of an average age grouper? The idea seemed simple enough. What followed has been anything but!

 

For the first few months most of the work was getting the team in place. While this might  seem easy, it was a great deal of work. Who do you pick? What criteria do you use? What dynamics would work best? The internet community actually had a great hand in picking the last 3 members of the team and I must say, they were a big help. A few months after staring, the final eight member team was in place. With the members picked it was time to look back and see if the original goal was still in place? Did the team represent the average age groupers? The first test was a trip to Temecula, California with four of the eight members.

 

Time to see if Team RaceAthlete was on track.  Although some of the team members had met before, Temecula served as a team bonding opportunity. The plans were simply and as Bolder said so well "no matter what happens, if I can just ride with my team, that will be perfect." You be the judge. Read about the weekend and see if the team is on track!

 

Stu's account of the Temecula weekend:

 

On Friday about 3am I woke without the alarm. Come on. You know on race day you never need an alarm. I jumped out of bed, took a shower and headed to the car for the 2 hour ride to Chicago. After driving about 60 miles the phone rang. It was Ironwil. She had already landed in Chicago and was just checking in. We were both so excited and could hardly contain the excitement. We ended up talking almost the last hour of my ride. I hung up the phone, parked the car and made my way to the gate. We ended up sitting together and talking the entire flight. The flight went so quick and was hysterical to say the least. You see, Ironwil has seen the mountains only a few tim es, so each time we had a glimpse of them, she let out a nice loud "WOW!" 

 

San Diego is one of my favorite cities. I just love it, so as soon as I could exit to feel the warmth of the sun I did! I looked to the sun and let out a nice loud "YES!" I love the sun and warm temperatures. I continued to enjoy the warmth as the team met. It was so awesome to see Bolder and finally meet Michelle face to face. All I can say is she is the real deal. She is a gem as you will see in Madison come September.

 

Once in the van the dynamics changed. The team bonded and something remarkable happened. I'm not sure how to explain this, but I will try my best. It came from Scott from BMC. He started talking about being part of the BMC family. HUH? What? Us? Do you mean Team RaceAthlete? We are really part of BMC? What? I don't get it? The conversation turned quickly to laughter with some witty comments by Michelle. For now the "Family" comments where put on the back burner, but they would be revisited in a powerful way later during the trip.

The van ride to Temecula was fun as conversation went from subject to subject. The team continued to bond as we found out more and more about each other. I was so intrigued by all the members and was hoping this continued. As we pulled into the parking lot, chaos started. We were informed that Floyd Landis (Tour de France World Champions), Melanie McQuaid (XTERRA World Champion), and Tyler Stewart (Inside Triathlon Amateur of the year), and the amazing Will Smith would be riding if we could get our bikes put together. You have to read Bolder's comments on his Blog to fully appreciate the situation.

 

Luck was on our side as the bikes got put together and all the riders where in place. Here we are. Team RaceAthlete riding with Floyd, Mel, and Tyler. It was so unbelievable. The setting was perfect. The feeling was amazing. The ride was just perfect. As we turned the corner out of the hotel, we had about a 1/2 mile climb. I made my way up to the front, and was riding the wheel of Mel for a few minutes. The pace was very slow (thank you so much) so I made my way to Floyd's wheel. I looked over to him and actually started to laugh. What was I doing? Was I really here? I continued to ride and enjoy everything about the ride. As the ride continued Bolder came up on my right side and it was at that moment I felt a huge rush of emotion. I looked over to him and I'm sure he was feeling the same way. The rush from the current situation. The feeling of being part of something. The feeling of being part of a once in a life time opportunity with Team RaceAthlete. 

 

The ride continued for several miles and at one point the riders off the front stopped to wait for the rest of us. What was going on? I felt a bit tense. Were they going to be upset that they needed to wait? Would they give you the "come on you guys, pick it up" look? Would eyes roll? This is when it happened. I rode up to Melanie McQuaid and she just smiled. A sincere smile. She looked at me and said "what a great day for a ride." This was one of those moments that I will never forget. If you don't ever get a chance to meet Melanie, Floyd, Tyler, or Will you will miss meeting four incredible pro athletes that all

have one thing in common. The love of sport. 

 

The ride continued and ended way too soon. It was a quick 1 1/2 hour ride in the mountains that left me speechless. It was not from being "star-struck." It was just from being part of something so incredible. As we made it back to the parking lot, we where told to get ready for dinner at 5pm. My expectations had been met and anything left for the weekend would be icing. What happened next was very unexpected. Scott from BMC came up to me and asked me how the bike felt. Here was all the pro athletes standing around and he asked me about the new TT02. How did it feel? What did I think. How did it feel on the road? We talked for a few minutes and as he turned to walk away, he said "welcome to the BMC family." HUH? Me? What? I really never expected that. Part of a family? A group of average athletes part of a family? 

 

This is when I realized that the entire RaceAthlete community has a great year just waiting.

At dinner we picked a table and chatted about the ride. The entire team remained in a daze from the ride, but things only got better as Floyd and Robbie Ventura sat next to us at the table. The weird thing is that they talked as if they where just another biker on a training ride. At some level I really think that is how they feel. We where active participants in the conversation and got to laugh at

Floyd and Robbie's stories. They are both very funny. The comment that really floored me was when Floyd said that he was going to follow Team RaceAthlete. 

 

The next day we had a 3+ hour ride planned. I was so excited to get back on the bike and get to know the team better. I had already talked with Bolder a lot and was continuing to enjoy this journey. The ride started just as the previous day. I rode with David from CycleOPS. It was awesome to see him and his love of cycling. At one point he took his hands off the bars, and started to mess with his jersey. We had to be going 20mph, and he had no fear. We chatted and he looked over to me and said "hope you are having a good time Stu. Just enjoy!" Since this was a longer ride, the pros would ride with us for awhile, and than ride off the front. 

 

I kept thinking that was the last time we would see them. Somehow, however, they would circle around and find us again. As the ride continued the team bond was set in a special moment. It was set on a long climb called Couser Canyon. The view was amazing. The mountains all around.

Bolder was off the front about 300 yards as Michelle and I rode together for about a mile going up the climb. I kept looking back at her and up at Bolder.  It was at that time that Team RaceAthlete was set. Yes we had met each other. Yes we had talked on the phone. That was all well and good, but it was at that moment when I looked at Bolder and back at Michelle and thought about a quote from Muhammad Ali (One of Bolder's Favorites and now one of mine):

 

"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

 

I smiled at Michelle as sweat poured from my face. I thought about Ironwil, Michelle, Bolder and the rest of the RaceAthlete Team. We ARE a team now. Team is an easy word to say, but a hard word to mean. With the help and encouragement from all the Team RaceAthlete members from around the country and world, I know that we all feel privileged to represent "age groupers." I just hope we make you proud. I really think we are on track so let the journey continue. 

 

It looks like Ironwil, Michelle, Bolder, Stu, Chris and maybe more RaceAthlete members will get to meet up with our extended family in Wildflower just 12 weeks away. I hope to see you at the races. Just as Scott from BMC said so well - "Welcome to the Family." So now I say to you "Welcome one and all to the Team RaceAthlete family."

 

So just do it. Just meet us all in Wildflower. Do the Olympic, do the ½ Iron distance, or just come and watch. We promise to introduce you to the entire team. We are a team and more importantly a growing family, so come join the journey and make our weekend even better. We may even have space left in the RVs (we currently have 3), so let us know if you are looking for a place to stay and maybe we can add more!

 

Want more from SimplyStu?  You can find him at Simply Stu's wickedly cool Triathlon Podcasts!

Comments

[Rural Girl]

Right on Stu. You sum up in words exactly what my head is screaming. Hope to see you all at Wildflower.

[moonpie]

So excited for you guys...especially my man Stu! Congrats - you deserve it so much :)

[Flatman]

and what a cool family it is....

[Mal aka Gaza Running]

Great Story Stu
Amazing bonding experience another Race Athlete first
Cheers
Mal

[Stephen Waits]

Cool story..

BTW, "were" does not have an 'h' in it.

--Steve

[ridinfences]

What an experience, thanks for sharing it with us. Can't wait for Wildflower-its going to be a blast.

[bold]

I'm all about the meetup Stu. And, it was great finally getting a chance to ride with you, Michelle and Tracy!

WILDFLOWER!!

USE YOUR TIME WELL.

[Susan]

I'm sitting at my kitchen table eating dinner and reading this and my internet radio is playing Chicago "Just you and me" - with the line "you are my inspiration". I have to say that you guys are and also, to be personal, I looked at a picture on the bulletin board above the table as well. It's my husband finishing 3rd in our first try-a-tri in 2005. We are all so lucky to have discovered this.

[TriFilmer]

This team just rocks! It was great being there with you, and Floyd, and Melanie, Tyler, Will, everyone involved!

Hopefully, we'll get everyone together soon!

[Deke 12000 Simply Stu Listener]

Did you meet the "bassman" Stan from Texas at Temecula? He is my spin instructor at Lifetime in Allen Texas. I heard about the Temecula weekend from him and his ride up Palomar. He said his group got a 30 minute head start on the 42 Miles... and Floyd caught him with 2 miles left to go! Sounds like it was a great time. Keep up the Great Podcasts. I am a tri guy in Texas (55) in my second year of having the time of my life.