Nat Ross got started by cross-country ski racing in his hometown of Winter
Park, Colorado. "Our coach wanted us to order bikes to cross train. We put
a team order together and had Ross Mt. Hoods 15-speed mountain bikes show
up a few weeks later. We were hooked."
Ross eventually turned pro, but after two years his mountain bike team
dissolved when its sponsor stopped supporting the industry. So he stopped
racing professionally and got a job as a high school science teacher.
"I taught chemistry, biology, and physics for five years, but really missed
racing my bike." He started racing again, got a position on a sponsored factory
team and hasn't looked back.
In 2005, Ross had top three finishes in the 100 Mile NORBA National Championships,
the 24 Hours of Moab and the 24 Hour World Solo Championships. He now makes
a living racing his bike.
Ross specializes in endurance cross-country events. Endurance events range
from marathons (four-hour races) to 24-hour races.
"Most 24-hour races are held on a 10-mile long track that typically has
about 1,000 feet of climbing per lap," explains Ross. "These races start at
noon on a Saturday and end at noon on Sunday. They are very physically demanding
on the body.
"On a fast course I can end up racing 300 miles in one day and climb 30
thousand vertical feet. That's the equilavent of (riding) climbing Everest
on a bike one and a half times in one day!"
It takes a lot of training and and discipline to compete in these events.
"Getting paid to ride your bike is the best job in the world," says Ross.
"However, your body is your temple. You need to rest eight to 10 hours each
night, train 30 hours a week, stay healthy and fit.
"If you are unable to race, you don't get paid. So, I have to be very careful
not to get hurt or do anything stupid. This means not doing certain activities
like skateboarding, kayaking, etc. during the race season."
Although most of his races are in North America, Ross does get to race
in Europe a few times a year.
"Racing in other countries is a very special experience. You get to travel
to these amazing places and most countries value cycling as much as our country
does football, baseball or Nascar. We get treated like heroes overseas. Signing
autographs is a trip!"
When Leslie Tomlinson was hit by a car while training for the 1992 Olympics,
it looked like her competitive road cycling career was over.
As a 1990 national champion, Tomlinson's chances of making the Olympic
cycling team were promising. While her dream of making it to the Olympics
was crushed, Tomlinson did make a slow but steady recovery against all odds.
Two years later, Tomlinson placed second in the national road championships.
And the Olympic dream that was shattered after her accident came true when
she traveled to Atlanta as a member of the 1996 Olympic team. This time, however,
Tomlinson came back riding a mountain bike instead of a 10-speed.
It was a long recovery, but Tomlinson says that her experience in Atlanta
was one she'll never forget. "It was great just being there. The fan support
was wonderful. The...fans were a really excited type -- they had dyed their
hair...and painted their faces. They were screaming and yelling and going
crazy," she remembers.
In 1993 -- well before Atlanta -- Tomlinson made the switch from road cycling
to mountain bike racing. The transition wasn't an easy one, but that didn't
phase Tomlinson.
"With mountain biking, you go out and every day you can see an improvement.
Cycling...is more physically driven. It takes a long time to see results.
"In mountain biking, you're on a trail and you can't ride a slippery log.
The next day you can, and it's like a whole new world. That's why I've stuck
with it -- it's hard, it's grueling -- but there's a lot of satisfaction when
you conquer the elements and the terrain."
Cold, wet weather gives Tomlinson plenty of opportunity to battle nature.
But cycling mountainous terrain through wind and rain isn't her only challenge.
Just getting enough sleep can be difficult for a busy athlete.
"It's a job where you're on the road a lot. There are drawbacks and it's
a bit of an unreal life. You get less time with your friends and family at
home. I guess you find a new family on the road. When you're young it's exciting,
but I've been living this life for [many] years. It gets tiresome."
Despite the hectic schedule, there are some advantages to a career that
involves traveling. "I've been to Hungary, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, England,
South Africa and all around North America. My favorite is Switzerland. I love
the perfect cookie-cutter mountains. The country is so perfect and clear and
green. The cows are even nice," says Tomlinson.