Q & A for Me

What was your background as an athlete?Surprisingly enough, I had no background in sports.  I was only a kid with too much energy.  None of my family members were into sports.   What do you like about racing, training?I love to push my body to its limits.  The feeling of adrenaline I get just before a competition and the rush I get when I do well.   What are your goals and what motivates you?I’m always pushing myself to reach a higher level.  Success motivates me.  I want to set up a good future for myself.  My competition also motivates me.   Who did you look up to as a young athlete?  What other books or people influenced you?I looked up to Florian Rousseau who was France’s top track cyclist in the mid nineties.  He had such intensity when he raced and you could see it in his eyes.   On your blog on your website you said that we are all surrounded by negative people and influences and that it’s important to never believe the negative people around you.  When did you make this discovery and how has it helped you?I’ve come to realize this over the last few years that a lot of people try to discourage dreams because they don’t believe in themselves and those around them.  Those are the people who live life just going through the paces with no passion.  I use that negative energy as motivation to push harder to live my dream.   Did you really have to sneak out of the house at 3 AM to train, until your parents kicked you out?When I first started cycling I had to do that a few times.  After awhile, my parents relented.  I even got grounded once for going on a 16 mile bike ride with my best friend.  My father was angry with me because I went for that bike ride instead of going to church.   Describe what kind of excitement you feel in important races.  Usually in big races like the World Championships or Olympics, there are a lot of build-up and hype in the media.  Those hype and expectations make me nervous and stressed out sometimes.  It is tough to cope with but I like that feeling of intensity.   How much risk have you taken in your career in life?  How often have you failed and faced serious setbacks?  How important has taking these risks been?Oh man, my failures lists a lot longer than my success.  I think that in order to succeed, you have to have failure.  It also gives success a lot more meaning.  The same is with risk.  If you take a risk and it pays off, the feeling of success is heightened.  I took a risk by choosing sport over the more traditional and safe bet which would have been getting a degree.  But now I get a lot of my parent’s friends having an admiration for me because I stand out with my accomplishments and what I’ve done with my life.   How do you handle the daily grind of intense training?I take care of my body by eating well and having good recovery.  I do a lot of ice bath hydro -(hot/cold) therapy.   I also get weekly sports massage.  All of this is vital for recovery, not only physically but also mentally.   How often do you visualize and focus on your goals?Not enough!   I have been distracted lately with things outside of sport and I need to refocus for next week’s world cup!