The Transition

     At the end of my 2012 season, I had achieved my long time goal, World Champion in XTERRA off-road Triathlon in the 15-19 age group, as well as Overall Amateur World Champion. Although I had been training to be a triathlete ever since I was 5 or 6, I found that my performance on the bike was superior to that in the water or running. 

    Leading into the 2013 season, there were many people who thought I should continue being a triathlete.  I was even offered pro status, but I knew that my time as a triathlete was coming to a close.  I had decided to focus on cycling.

     When my season started in the Nor Cal High School Mountain Bike series I had no idea that it would escalate to me racing on the National team in 4 different countries.  In the beginning of the season I had not yet decided to focus on mountain biking, so I decided to try out some local criteriums.  I continued to race on the road and on the World Cups including Germany and the Czech Republic.  I then realized I would have to spend more time focusing on the mountain bike rather than on the road for a little while. 

     Although I knew mountain biking would be my main focus for the season, I could not keep myself away from the thrill of racing on the road for half my season until I received the message from Marc Gullickson.  He offered me a position with the Junior MTB National Team in two world cups.   Not long after coming back from my first two world cups, I entered the Nevada City Classic Criterium and won the junior race, then followed it up with Leesville Gap Road Race (elite cat 3/4s) and won the day in a sprint to the line with 4 other men.  Well, after a fourth place finish in the Mont Saint Anne World Cup in Canada, I finished up my 2013 season with Cross Country MTB World Champs in South Africa.

     This brings me to today, finishing my High School cross-country running season with state champs, in which I placed 8th place in the division 2 varsity race and ran a 15:29 5k. My main focus is to have an outstanding season on both the Mountain and Road Bike.  I am so excited and grateful to be a part of the Jr. Team and I am really looking forward to working with my new teammates and coaches.