I am a little more than 2 weeks away from being done with school at UNI. All I will have to do is defend my thesis and I will be an official Master of Exercise Physiology! Will be extremely weird not calling myself a student, but it will also be a great change. I wonder what it will feel like to go home on the weeknights or weekends and not have papers to write or study, or go to a coffee shop and just relax! I am looking forward to it!
Training has been going pretty well. Have been doing some minor base work so far, and will continue building up the hours over the next couple months, getting ready for next season.
With nothing much going on in training, I have a bunch of other stuff to say! This past weekend I traveled to Boulder, Colorado for a job interview. This is the mecca of endurance sport in the United States, and was quite the trip. I was interview for a position as a physiologist/coach for FasCat Coaching. This company is owned by Frank Overton, who is a very big household name in coaching and racing across the United States. One of his most notable athletes I believe would be Tom Zirbel. He is growing his business very well, and is in need of a full-time physiologist to conduct metabolic tests on the athletes.
It was the first time I had ever been out of the airport in Colorado, and I fell in love immediately. Spent an afternoon crusing around Boulder and investigating the city. Then had a great dinner at a cycling themed burger joint with Frank and Jason Hilmire, another coach for FasCat. I immediately realized that these two guys are awesome. Very nice, humble, and obviously very talented coaches. The next day, I went for my formal interview day at the performer center. This center is in North Boulder, and is located in an absolutely amazing place. There is an Italian restaurant, a coffee shop, bike shop, FasCat, and a Mexican dinner place in the same strip mall. Everything I would need to be happy. It was also a fun day as local pro and ex-Iowan Amanda Miller came in for her on metabolic test. It was nice to see her again, and met her coach Meredith Miller as well.
Moving on to keep this post shorter, Frank and I went to dinner before I left and flew back to Iowa. During the dinner, he offered me the job! I was so stoked, I am sure if I would have had food in my mouth, I would have choked! This is the job I have wanted my whole life. Not many recent college grads can say they have the job of their dreams right after graduating, and especially in a location such as Boulder. I will be able to coach/work with some of the best athletes in the United States, and also continue my quest as an endurance athlete. I may also try do some research with UC Boulder and get my name published in some scientific journals. It will be a great experience, and I am ready for the challenge.
*Professional Greg Henderson doing some testing (Not a bad client to work with ehh?)
It has been great living in Iowa these past 23 years, but I am ready for a change. I will experience new weather patterns, new cyclists, new food, etc. It has been great racing against everyone in Iowa, and hopefully some day I'll be able to race again at some local stuff. If anyone is ever interested in coming out to Boulder for some training, just let me know!
Time is of the essence, I move out at the end of December!!!
