I am a professional cyclist.

I know that may not be news to any of you, but this is my job. Lucrative? Maybe not, but I am not complaining. However, on Monday I found myself riding for 4 hours. 4 hours, how nice. But in the rain? Really? Is it in my job description to ride for 4 hours in the rain? Apparently. If it is in my job description to ride in 85mph gust of wind at the Tour of the Gila, so I guess riding in the rain for 4 hours is as well.

I shouldn’t complain. It just got me thinking. What is really in my job description? In the last month I have been everywhere. I have been racing, and I have been traveling. I have been being a professional cyclist. Yet, this doesn’t always include riding your bike up snow capped peaks, into high desert winds, and around the foothills of the Ozarks. Sometimes it includes less glamorous endeavors such as driving through New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to get to the next race. Sometimes it includes eating oatmeal for breakfast, and 2nd breakfast for 16 days in a row, followed by the predictable peanut butter and jelly. Sometimes it includes laying out by the pool with some severe tanlines, or avoiding the sun at all cost because it wastes energy. Sometimes it includes bunking with 4 teammates in 1 hotel room, and another time finding yourself in a beautiful hotel room in Vegas. Sometimes it includes racing your bike, and sometimes it includes being at the TUCON conference with TIBCO (although they did treat me fabulously).

What is in my job description?

• Bike racing
• TUCON conference attendee
• Booth Babe
• World Traveler
• Advocate for Women’s Sports
• Example/Mentor
• Friend/Lead Out/Teammate
• Representative
• Who knows…its up for interpretation

So, is riding in the rain for 4 hours in the rain a part of my job description. I guess it is. Am I complaining? Nah.

I will make it glamorous.

View Original Post at alisonstarnes.com

• Filed Under:  
• Cycling, Sports, SportsPLUS, Career

• Tags:
• cycling