Episode 2 | World Record holder Amanda Coker on cycling 86,000 miles in one year. (230+ miles daily!)

Amanda Coker is nothing short of amazing.  The Florida-based cyclist averaged over 230 miles per day, EVERY day for a year to become the world record holder for annual mileage.  And it isn't even close.  In Episode 2 of the Rider-Up Podcast, Amanda stops by the bike shop in Virginia's Blue Ridge - the new home of Team Twenty24, to talk with Dan and John about how she was able to ride so many miles and stay so determined and well, energetic.  Most people would train for weeks or months to complete a double century, and then take it easy.  So Imagine doing one and then getting up and doing it again.  Every day.  For a year. 

John Carlin, Amanda Coker and Dan Lucas at Cardinal Bicycle in Roanoke, Virginia.

 

SHOW NOTES

e-mail Rider-Up Podcast: rideruppod@gmail.com

Amanda Coker Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Coker

Bicycling Magazine's Story https://www.bicycling.com/rides/a20038645/is-amanda-coker-for-real/

Amanda’s Website https://goamandacoker.wordpress.com/

Amanda Coker Coaching on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AmandaCokerCoaching

Tailwind Nutrition: https://tailwindnutrition.com/

NELLA Probiotic https://nella.fitbiomics.com/

Creature from Carvins Cove https://bikeva.com/creature/

Visit VBR Gran Fondo http://www.muddysquirrel.com/gran-fondo.html

Carilion Clinic Ironman 70.3 Virginia's Blue Ridge https://www.ironman.com/im703-virginia-blue-ridge

USA Cycling Championships in Virginia’s Blue Ridge https://usacycling.org/article/roanoke-to-host-2022-usa-cycling-amateur-road-national-championships

Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge homepage https://www.VisitVBR.com

Bike VBR https://www.visitroanokeva.com/biking/

Team Twenty24 https://www.teamtwenty24.com/

IMBA Ride Centers https://ride.imba.com/ride/where-to-ride/ride-centers

Roanoke Outside https://www.roanokeoutside.com/

Carvins Cove https://www.roanokeoutside.com/land/carvins-cove-nature-reserve/

SCB Link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKZo4N0lVPccBkSiuyVh4yg

Park tool JIS screwdriver https://www.parktool.com/product/derailleur-screwdriver-dsd-2

John Carlin Strava https://www.strava.com/athletes/10853338

John Carlin’s Bicycle Blog http://carlinthecyclist.com/

John Carlin’s YouTube Biking4Boomers https://youtu.be/DcMBBsIYeXE

The following is a web-generated transcript of the Amanda Coker interview.  Please excuse any typos!

Coming up today on the Riderup podcast presented by Virginia's Blue Ridge. • •

My current world records are the most miles ridden in a year, 86, 533. 2 miles, which is the average of 237 miles miles a day, a day.

Ultra endurance cyclist Amanda Coker shares the secret to her amazing story.

I like to joke around that it was a 423 day adrenaline rush. • • • • • •

Uh, welcome to the Rider Up podcast, where we talk about how much we love bicycles. Dan's a crazy downhiller, and John will be walking with a cane in a few years. • • • • • • • • • But nobody loves cycling more than these two. Coming to you from Virginia's Blue Ridge, let's meet the hosts, Dan Lucas and John Carlin. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Hello, and welcome to the Rider Up, uh, podcast presented by Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge. I'm one of the host, John Carlin.

And I am Dan Lucas. And I am here with Amanda Coker. Um, we are sitting here in the new lounge at Carnival Bicycle. So if you hear some stuff in the background, that's what's going on. But we are excited to talk to her about • • her experiences on and off the bike, um, • • and everything in between. Amanda, um, • first of all, we want to know, what is it • • that has driven you? And can you please give us some of your accolades, these world records that you have. Can you give this to us?

Of course. I'm glad to be there. John and Dan, um, my current world records are the most miles ridden in a year, 86,573.2 miles, which is the average of 237 miles a day, a day. Uh, I also, along the way, set the most miles ridden in 30 days, which is 8012 miles. And after I finished the year record, I continued on to complete 100,000 miles in 423 days. • • And that was from May 15 16th to May 14, 2017. And I went on to the 100,000 to July 11. And • • between that time and October 23, 2021, I joined Team 2024 and had been racing time trials, gravely and road. And October 23, 2021, I became the first woman to ever ride more than 500 miles in 24 hours with 512.5 miles. And along the course of that day, I also set ten other world records, two being the 100 miles road course at 23 point 33 mph. And the twelve hour record was 270.6 miles.

So that is a lot of numbers and a lot of data. And if you want to learn more, • • • you, uh, can look Amanda up on the Internet, I think go. Amanda@coker.com is her, • • • • • • uh, webpage, so check that out. And, um, we are going to get into • • a lot of really cool backstory about Amanda and everything she's experienced. So hang on tight. Routers up podcast, uh, starting right now. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Welcome to the Routers Up podcast. How are you doing?

Dan and John, it's great to be here.

Yeah, we're excited about this because Amanda is part of Team • • • • • • • • • 2024. If you haven't heard. I'm sure you have. Is calling Virginia, uh, Rich, their home, their home, • • • their training, • • uh, • • place of choice. It's exciting for us, and I hope it's exciting for you guys to be here. So welcome. And we're excited to ask you some questions. Yeah.

Amanda, because you have done the most amazing things on a bicycle that I can possibly imagine in terms of endurance. • You averaged 230 something miles a day every day for a year. And first thing was you're out of gates. How did you do that? How did you recover? And how were you just not wiped out after one day?

I like to joke around that it was a 423 day adrenaline rush. • • • • • •

It has to be some rush. • • •

It's just a methodical rush of just being in a routine every day. • • • • • • • •

Your body didn't break down. How did you do that? • •

It broke down. I just didn't show it.

Right.

Okay. • • • •

Uh, were there hard days, • • • • • • • • • would you say more mentally challenging or more physically challenging?

I would say • • • environmentally, with the climate, with the weather and all the elements of that, and having to battle Florida weather all year long, whatever it threw at me. Hurricanes, tropical storms.

Right. • •

So you would ride anyway?

I would ride anyways.

Why? • •

Because I wanted to win. • • • •

So that's what it is.

I want to ride as far as I could every day.

You have the singular focus on, um, • • a record. So let's go back and start with • • • • • when you decide to do this, what was going through your mind? What was your mental preparation? And when did you just say, all right, I'm going to do this?

The original intent started January of 2016, when I was riding with a fellow ultra cyclist, and they're like, hey, Amanda, you're riding pretty far every day right now as it is. And, uh, why don't you go for the women's world record, which is 29,604 miles? I was like, yeah, I think I could do a little over 100 miles a day. So I talked to my parents, but I said, Can I take a year? And we can all work together to get a great wounds? Yeah, we can do 100 miles a day. And ended up starting my very first day, I did 250 miles, and I was thinking to myself, I'm going to try this again tomorrow. And I think I did 233. And • • • that, um, is the furthest I've ever been in the day. And I was like, okay, I'm going to try again the next day. And it just kept riding that far every single day, just running basically from when the park would open and close. And • • • my mom was like, what are you doing? I didn't sign up for this jokingly, of course. It just kept going day after day. And on day 133, I broke the women's record, and I just continued going on.

On day 133, you broke the women's record.

So a third of the way through the year. • •

And then you just kept cruising that as well.

Uh, • • • so you were doing this in a park in Florida. So tell us about the park. What does the terrain look like? • • Why was that your base?

I started riding flat when we first moved down to Florida in 2015. • • So I just kind of started meeting a lot of cyclists there. And it's, um, closed to the traffic, close to the vehicles. Motor vehicles, runners, skateboarders, cyclists all train out there. And a lot of people make fun of it because they think it's an actual loop. But it twists and turns where you never really feel like you're going in a circle. And I think it's the greatest place to train because you never have to stop. You never have to worry about anything. If you have intervals a day, you can get those intervals done. • • • • • •

Basically, • • even though twisting and turning, you're routing a loop. And you were just crushing that loop every day as much as you possibly can.

And it's windy out there.

Yes, I imagine I told John this before we started, but I've, um, long said that people from flat areas • • are, on average, way stronger than people from hilly or mountainous regions. And I've learned, • • • • uh, I've been humbled by people • • • • from very flat places. And I've seen other people from really mountainous places, very humbled by even us. Out here, we don't have as much elevation because • • you're, uh, pedaling the whole time.

You never stop. Right.

And • • I think that's something people need to understand • • • that, uh, are out there. Usually they're like, oh, man, they don't have mountains. What are they going to do? But • • • if you're from somewhere that doesn't have a lot of elevation, • you have to keep the lights going if you want to keep moving every day, the whole time. • • • How many teeth are on your front chainring? What are you pushing?

I think I had a 53. 53.

Okay, cool.

Usually ran a 50. 311. 23. Okay.

Got it. Yeah. Not crazy, right?

But I did keep my cadets really low, like, in the 60s.

Yeah, you did.

So you're pushing your biggest gear then, but you got to have strong legs to do that, because if your legs aren't strong enough • • for me, if I was doing that, • • I'd go a couple of miles and I'd be tanked.

Yes, Nicola, uh, compared, uh, it to a metronome. And • • • • • • I, um, can see that comparison if you're only pushing 60.

Well, it's actually funny because I ended up averaging 20.3 mph for the whole thing. And it started out because, um, • • I had some fast buddies who would always tease me, like, oh, we're not going to ride with you. We're not going to go 20. And it kind of fired me up. They could come out every day around 04:00, and I wanted to ride with them because friends. So I just started trying to keep up with them, and they would be like 26, 27. And after a while, I was able to start riding that fast with them at the end of the day. Every day, and ended up setting the Q-O-M. At. I took a bunch of Q-O-M. Throughout the year.

That's fantastic.

I would hope so. • • • • • • • • • • • • At the end of the day. So, 04:00, you would start riding free Sunrise every day, right?

We would wake up at four, and mom and dad are actually through all this. I always joke. I say they should get asterisk beside on my world record. Longest time sitting in a parking lot • • watching our daughter do something insane • • • • because they're just there to support you all day long. They were non stop the whole day, too. And dad would probably ride 50, 60 miles every day.

Really? • • • • • • That's cool. • • • • • Uh, • • I love hearing about stories like yourself because, • uh, • • parents and they see that you have a love for something and doesn't matter if that's not something that they necessarily love. They will do whatever they can to help you achieve those goals. And I think that there's something like, really, • • • • it's heartwarming. Right. But, • • uh, also just a really cool testament to their dedication to their child. I think it's great.

Yeah. And did I read somewhere that your mom and dad said that they were just about broke at the end of the year because they had taken a year off to do it?

Other than the generosity of some people from • GoFundMe, um, it was all funded by us.

Wow. • • • • • • You got some sponsors now, though.

Yes, • • • we're still working on it.

Yeah. Rightly. • • •

Pro, female cyclist. Yes.

If you're out there and you're hearing this and you want to help Amanda, you should get in, uh, contact.

Well, absolutely. So who are your sponsors? • • • • •

I am, uh, sponsored by a company, uh, called Nellofit, uh, Bionics. It's a • • • probiotic for gut health and • • • • life changing for me. • • Really? I tried it before I got in touch with them for sponsorship. •

You like the product?

Oh, I love the product.

Yeah.

Is that something everybody can take? • • • • Okay. Because some of those probiotics are sort of tailored to the individual.

But yours are made for athletes.

Okay. • • • • • • • All right.

And kept my stomach fine during the whole 24 hours.

I imagine, too, you're taking a lot of, like, pre and post workout stuff, and a lot of times that will tear you up.

Uh. • • • • • • • • • • •

In, uh, Goo's and whatever sort of. And I have questions about what you're feeling yourself with, too, but all those things are not necessarily • • • • • conducive to riding 207 miles every day and eating it every day. And I'm sure you can get used to it, but • • that's kind of cool that there's a company that's thinking about that for endurance athletes that are eating this stuff well.

Your gut health is so very critical. I've been monkeying with that, working with a dietitian also, so I'll be curious about this product. • • • The name of it again is What Nella? Okay. All right. And do you have, like, a bike sponsor or through Virginia?

Uh, Blue Ridge • 2024.

Right. Okay.

Felt.

Felt bikes. Right. Okay. What kind of bike were you riding? I know you wrote three different bikes every day. • • What kind, um, of road bike were you riding during your conquest? • • Okay, we'll go on from that. • • But you rode a recumbent also, and a time trial bike.

And a time trial.

Okay. And that was because. Why?

To • • • • vary my muscle use so I wouldn't wear out specific muscle group because rubber combinate helps your, um, • • you need your hamstrings and your glutes for that. So it would give my back, my neck, a break. And then when that got sore, because I did get sores from each bike, each bike, no matter what bike road I had sores. • • And then I was going to keep you bike to strengthen my hip flexors and the top of my quads. And then the road bike was to just mix, um, it up in between the two.

Okay. Where would you spend the majority of your time?

I didn't keep track of that, • • really.

So it was roughly a third, • • like, okay. And so your dad just had the other bikes on the car. And how long would you stop when you made a bike?

I made a joke that every three minutes is a mile. So I probably stopped on an average of 30 minutes total every day.

Oh, my gosh.

My longest break was usually around lunchtime, and I would eat a lunch for maybe ten to 15 minutes and then head back out.

So we were talking about, • • uh, what you're using for your gut health and that you're using energy products to maintain. But did you have a specific diet that you worked out that you were eating every day? • •

My main • • source of fuel on, uh, the bike was tailored nutrition. Yeah, I still use that today. That's the only thing I use.

We have some tailwind here at the shop that's • • popular products.

So that's just, uh, a powdered, uh, drink mix.

Yeah, • • • • • • • • • • • • • there's, uh, a couple of different products.

Uh, so you're using that on the bike. What would you when you stop for lunch.

I would eat anything, right?

Yeah, anything. • • •

I convert about seven to 9000 calories a day, plus my BMR, • so I would have to eat high, dense foods. Nutella. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • My friend Kitted me, he said, you're killing so many palm trees because you eat so much Nutella • • • sandwiches. • • • •

So you're, um, like just a sandwich from the deli, like a Turkey and cheese sandwich. Just regular everyday people food, • • • because • • • • that doesn't.

Well, I know a lot of athletes. • • They're like, I can only have organic Brown rice and • • these very lean meats and stuff like that. But • • when you're burning 79,000, I don't know if it necessarily matters what you're eating at that point. As long as you have.

Just when I go home, that's when I eat all my nutritious. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • My mom would make me these big salads with nuts, um, and meat and cheese. And • I had to have Caesar dressing because it was the fattiest one, because I couldn't keep fat on me. • • I actually made sure before I started the records to bulk up. I was like, oh, my gosh, you want to go to a buffet today, man a shirt. I gained ten extra pounds before I started, so the shock of the record wouldn't attack my body.

Right.

So I went in with a ten pound buffer, • • and it melted off the first time.

I was going to say they didn't last long.

Yeah. I liked that • • • • • you and your family thought this out. It wasn't just, like, from changing bites when • • you got sore, whatever your neck was hurting to • • • bulk up and hitting the Chinese buffet or whatever to make sure you had extra pounds on. I think it's really cool, and I love that it was like a homegrown thing. • • • • • Aside from a couple of people that were funding you through GoFundMe, • • • • mom and dad took this on. I think it's such a cool story • • • in a cool family memory • • • • • to be able to for sure. • • • •

It was nice having them. And then we also had a lot of friends that we made along the way and lifelong buddies • • with, • • um, behind the scenes who did a lot of things for us. And • • I appreciate all the help. I always try to make sure that people know that a lot of people help me through that, if not financially • or just emotional support.

Emotions. • • • • • • • • • Um, you had people start hear about this because it took a year. Right. So talk a little bit about the people that just started showing up at the park who are either curious or wanted to ride with you, • • • and they came from great distances. Can you tell us about that?

We'll start with the good stories. • • •

Yeah, the good stories. Sure.

Yeah. When I started going and the curiosity would grow, people would come out from seeing stuff on Strava and social media, and they come and say, oh, man, you're so inspirational. I want to come out here and ride • • • for this I've ever ridden before, and people just started doing that. One of the main people I would ride with created these boards called the 100 Miles Board and the 200 Miles Board. So say John came out and said, I'm going to ride a century, but not necessarily with me, but just at Flatwoods. He would ride the 100, and then we would write your name on the board and you stand and take a picture with it, and then we all would post that, okay? So when people come and do 100 miles, 200 miles, or in between, we would take a picture with them, and it just motivated more people, and that motivated me, which caused me, not cause me. But that's how I started saying inspiration is contagious because I was out there. And to see someone out there pushing themselves, • even if it was a really crummy day, I was like, all right, they're pushing themselves the hardest for them. • • •

I think we need • • • • • Amanda 100 or 200 miles board here • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • happening somewhere.

Yeah, we should.

I'm also likely. • • •

Excellent. • •

So you can tell people how to do this.

Maybe not all my secrets. • • •

All right, keep some free shop, but let's make that happen.

I think, • • • • • um, • • what's the furthest to anybody came to do this? • •

Oh, wow. • • • • • • • • I think a guy from the UK. A guy from UK came out. He was going to Walt Disney World, and he came out and wanted to check it out, which I'm an hour from Disney.

Sure. • • • • • • • •

Oh, yeah. • • • • • • • That's, like, the one thing my parents and I have that it's just the escape reality, just fun. And then it's all bikes after that. • •

All bikes. That is so cool. • So a guy came, uh, from the UK • • • • on an average day. How many people might come and just, like, ride with you or ride because of you?

Well, in the beginning, • • I was okay riding with different people. But as it grew popularity, so did the negative • things. And I've had some people come out and try to wreck me, purposely • • harm me, yell at me, curse words. So after a while, why? I never understood why. • • • • •

What would they say?

I'm a fake. Uh, I have a motor in the bike. All I do is draft. • • • • • Um, • • it's not true. • I'm a woman. There's no physical way. She's a man in disguise. It's just insane things. One guy, actually, I Googled my name, and a form came up, and he was bragging how he flew all the way over from the UK and hid in the woods and watched me to make sure I was doing it for real. And I was like, It's so weird. • • • •

I think that people performing sometimes brings the worst out. • • • The Internet has provided this as a way for people to find • • those stories. And there are people out there that unfortunately like to see others fail at achieving something great. It's such a bummer.

It's like, imagine the trolls that are, like, posting all the crappy stuff on the Internet under a post showing up in person.

Right?

Like, you have the actual trolls.

There actual trolls there. • • • • •

Imagine, uh, how sad and small their lives are.

No kidding. All they want to do. • • • And in my mind, if you drafted the whole thing, it would still be increased if you had a motorcycle in front of you for every day, for 13 hours. • • • • • • • But I'm sure there were times when you were drafting on people. I mean, your other riders. But what's wrong with that?

I never asked any of my friends to come out and ride. They all just showed up on their own because I didn't want to take the fun out of cycling for them.

Right.

But I enjoyed when they came. And I also pulled in the Paceline, too. Right. I never just sat on • • it's not their record. So I was thankful because I lost it when they would come. And • I had one friend who would come, and I did. All right, story time, Allen. And he had the greatest stories, and I would just sit behind him and he'd talk and talk and talk, and then I'd pull • • stuff like that meant more to me than. • • • • • • • •

Uh, • • • • • • you averaged 20 miles an hour throughout this whole thing, which is phenomenal. I can't average 20 miles an hour on a Greenway.

I can't do it.

Yeah.

Downhill. • • So you're doing that. • • • • • But guys would show up and you were friends. They would joke with you and say that you were slow • • • because they could average, what, 25 miles an hour on a ride. So could they drop you or how did that all play out?

In the beginning, they did drop me, but every time they'd come out during the week, I'd push myself, and I'd probably random line my heart rate a little bit after it's. Sitting in endurance all day. But • • after a while, um, • I could ride with them and switch off the one that fast. And we set some Q-O-M out of the park, like, three laps, four laps.

I bet you are the local legend. • • • • • • • • • •

Back there. • •

You have no kidding, right? Everybody who know, nobody else was there 13 hours a day, every day.

It actually made me stronger to do intervals almost every day.

Yeah. • • • •

Uh. • • • • • • • • •

I can't believe your muscles are able to recover that quickly. • That's insane.

Every night, my mom would massage my legs, actually.

But do you not feel pain? Oh, yes, I do feel pain.

Oh, yes, Nicole, that you don't feel pain?

I feel pain in different ways. • •

What about cramps?

I never had cramps. • • Seriously? Honestly, never had cramps. • • •

I was a marathon runner for a part of my life, and I had marathons where I was determined to run through the pain no matter what. But then my legs would literally just • • seize up and stop working. • • • • • And I've done that in mountain bike races, too. I don't beside the trail next to my bike because my legs, like, I don't care about this thing. I'm going to keep going. And the legs were like.

No, you eventually get to the point they won't go anymore. Right.

But you never reach that point. • • Is there • • a secret, or are you in a tailwind?

Potassium, magnesium, balance. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Uh. • • • • • • • • •

That'S what it is. If they're not your sponsor, • • • they need to be on the phone before this podcast is over.

I have a question for you. It's Changing Gears is a little bit because I'm a mechanic. • • • • I work on bikes every day, and I love working on them. So I always have questions about • • • • • • • • • • • • • the reliability. So, first of all, how many change did you go through in a year, do you know? • • • • • • •

I believe • • • • • • • • • • a lot. I know it was a lot because my dad did most of the maintenance on the flight.

Yeah, that was going to be my next question.

Because you're going to get some chain stretch for sure.

Well, she's going to burn them out • probably every five or 6000 miles • • maybe. • •

That's a lot. Yeah.

Switching between three different bikes to kind of stretch it out longer still. And a component of it is two and a half chains, right? • •

Yeah, that's a long chain line. Okay.

A lot of, uh, spiky cassette teeth.

Yes.

I wore through the 1112 and 13, and I would donate. I would give the upper ones to friends who needed the upper ones, and they'd give me the lower ones.

Right.

That's great.

Tires went through a lot of tires. Just wearing them out.

Yeah. So your dad, um, did most of the maintenance. • • Did you have any local shops that would help you out? No, nothing. • • Oh, my gosh. • • • • •

I don't understand how this was such a sponsor. You had a recumbent sponsor? Who is that?

Schlitter.

Schler. • • • • • • • •

And he did service my recombinant.

Okay, great.

Okay, good. Nice.

Well, • • • yeah, I'm always curious when people do these crazy marathons or even eversting and stuff like that. • Eversting is usually in a 24 hours period, but still, bikes, there's mechanicals that just happen, • • and it's always interesting to hear. But I bet you have some gnarly looking chain rings and jockey pulleys. Oh, yeah. • • • • • • • • • • Uh, the jockey pulleys are in the cage on the • • • derailleur, and I bet, um, he was swapping those out.

Oh, yes. Had to put the good ones on there.

You know what? That's expensive. • • • • • • • • • • •

I want to talk to your dad and found out what your chain budget was. Okay.

His name is Ricky. •

Ricky.

And my mom's name is Donna.

Oh, my gosh. Ricky and Donna, please come up. I wouldn't talk to you.

Right. • • • • • • • • • • What was your heart rate throughout the day when you said you got in that big year? The low cadence? • •

Well, I think somebody ended up figuring out an average of 118.

That's actually. I know. Whoa.

I wasn't expecting that. I usually kept it under 140. • •

That's super impressive. Do you know what your resting part rate is in the 30? I was going to say. • • • • Got it.

So • what would happen if you went out and joined the women's team and started racing at the Olympic level? If you took what you're doing, which is this ultra endurance stuff? I mean, is that an aspiration for you? Is that something that can happen?

Right after I finished the hammer, I started gearing towards time trials, and I ended up • winning the Florida state time trial until • • • • • 27.9 average for a 30K. And that's how Nicola saw me.

Okay. • •

She said in July of 2018, she said, okay, I'm going to come out to Boise and do this. Kristen Armstrong Kernel time trial, the amateur race. And if you do good, I might consider putting you on the team. When I went out there and I won the amateur Windows race, and then I said, oh, my goodness. She's like, yes. So I've been on the team ever since then.

Okay?

That's how I got on the team.

So • • if everything went according to your dreams and or expectations, what happens?

What happens?

Yeah.

What are your goals?

Are you our next • Olympic time trials? Uh, for the United States.

That'S a mass meter dream. I think. Continue just to keep setting world records. I'm getting into gravel, actually. I'm doing the spokesville gravel race on Sunday, • so I'm going to test the waters in that. If I do get go from there and continue to get stronger in the time trial.

So when you show up in this gravel rates, do the people around you have any idea who you are or what's coming?

I don't like them. No, I like them.

You're sneaking up on.

I try. • • • •

Your reputation is going to begin to precede you. Right. And you'll be wearing the team 2024 kit, right.

So they're going to be like, okay, you're going to be marked already. • • • • • • • •

But do you know who the other competitors are? Because you're going to be off the front. It's going to be you and a select I group.

Don't know about that. I never count my tickets before they hatch.

Okay, • • I'll go ahead and count. Let's say it's you and a select group. Oh, • • um, • • uh, but you know who the other players are from checking registration every year. Right. Okay. • • • • Do you have Olympic aspirations?

That's a goal. It's just a lot, uh, of hard work, a lot of doors. • •

How much hard work can there be after what you've done? • • • • • • • You cannot work any harder than you already did.

Yes, you can.

You can.

You have to increase your anaerobic strength. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

So it's not the amount of work. It's the type of work.

Yeah. To increase your intensity.

Yeah.

Okay.

Kristen Armstrong knows exactly what I'm talking about.

Right. And you've been riding.

I've been with her a couple of times. • •

How do you guys compare? • • • •

She's world class. • • • • I think she's the greatest female time trial ever. Crosses Earth. And I honestly think I joke with her. I say she could enter into this next Olympics, and she would probably win just because she's Kristen Harmstrong. She's a great role model.

Right. • • •

I got to say, I appreciate how homely you are about all these things, because a lot of people could let this go to their head. And you were incredibly humble and gracious, and I appreciate that. Thanks. Especially, • uh, • • • • • • • uh, given what you've achieved. • But, uh, • • • • • uh, I like that you're thinking big, too. That's cool.

Hey, let's shift gears just a little bit here. But I'm bummed • • • • • • you and your dad were in an accident when you were younger. Tell us about that.

In June of 2011, my dad and I were on a training ride when we lived up in North Carolina, and a car just came flying upon us and hit us full speed and sent us fine. About 50ft into a ditch. Knocked me cold. • Dad almost broke his back and Happy ended up having two spine surgeries. I had one spine surgery, and I had a traumatic brain injury, a broken leg, • • and so many lacerations and confusions. • • • • •

So you were lucky to live.

We were very lucky.

And did I read the driver was just cited for a minor infraction • • • that drives me.

I don't understand after that's. Another thing I was talking about, though, with Nicholas. All these cyclists get hit and killed and injured and why isn't there more manslaughter? Why aren't they getting charged a manslaughter?

There's a lot of people that aim for it.

Doesn't make sense to me.

Yeah, this guy, uh, just didn't see you. A distracted driver. As far as you know, • • • it's straight road. Uh, right.

No • • • distractions in the road.

You could have been looking at his phone.

Probably on his phone. Never know.

Right. Okay, • so you recovered. You were how old then? Eleven years old.

Oh, no. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Uh. • • • • • • • •

That was all before you decided to take on all this. • • • • •

Yeah, I have a question about that. So • • • • • • • when that happens and you woke up and you're in the hospital and you have to overcome all this stuff, you were already sold out cycling at that point in your life. Right. • • Okay, so • • • what was it like to try and come back from that, • • all those injuries? Was that a struggle for you?

I never thought I could ride again. • • •

Really?

I remember just sitting. I had a recliner because • • • • I had shoulder surgery, and it was the only thing I was comfortable. So I remember just sitting there going, Am I ever going to be able to ride my bike again? I'm not even the fact that the PTSD of being on a road, but alone, just riding again. So I didn't really • try to get back on the bike until 2012, but I was still having injuries from everything, and I ended up having spine surgery in 2013. • • So I didn't actually start riding my bicycle again until we moved down to Florida to just get away from all the • • crazy • • negative energy and start new • • • • Flatwoods. • • • • So that's why Flat Wood is so special.

Because it's a park.

Because it's closed and it's safe. • • • • • • • I can actually get back on the bike there. A lot of people are like, oh, it's special.

I mean, right. That's probably a big place of healing to, uh, be able to get on and not worry.

It is.

And just be able to get in your zone and do your thing.

Not have to worry about a car. Go, • • • it took a long time for me. Like, I can ride on road now because I ride with a mirror. Nickel gives me the hardest time for it. But I'm like, I need that little if I can see it coming in my mind. • • • • • • • • • • • •

I, uh, mean, because a lot of the really cool cyclists won't put a mirror on their helmet.

Everybody should wear them. I don't care how silly it looks.

One thing I have said as a coach, I want the kids that I coach to be • • comfortable, and if you're comfortable, you're going to be confident.

Right?

And that's one of the biggest things, uh, I think in cyclists, whether you're on the road or on a mountain bike, being confident is going to change your ride and change your mental state. Uh, and I think that's a comfort thing for you, and I think that it's super important that you continue to use that, because it's going to make you confident, make you faster, make you be able to do your job.

And it's supposed to have flat ones when you're doing intervals, passes them by saying, I got to keep pushing. •

You can see them in the mirror. • • • • • • •

Motivation.

Yeah.

Where does your competitive spirit come from?

Being told I can't do it. If someone tells me I can't do something, • • • • • • • • • it reverses all the negative comments on Strawberry and my hammer. I just laughed at it because it just motivated me more. I'm like, oh, that's hilarious. You're trying to make me feel bad. No, it's going to work exact opposite how you play it out to me. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Does it ever wane? I mean, is there ever a day where you just sort of say, • I don't care? Today I'm just going to do the miles • • • • • • for the hammer, for the competitive spirit. • • Oh, I have fun • • every single day.

It never goes away because I almost had it taken away from me. I don't take it for granted. • • • • I love it. It's my release. I think, you know, cyclists, it's how we all go. I need to go ride my bike, even if it's just for an hour.

My wife says I'm a better person after all. • • •

I totally am. • • The best news cast I do for the 11:00 news are the nights where I sneak out for a bike ride. Between the six and the 11:00.

I'll crash and come home with Jabs and stuff, and I'll still be in a better meeting.

Right, • • • • man. • • • So this gravel thing, • • • • • do you like gravel? Because there's fewer cars, and that's the deal. And so are you going to do? I can't remember the name. It, uh, used to be Dirty Condo, and we're not supposed to say that, but I can't remember the new name of that rate. Unbound.

Yeah.

So are you going to try and do unbound or something like that?

I actually am going to be back here doing the relay for the Iron Man, • • • so I'm going to miss on down. • • • • • •

All right, • • so we should talk about that. That's the visit. Virginia Blue Ridge Half Ironman. Right. Sponsored by Karelian. And there's a very long name for that. I can't remember, but I think I've hit all the high points. • • But there's a 54 miles bike ride. • •

56, 56, 56 miles. • •

But there's a big climb. I wrote it last year. • • • •

Is it 42?

Uh, it's Route 42.

42.  

So you climb out of Bokan and up to Blue Ridge Parkway. It switches back all the way. Then you get to the Parkway and you climb for another mile at least. • • • But then there's some nice long downhills, as well as some significant climbs on the Parkway. • • You haven't ridden it, uh, yet. How do you do with climbs? How do you do when you get out of Florida?

Like, I'll go out today and I'll get some practice in. Once I get a few rides in with it, I feel more comfortable. It's like muscle memory. Just got used to going downhill. I haven't done that in a while. It's been a few years. Yeah. • • It'll be nice to power up a Hill and then rest. I haven't coasted in a long time.

Yeah. You're biopripe, right? • •

How does your coaching thing work? Are you coaching athletes? Do people call you, sign up, pay you? How's that?

I get inquiries all the time.

Yeah.

But I'm always open, um, up for more athletes. I use training pieces of my platform, and then I use a different specific software. And I don't like cookie cutter workouts. I make sure each athlete is getting custom made. I like to take the extra time every day, even it takes me hours to analyze the cyclist, because I don't want somebody feeling like they could just. They're just a number and they can feel like a person because I coach how I would want to be coached.

Yeah.

And it's awesome. Last night I had two athletes who Swift races, and they each got their best 20 and 30 minutes ever. • • That's awesome. • • I like to celebrate those little work.

That's great. • • Are you coaching men and women or just women? Men and women.

All different kinds of athletic abilities, um, levels, • • ages • • • • don't discriminate.

Wow. That's great.

Everybody wants to get stronger.

Yeah.

So somebody comes to you. How do you analyze them to figure out what custom coaching they need?

I check their, • • • • • um, heart rate and power is my main. Like, I don't train if they don't have heart rate or power. And then I go by their training readiness, • • TSS scores • • and their goals, and I make sure that they're always within their optimal training performance. And if they ever have an overload, I make them rest. Most importantly, it's smart to do an on day off day. You don't want to do too hard days or unless you train for state races to get acclimated that. But rest is the most important thing to help recharge your mitochondria. • • • •

Which are the little things in your cells. • • • • • • • • •

Energy. •

Yes. So aren't we all smart? • •

I feel really smart for knowing what that was.

Right. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • But I remember training as a distance runner that those long runs are building mitochondria, • • • and that's about all I know about it. • • • But it worked because • • one weekend, 12 miles was as far as I could run. And the next weekend.

Somehow, I ran 14 running so different. • •

It is. It really beats you up.

Could you imagine running across the country? • •

No. But I know people that have done it 70 days or something.

I think the guy is going to try it this year.

Yeah. You've ridden across the United States?

Yeah.

How was that?

Like, that was my official first get over everything I've accomplished. This is the next step. That's actually how I started getting into endurance riding.

Okay.

How far would you ride going across the country average 92 miles a day. 92 a day. So big day. • • •

My mom would drive. We lived in an RV when we moved down because we lost everything, and we just had to get what we could. So we lived at RV for a while. Right. • •

You lost everything. What happened?

Financially, financially, because of all the medical bills.

Okay. •

Um, he did not have good insurance. • • •

Wow. • So you had an RV?

We live in an RV, and we went from Fernandina Beach, Florida, to Venture of California. My dad drove a three wheel, • • • 150 CC scooter.

I read that.

I thought • • • • • • • • • when I was growing up, we always joked, hey, let's ride our bikes across the country. But his injuries are so bad, he couldn't. So we did it together • • through that.

And • • • he would ride scooter and, uh, you'd ride bike, • • • so he'd be behind you, like all these reflectors and everything.

Wow. • •

Dad's a hero.

He is a hero. So you lost everything. • • There's so many storylines here. You're living in an RV, • • and yet you're making cycling the most important thing that you're doing. • • What's your mom thinking about that?

Mom think I'm crazy, but she loves me. • • • •

The love of a mother is something that • she's not going to stop it. She's going to truly be the whole way.

My mom would have said, I'm bored. • •

She got to drive the RV. Don't let her fool you. She is late.

She likes RV.

It's funny. Growing up, she always wanted to be an 18 wheel driver.

That's hilarious.

She got her semi dream to do that. • • • • • •

Wow. But your dad got well enough that he was riding, what, 50 or 60 miles. • • • • • • •

Covered it. I think he just kept his pain in secret that whole time. • •

So he no longer got to say, I'm a dad of two girls, so, • • • uh, I would do anything for those two. And • • • • • so I feel like I can understand Ricky's motivation, • especially if it was something that you guys shared. It was kind of • • • • • taken away from you in a very traumatic way. • • Being able to give that back to you, uh, that would be something • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • he wants, uh, to give you all those things, and I think he's as big a part of the story. Your parents are as big a part of the story, uh, as you don't take that, dad. I think that • • their love and their • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • I think it's fantastic. • • • • • They work that hard, and • • you are a testament of what they've been able to do. I think it's great. Yeah. • • • • • • • • • • •

Was your dad working? Where was the money coming from? • • • • • • • I don't want to get, like, pride too much. I'm just wondering, how did you guys set this up so that your mom and dad would come and their full job was to support you every day. But there was money for these bike chains and all these products, tires, everything you were wearing out, because • • • • • • if I have to replace something expensive on my bike, it's a hardship.

What if it was from the bike accident settlement?

Okay.

It was much • • • • under insured. • •

So you just had some money from the settlement, and then your folks bought • • • a small, uh, home in Florida. Uh, and you guys just settled in, and that's what you did.

That's awesome. • •

We live in a tiny house. •

So you're 29. • • Endurance athletes usually peak sometime in their late 20s to mid 30s, right? • Well, usually, but • • usual doesn't apply.

Usual does not apply.

Yeah. Look at Amber nievan and Kristen Armstrong. They were, like, in their late 40s.

Yeah. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

So forget what I said. • • • • • I was just leaving up to • • • what do you want to do next? I mean, • • • you've accomplished so much, and you're creating these unbelievable things. • • • • • There could be a letdown if you don't keep doing that.

I just want to keep setting world records.

You do? • •

Looking for other ones for me to do. • • My next two that I really want to do is the indoor 24 hours record and the outdoor 24 track record.

Okay.

I got to find an outdoor track and indoor track. We need to stretch out our resources. Right? • • • • • • Everybody can come to the venue and watch. We can make it a big.

Richmond has. • • • • • • Richmond has indoor.

Cool.

Right. • • I wonder if you wonder if, like, outdoors, if we could get the Martinsville Speedway to Andy up.

That'd be cool.

Uh, • • we could probably make that happen. • •

I know some guys.

I'm up for it.

Yeah.

A little bit of time to • • • • • Nicola had an idea when we talked to her the other day as well. • • • • We were talking about blue, um, Ridge Parkway, and she's like, oh, I wonder how fast. I wonder if she could do that and raise that record.

Well, that would be. • But the Parkway is closed right now, right?

It's closed currently. • • • •

No. There are repairs. Road repairs. But by October, it's supposed to be completely reopened. So then you could ride from Carolina all the way to Virginia. It's 460 miles. • • • • • •

Yeah, you're right. Uh, it's like, 462 or something. • • • • • • • • • • •

What would you estimate? •

I • • • can't begin.

I wouldn't want to begin to tell you.

There is some monster climbs. There's some here, and, uh, there's some in North Carolina. They're pretty big. • • • I think you probably have to change your training a little bit yourself to be able to do that. But, uh, • • • looking over your, um, credentials, I think you got it covered.

I used to ride it down near Bervard. Um, • • • I love that area. • • • • • •

Okay. So • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • would you mind sharing, um, some of your • • dimensions, like how tall, um, you are and how much you weigh?

Oh, you're trying to calculate my Watts per kilogram? • • • • •

Well, I'm not, but some listeners might be. • • • •

We'll just keep them guessing. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

So big quads is, uh, that where your strength is.

They're pretty mean, but they're not massive.

Right.

That is where my main strength comes from.

That's where your main strength comes from because you're pushing those big years. Right. • • • • • • • And did you get stronger as the year went on?

I started up 18 and a half miles per hour, and it just got faster. •

Wow. And you were fastest, I would assume, on the TT bike.

Yes. • • • •

Right.

It's always been fast on TT bike, right?

I mean, that's kind of you would expect that • • • • • • • • • average miles per hour on the road bike versus the TT bike. What would the difference be? Like two 3 miles an hour speed average, • • probably mile.

Mile and a half mile. Mile and a half the speed I was keeping.

Right.

You're talking in regards to the hammer.

Right. So if you're off the riding the road bike, you may be doing 21 miles an hour, but you might be doing 22 if you're on the time trial bike.

Okay. • • • •

That is significant, right.

I bet it was funny seeing me go around with a disc wheel all the time. • • • • • • • • 200 plus miles a day.

Is it true you rode in a Hurricane?

Yes. • • • Two different Hurricanes in a possible state. • • • • • • Her mind came through, I believe, in September of 2016, and they shut down the park. So I went and rode in a neighborhood beside for 55 miles. And my parents find, okay, there's trees falling. You're done. We're going home.

Really?

So is that that • • • • • • wind gusting at wind gusts, 40, 50. That's insane. I hope you weren't riding the time trial bike that day.

No, I was on the road bike • • another time. Tropical from Colin came through. • • • • I stayed on the bent for a, um, little longer than normal because it was lower to the ground and I held onto the handlebars so much, I had blisters just like on my hands. I think I took pictures of, um, there just bubbled all over my fingertips. • • • • • Because you were • • • • blowing the tree sideways.

Why not just take a day off?

I only did 120 that day.

I think • it was the easy day. I liked that. Yes. The Hurricane was the one.

You took it easy and only 55 and then the other Hurricane, you wrote 100 and some I think so, yeah.

There's only seven days. I did under 200.

Wow. • •

And did I read, uh, your road, like in the hailstorm at one point rainstorm.

Hailstorm • • • • Flatwood is actually made as a water retention. • • • And they ended.

Uh huh.

Up paving the reports around • • it for all the service stations are. And they opened it up to the public like thirty, 30 ago. Okay. And it was made to hold water when it was filled up down because it rains a lot in Florida. Sure. And this one section, about two, 2 miles, the loop called Clay Gully and it would flood • • over so it would stay flooded almost all summertime. So I would have to slow down and roll through it and then do that every time around. Also the first year they paid the whole course during my hammer, so they had half the course load, so I would have to go parking lot, parking lot. And then they'd flip it. Parking lot, parking • lot. And I actually had one bad crash because they had dump trucks coming out bringing in pavements. And a chunk was in front of me. I didn't see it because one day and I hit it and went • • • flying. Like skin has some hematomas and some.

Did you think it was over, did you. • • • • • • • • •

Think? Yeah, I got some bumpy ones now. I just got up, they fixed that bike and I got another bike and kept • • • • • going.

Did you become friends with any of the rail workers you see all the time? • • •

Oh, construction guys. Every time we go. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Around.

I wasn't looking to look at because I had granny pants on the sunscreen pants. Those leggings. No, I • • don't • • • • had arm coolers with sun sleeves. And I had the leg ones. Oh, my • • goodness. If she knew me, then she would have just shook her head. Oh, why are you wearing that? But my • • • • skin if I didn't wear it.

My skin would • • burn. Florida sun that all year long.

Every • • • • • • • • • • • • day it faded. My clothes. My ponytail actually was blonde by the end of everything. I had a blonde ponytail on the • • • • brain. • • Really? After the • • hammer, my fingers were Brown. And I remember going to a cash register one day and somebody the cashier looked at my hand because it looks like my fingertips were dirty. • • • Yeah.

It was Super • • Tan because you were doing this in Florida so that you got humidity, you got heat. All the other weather we talked about, were you drinking. • • • • • • • • •

Constantly? Yeah.

Hydration is probably I went through a • • • • • • lot. Do you have a hydration pack or bottles?

Bottles. My dad would actually ride out backwards and give me bottles and I keep going. Just like hand offs.

Yeah. And one loop was what, six, 6 miles, 7 miles?

Twenty. • • • • • • •

20. And what did you do to prevent boredom?

Boredom. I had music in one year and then, uh, my friends would come out and ride and talk and share • • stories.

Did you listen to podcasts or you did?

Okay, yes. Next time you can. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Listen, do this again.

So you're glad that's behind you. What was your feeling like on December thirty 31? You were done?

Um, actually I started May fifteen 15, 2016. Okay. And I the year on the fourteen 14th 2017 of May, and I finished the one 100,000 July 11. Interesting because I started out just going for the year and then when I realized I was at eighty 86, buddy was like, hey man, you only got only fourteen, 14,000 more miles to one 100. And I are you going to be the one that's telling my mom or am I going to be the one? And it's funny because my mom said, oh, we're going to leave it up to your grandmother because she'll probably tell you to spot. She's like, oh, no, do it. And my mom was like. • • • • • •

Mom, your grandmother told you to do the other fourteen, 14,000 miles. Do you believe we're having this conversation? • • •

Uh, there are so many • • • stories.

I just can't wrap my head around it. So when you got to one 100,000 miles, broke what record?

The one 100,000 set by Tommy Godwin. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

In yeah.

I remember reading something like seventy 77 old record though, and I broke it by seventy 77. That was not planned.

That's cool.

That's five, 500 record.

It's just • • • • • happened. You hold the male and female record for the first person to one 100,000 miles. When that was done.

Did you • • • say finally I snuck out the next day and my dad and I rode fifty 55 miles nowhere • • • • • • knowing we didn't tell anybody. After I finished, I said, dad, I got to get a ride, but I kind of weaned down. I went to one 100 and down like seventy 70. And the most I do is three, 3 hours.

Okay. I ride one 100 • • • miles. Was it an endorphin fix that you needed or what was it?

I just want to shock my body.

To shock your • • • • • body. Not doing something one day after doing it for three 365 and cut back on food, I did that.

I was actually okay. Not eating that much anymore. Yeah, it got tired, it got • • boring. I know it sounds crazy, but eating that much food every day.

Yeah, it got old. How many calories were you trying to put in every day? Seven and nine, 9000. Seventy 79. A lot of pasta, a lot of bread.

I don't want pasta rice anymore. Okay. She said, you got to have some • • • • • • • • • • pasta. I like • • • • • potatoes. I love vegetables. Lean • • • meats. Correct. We could tear that up.

Okay.

All • • • • • • • • right.

All this left is what's left? What's next for you? So you're going to try to • • • • • gravel. You're going to keep focusing on the time trial and you want a couple of big time trials. Is that next for you?

Always trying to focus on getting trying to because that's always been my • • • first race against the clock. Just you get to the clock. • • •

Right. Uh, so what are you going to do? How are you going to train? What are you going to do with Nicola and team Twenty 2024?

Are you going to go keep pushing my comfort zone? Got to keep pushing past my comfort zone and go for some more ultra • records and gravel. So there's a lot of different things I can do. I just got Hone in on the specifics.

Okay. And were you on Swift last night? Yeah.

What's that all • • • about? Every week since July two, 2019, Blue Ridge Two 2024 had a Thursday morning at nine. 09:00, where we average about two Watts per kilo on wattopia's TikTok course, which is two laps. And everybody can come and socialize with me and Nicole and other ladies on the team. We have special guests • • • sometimes just chit chat and learn more about the team and share everybody and motivate everybody. It's a great way to start Thursdays.

Yeah. Okay. So you were doing that every Thursday? Every Thursday.

We did that yesterday at BBR headquarters.

Cool. • • •

Yeah.

I think I saw a Facebook post.

Yeah, I saw some posts on, uh, it. That's very cool.

Right. And you also have an Instagram post. Yes. • • • • Okay. Can anybody follow you on Instagram or is that invitation. • • • • • • • • • •

Yes, that in Facebook and Strava.

So tell us where to find you on all those.

Uh, social media platforms. Facebook is Facebook.

Comgoamedacoker.

Uh, and my website is gomanacooker, gomanacooker.com. And Instagram is at • • • Amanda two Underscores and Coker.

Okay.

We'll put all • • • those if you can. You should follow Amanda and see what she's doing, see what she's up • • to. Thanks for listening to her. Amazing story. I also want to say thank you to Ricky and Donna.

No kidding, right?

Yeah.

Thank you, • • • mom and. • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Grandma. This is only a couple of interviews in for us on this podcast, and it was, uh, an absolute joy to to able be talk to you and learn about your whole story. It's super cool.

Thank you. I hope to come back with more achievements to talk.

Please do. • • • • • • • • Yeah. You and Nichola both have been phenomenal, and we really appreciate taking the time.

And we wish you I hope you just crushed the, uh, field in this gravel event that you're going to do.

We'll see about • • • • • that. Thanks, Amanda.

Thank you. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Uh, before you go.

Just a couple of quick notes.

First of all, thanks for listening to the Rider Up podcast presented by Virginia's Blue Ridge America's East Coast Mountain Biking Capital. If you want to know more about riding your bike in Virginia's Blue Ridge, you should go directly to bikevbr, bikevbr.com, bikevbr.com kinds of information there. All of the many accolades the region has received from many of the bike.

Orgs.

You know, for instance, Virginia's Blue Ridge is an IMBA designated Silver Level Ride Center, and that's very rare in the Eastern half of the United States. Just a couple of us. Also, the League of American Bicyclists designate the region as a bronze level bicycle friendly business. And as you heard, Dan and I say it's also home to team two 2024, the women's team in the United States where top athletes are Olympic hopefuls and record breakers and Meddy have made it to the Olympics and won medals in the past and this is where they call home. The fact is that this region is a fantastic cycling destination for mountain bikes, road bikes and gravel bikes. Just look at the calendar for this year. The Karelian Clinic Ironman seventy 70.3 Blue Ridge Triathlon will be set for early June here in Virginia and Virginia's Blue Ridge. The two 2022 cycling Amateur Road National Championship will be from June twenty 29 to July 2. The Gran Fondo is set for Sunday, October nine 9 and the from Carbons Cove mountain bike race will be Saturday, October sixteen 16 and 17th and part of the Virginia's Blue Ridge Endurance series. So all kinds of great events and I'm just skimming the tops right there links to everything we talked about in the podcast as well as a link to an awesome YouTube video that is just music and beautiful scenery that shows you in about the highest quality. I have seen this side of Hollywood. All the many places to ride here in Virginia's Blue Ridge. For Dan Lucas, I'm John Carlin. Thanks for listening and I hope to see you out there in Virginia's Blue. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •