Team member interview #2. The Man, the Legend, The King of HPM himself.Kirk OlsonWho are you? Your "vitals"?
Kirk Olson, 45, Married, 2-dogs, no kids.
Where are you from?
Born and raised in Montana, lived in CO since 1991
What do you do for a living?
Project Manager for Seagate Technology.
What do you do on a Bike?
Ride Mountain bikes for fun, Intervals on road bike and race cyclocross.
When did you start racing Bikes? Start Racing Cross? Start Nordic Ski Racing?
Always raced against neighbor kids in Montana. Raced a couple of Duathlon (run,bike,run) in AZ, but First official bike only race was the "Cat's Hill Critierium" in Los Gatos, CA. - 1989 I think.. (got lapped in a cat 5 field)
First full bike racing season was in 1992 in CO.
Started cyclocross and MTB racing about 92 or 93.
Started my ski career Alpine ski racing at age 5. Played with the classic skinny sticks as a kid, thru school sponsored trips. I didn't start Nordic skiing or racing until the 2000's after I quit bike racing for 4 years. Being from MT and raised with guns, Biathlon was a normal route a year after learning to skate ski.
First full bike racing season was in 1992 in CO.
Started cyclocross and MTB racing about 92 or 93.
Started my ski career Alpine ski racing at age 5. Played with the classic skinny sticks as a kid, thru school sponsored trips. I didn't start Nordic skiing or racing until the 2000's after I quit bike racing for 4 years. Being from MT and raised with guns, Biathlon was a normal route a year after learning to skate ski.
Any other "interesting" bike history or stories?
Punctured a hole and tendon behind my knee with a front chain ring, after being run over by another cross racer. Filled the shoe up with blood but still finished the race. Trip to ER after...Thanks Dale.
Raced the Vail 100 MTB a couple years. Stayed very close to the lead group (within sight) one year until about mile 60 where I had a complete melt down for an hour or so...Still don't remember what I did for that hour.
After a night of parting, I lined up for a MTB race in Hua Hin, Thailand, on a rented 40lb Trek. Drained my camelback at the line waiting for the race to start. Dehydrated, I ended up lost running thru a farmers rice patty field afraid I was going to get bitten by a snake (everything very blurry), and then proceeded to the jungle ending up in some village. (no cyclist around..) Passed out on the ground and some nice villager gave me some water and haled my ass back to the start line after a 30min drive in the back of mini truck.
After Drinking a 4 shot mocha late before a Pagosa Springs criterium, I proceeded to lap the field, ride thru them and miss 1st place by a wheel length. After the race all I could say is "can't stop, got to keep riding.." Next day's Hill climb road race was not as pretty.
You going to ride your bike with that crack?
Raced the Vail 100 MTB a couple years. Stayed very close to the lead group (within sight) one year until about mile 60 where I had a complete melt down for an hour or so...Still don't remember what I did for that hour.
After a night of parting, I lined up for a MTB race in Hua Hin, Thailand, on a rented 40lb Trek. Drained my camelback at the line waiting for the race to start. Dehydrated, I ended up lost running thru a farmers rice patty field afraid I was going to get bitten by a snake (everything very blurry), and then proceeded to the jungle ending up in some village. (no cyclist around..) Passed out on the ground and some nice villager gave me some water and haled my ass back to the start line after a 30min drive in the back of mini truck.
After Drinking a 4 shot mocha late before a Pagosa Springs criterium, I proceeded to lap the field, ride thru them and miss 1st place by a wheel length. After the race all I could say is "can't stop, got to keep riding.." Next day's Hill climb road race was not as pretty.
You going to ride your bike with that crack?
Any Great Racing Results?
Won the Mead circuit race series a couple years. A few MTB wins, Lot's of top 10's in road, cross, MTB and a 3rd place Podium last year at Cross NACT Boulder Res in 45+.
Two 4th and one 5th place finish at Biathlon Nationals last winter and several top 5 in other Nordic and Biathlon races thru the years.
Two 4th and one 5th place finish at Biathlon Nationals last winter and several top 5 in other Nordic and Biathlon races thru the years.
What else do you do for fun?
Spend as much time in the Mountains as I can, with my wife and dogs.
Any bike racing goals or dreams to share?
Main cyclocross and Nordic goals are just to have FUN and be stay fit enough to mix it up every race with the top guy's. Biathlon the same, but hope to travel and hit more NAC races, Nationals, a trip to Finland for World Masters and the World Masters Olympics in a few years in Italy..
Why are you on H.P.M. ?ah...I started this... I've ridden for many teams, including Alan and Ridley for Cross. I just wanted my own team, own clothing and to be able to do whatever I wanted, whenever.
If you hit the Powerball lottery tomorrow, what would you go do?Would be doing pretty much the same stuff, except not working... Would be living more in the mountains, still racing cyclocross, Biathlon and Nordic. More Travel to Visit and race the other world Masters, outside the Colorado mutants. Oh, and go back to school to learn other languages.
No comments:
Post a Comment