I met my coach the summer I qualified for Kona the first time. I was pretty sure I might die in the lava fields and absolutely certain the wind was going to blow me off the bike. He gave me a ton of pointers, most important being "Don't fight the wind."
We have a great group of mutual friends that all ride together. The guys talk trash and make fun of Dirk's "glory days", even though we all know they are proud of him. They are also nice enough to let a girl tag along.
Last year when Dirk started coaching me he said, "There will be days you will absolutely hate me for some of the workouts I have you do." He was not lying. But I could see the big picture and I believed he knew what he was doing with my training. So I trusted him 100%. By the end of the season he knew me better than myself in regards to racing and training. He knew when to pull me back and make me rest and when to keep pushing me. He also believed in me.
More than a coach, Dirk is a great friend. This is his story.
Bike Commute - it's fun.
Rudy Project
