The great people at Julbo interviewed me and wrote up a great article, check it out
For someone who has only been racing for 13 months, Julbo athlete
Erica Tingey is making some noise on the pro racing scene. Although she just obtained her UCI Pro License earlier this year, she placed 21st among the 35 fastest female pro XCT racers in the country recently at the Sea Otter Classic, and she has her sights set on top placements at some of the burliest, most competitive races this year. A devoted mom, wife and cyclist, Erica trains year-round on road or on the network of singletrack outside her home of Las Vegas, Nevada. When race season really gets going, it’s north to Park City, Utah for cooler climes and higher climbs. Here’s the dirt on Erica, who also happens to love the
Julbo Dirt.
How long have you been racing pro?My first official mountain bike race was March 2010, just 13 months ago. I signed up for a local mountain biking series and quickly moved through the categories; three months later I was racing in the pro category. Most of the mountain bike races in the Western region don’t require a USA Cycling Pro License, and none of the races I did last year required one. So my early season goal for 2011 was to obtain a UCI Pro license. I won my first USA Cycling sanctioned XC race as a Cat 1 by enough that I was able to successfully petition for a Pro License.
What is your discipline, and what are your goals for 2011?My discipline is cross country mountain bike racing, with a specialty in powering up long, sustained climbs. My goals for 2011 are to place top 15 at the Cross Country National Championship in Sun Valley, Idaho and the last Pro XCT in Missoula, Montana. I also plan to place top 5 at The Leadville 100 and Park City Point to Point.
When did you sign on with Julbo?I signed on three weeks ago; however, I am quite familiar with Julbo glasses. I purchased my first pair in 1995; I climbed Mt. Rainier for the first time that year. It was well-known that the very best glacier glasses were Julbos – that was what you “had” to wear, so I saved up for a pair and loved them. A few years later I became a climbing guide on Mt. Rainier and wore those same great Julbos every day on the mountain. These days I find myself in need of high-speed, photochromic performance glasses. Julbo makes the lightest, most comfortable biking glasses I’ve ever worn! I am honored to represent such a high-quality, international company.
What are your favorite pairs?The Dirt is my favorite all-around pair. I’ve raced in them a few times now and they’ve preformed perfectly! They are super lightweight and the transition lenses are perfect for mountain biking and racing in particular. I can go through trees, shade and sun and my eyes are always protected and comfortable. Plus, they look super fast! The
Contestframes are ideal for my training rides. They have a great wrap-around style that keep out the low, early morning sun and the lenses transition really well from dawn to dusk and every type of terrain. I wear
The Touras my every-day and podium glasses. I love the way they look and feel. All of the frames are super comfortable, and I never experience the pinching or squinting that I have with other biking sunglasses.
What is a day-in-the-life of Erica Tingey like?While my weekends are full of exciting, adrenaline-filled racing, my weekdays are very routine and domestic. I try and get as much of my focused training done in the mornings: a typical weekday training ride lasts between one-and-a-half to two hours, which means I’m out of bed and on my bicycle by 5 a.m. Once home, I turn my attention to my two-year-old, preparing breakfast, playing trains, and being a mom. My son is young enough that he still takes long afternoon naps, which is when I catch up on emails, clean my bikes, or return phone calls. Once he’s awake, it’s full-on mom time until my husband gets home and I can make the “hand-off!” By 8 each night my son is in bed and it’s time to relax. It’s a full day, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world!
– Interview by Christine Rasmussen
