Name: Chase Dickens
Age: 18
Team: American Classic Professional Mountain Bike Team
The 2013 American Classic/Xpedo Professional Mountain Bike Team presented by Maxxis consists of Robert Marion and Chase Dickens. Marion and Dickens will be competing in the US Cup East Series, the Triple Crown East Series, Sea Otter and the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. With Raleigh as the official frame sponsor of the the team, the men will be racing on the Talus Carbon Pro 29 bikes. As the team travels from race to race this season, you can follow how they're doing on Facebook.
In 2013, Chase Dickens finds himself at the beginning of the season as a first year pro, U23 racer. Earning a podium spot in the 2012 US Cup East Pro Series, Dickens has had a successful Junior Career, which also includes earning podium spots in two short track National Championship races. Look for Dickens to have big results this year! The American Classic Professional Mountain Bike Team is taking part in 15 different events in 2013, including the US Cup East/SERC Series and the Southern Classic Series.
Dickens took some time out of his busy schedule recently to chat with About.com about his early memories of mountain biking, what it's like to be a professional athlete, his greatest accomplishment so far, his typical training schedule, how he stays on top of his game, and advice for those of you just getting started in the sport of mountain biking. Go behind the scenes with professional mountain biker Chase Dickens in this exclusive About.com interview.
About.com: What are your first memories of biking?
Chase Dickens: Riding with my family. Just for the pure pleasure of spending time together.
About.com: How did you get hooked on mountain biking?
Chase Dickens: After racing in my first race and barely coming in second I knew I was hooked. The thrill of the chase and being chased was a whole new excitement I had never experienced!
About.com: How does it feel to be a professional athlete?
Chase Dickens: Being a professional cyclist is the greatest job in the world.
About.com: As a kid, did you think this is what you would be doing?
Chase Dickens: Before becoming a cyclist, I played just about every sport. I thought I would have became a professional soccer player or football player. But once I found cycling I knew what I would become.
About.com: What do you feel is your greatest biking accomplishment so far?
Chase Dickens: Getting on the podium twice at mountain bike nationals. There was no greater feeling than being within the top five in the nation.
About.com: How do you deal with the physical and emotional stress of racing?
Chase Dickens: Recovery is key. Overtraining can be as bad if not worse than not training enough. During the week I enjoy rides by myself that allow me to clear the mind of all stress and just ride.
About.com: What does a typical day of training consist of?
Chase Dickens: A couple of hours on the mountain bike or road bike with some type of intervals.
About.com: How do you stay fit through the off season?
Chase Dickens: During the off season I spend a lot of the time racing cyclocross on my Raleigh RXC Pro.
About.com: Do you have advice for mountain bikers who are just getting started?
Chase Dickens: Don't tense up, allow your bike to move under you and go over challenging obstacles. Have fun. You are exploring a wonderful sport designed for having fun.
