Jim Turner is not over the hill, but competitors and spectators alike are still not over Turner's performance as the 71-year-old cyclist became king of the hill at the inaugural Atlas Peak Challenge.
Turner finished first in a field of 87 riders in the 9.44 mile hill climb race up Atlas Peak Road near Napa with a time of 50 minutes and 10 seconds. The event featured a series of head starts modeled after the legendary Dipsea trail race which considers age, gender and weight. Turner started the race 26 minutes and 50 seconds before non-head start male riders aged 20 to 25 years. In terms of absolute time, Turner still finished faster than some younger riders.
Friends, family and Turner's Webcor/Alto Velo Bicycle Racing Club teammates are not surprised. The defending NCNCA Masters Men 70-74 Time Trial champion's race resume includes second-place finishes in the USA Cycling 2010 Masters Track Nationals sprints and points races and third in the pursuit race. In addition to cycling, Turner placed third in his age group in the 10,000 meter run at the USATF 1996 National Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Turner's running career ended on a high note that same year with a national championship for his age group in duathlon. Turner later developed degeneration in his knee cartilage and his orthopedist recommended that he stop running.
Does Turner bike to work?
"I retired in 2003 as a Silicon Valley software developer. I started cycling in 1992 and occasionally, perhaps, once a month, I would bike to work. Most of my biking was for competitive training. They are going to have an event in San Jose where the Mayor is going to ride to work. I may show up to support that."
What is his training schedule?
"Monday is a day off and I will do a bike workout the other six days and strength workouts twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday."
Any advice for people your age?
"Go out there and do something. If it's a daily walk, bike ride, swimming or whatever you like that's great. Some of these competitions I go to, there will be cyclists in their eighties. They're role models for me. If I want to be cycling ten years from now I can still do that."
Comments