Posted: 6/19/02

The love to ride, the will to win

Branden Peterson
Sports Intern

As Michael Olheiser untied his soccer cleats for the last time as captain of the Forest Lake high school soccer team, he had no idea that the road of life would come with a bicycle instead of a soccer ball nine years later.

The 1993 graduate now finds himself pedaling across the rolling hills of the Tennessee Valley as the 27 year old trains for professional bike races across the country, perhaps even a run at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

At 5í10î and 165 lbs., Olheiser has conditioned his body to slightly under five percent body fat. Married to a dietician, Lindsay Gatsoff, a 1995 Forest Lake graduate, Olheiser gets the assistance of his wife in his ìconstant gameî with his diet.

Staying fit is encouraged not only for competition, but for a career as a personal trainer for Ballyís Total Fitness in Huntsville, Alabama. The flexible work schedule that begins mostly in the late afternoon or evening allows for several hours of training in the morning.

While growing up in Wyoming, Olheiser built up the stamina that was needed to chase down soccer balls and drive opponents crazy as he raced by. His success led him to Juddston College in Elgin, Illinois on a soccer scholarship.

Two years later, Olheiser returned home to finish a degree in kinesiology at the University of Minnesota. Meanwhile, with his homecoming Olheiser tried something new: mountain biking.

ìI kind of picked it up and ran with it.î Olheiser explains. ìMy brother and I took a trip out to Wyoming. We did the mountain biking thing off and on for a while, and then I got into the local mountain bike races in Minnesota.î

a new direction

After graduating in 1998, he began working for Ballyís Total Fitness around the metro area. One of many hobbies, he continued to mountain bike occasionally until a job offer for his wife caused a move southward.

With a continued passion to bike and the direction of a friend, Olheiser decided to give amateur road races across Alabama a try. Success followed soon after.

ìI definitely have to set goals high. If I aim low, youíre never going to accomplish anything.î

Indeed, Olheiser is accomplishing things.

Two weekends ago, Olheiser rode away with the best time out of 53 riders in the Alabama State Time Trials in a 40 kilometer race with a time of 55:01. Quite an accomplishment for a road biker of less than two years.

He has earned professional racing status and is sponsored by Trinity Sports Group out of Nashville, Veloclips a photo-finishing company, and Ultima Replenisher. With their assistance, Olheiser is pushed to train even harder.

racing back home

Last weekend brought Olheiser home as he raced in the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival in Winona on Friday night, and at the State Capital on Saturday.

After being pushed off the road, leading to a skin-tearing fall near the finish line on Friday, Olheiser recovered quickly to place 14th amongst over a hundred competitors. An admirable finish, with a decent payoff--$95.

Although heís not sure of what the future will bring, he will continue to race as long as his body allows, ìI love training, I just love to ride, and I love watching others struggle on hills.î

As fast as this man moves, grinning as he surges past strugglers is something heís accustomed to.

Top of Page