It's rare for athletes to retire at the pinnacle of their careers, and it's even rarer for athletes to make a seamless transition from elite competition to real life. Many are faced with the harsh realities of financial struggles, while others merely fight with the concepts of normality and blending into a society they have only infrequently engaged with. Mike Friedman has faced all of that and more. He may not be a household name with a string of zeros at the end of his bank balance and cabinet full of medals, but he has become one of the most inspirational figures in American cycling.
So far, all of my interviews during our 'Tour of Colorado' series had concluded in the same manner; questions would naturally peter out, the recorder would be turned off, and before long the keys would be turned in the ignition and my focus would shift to yet another destination. But before goodbyes could be said and handshakes exchanged, the interviewees would always politely ask who else was on the agenda. As the week wore on and the days counted down, I would list off the names of people I'd yet to see. In almost automatic synchronicity they would then ask the same question:
"Are you seeing Friedman?"
ADVERTISEMENT
"What about Mike Friedman?"
And on one occasion, just: "You have to see Mike."
I'd pencilled in Friedman from the beginning of my Colorado tour, but the grading of his name was faint in the notebook that left England. In my mind, he was a maybe, rather than a must-have. However, with every passing interview the shading of his name grew thicker and more prominent, and as Colorado Springs disappeared in the rearview mirror and Boulder consumed the horizon, Friedman's initials had been underlined and surrounded by doodles of stars and poorly drawn bikes. By the time we met face-to-face in one of Boulder's collective of hipster coffee jaunts, Freidman was a must.
- Floyd Landis: Redemption and the pursuit of closure
- Michael Creed: Fighting back against depression
- Danny Pate: The five races that changed my life
- Bouchard-Hall: Leaving a brighter future at USA Cycling
A proud and humble upbringing
The deal
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/magic-mike-friedman-finds-fulfilment-in-life-after-racing
No comments:
Post a Comment