Saris NoPinz eSports Worlds Q&A: Part I
We’re taking the opportunity this week to introduce you to our racers who will be lining up in the 2023 UCI eSports Cycling World Championships on February 18th on Zwift for Team USA! Our team has 6 racers lining up: Matt Curbeau, Jacquie Godbe, Liz Van Houweling, Ryan Larson, David Talbott, and Morgan Uceny. Then we also have Matt Gardiner and Jenn Real representing the team as Team Directors for the men’s and women’s squads!
Let’s get started. You’re going to a World Championship in your sport. What is your background in competitive sports that laid the foundation to get you to eSports Worlds?
Morgan: In high school I focused on running (XC, Track) and basketball. I had dreams of playing in the WNBA, but unfortunately was a much better runner than I was a basketball player. I ran track at Cornell University, specializing in middle-distances. After graduating in 2007 , I ran professionally for Reebok (3yrs) and Adidas (6yrs). I was the #1 ranked 1500m in the world in 2011 and also was a finalist in the 2011 World Championships and a finalist in the 1500m at the 2012 Olympics.
David: I’ve been riding bikes for as long as I can remember. I raced a lot as a junior and U23. Eventually worked my way over to Europe to race with the national team for several years. I had no idea what I was doing and wasn’t very good, but the experience helped me off the bike.
Liz: Gymnastics for about 12 years when I was young. High School cross country and pole vault. Club cycling in college. I’ve raced road, track, cyclocross, mountain bike, and eSports over the years
Ryan: . I was a collegiate runner at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Some of my PRs included a 15:10 in the 5K, 8:36 in the 3K, 25:24 in the 8K and 1:15 in the half marathon. Due to injuries I decided to end my running career and started cycling.
Jacquie: I swam for Northwestern University in college at a D1 level (so 13 years of purple total. Go ‘Cats!). When I started medical school, I started doing triathlons for fun with my now-husband, John. I managed to get my Pro card and competed semi-professionally for a few years. It was a great way to travel!
Matt: My past stems from a traditional three-sport athlete that dabbled in college baseball. After college I found triathlon and I went full-bore into that world. After I left pro triathlon for a job in accounting, I chose to focus on cycling, which has been my focus ever since in 2016.
Where are you from?
Morgan: Plymouth, Indiana, but now I live in Massachusetts
David: Chattanooga, Tennessee, but now I live in Connecticut
Liz: Des Moines, Iowa
Ryan: Pensacola, Florida, but live in New Jersey now
Jacquie: I’m currently in St. Louis, MO. Before that, I lived in Chicago, IL for 9 years while doing my MD/PhD at Northwestern University.
Matt: Originally from Western New York in the Finger Lakes (Go Bills!)
When did you first get onto Zwift?
Morgan: Winter of 2021
David: “I started riding again in 2016 but lost all my fitness over that winter so wanted to maintain some fitness for next year and found Zwift in 2017. Had an old travel trac wheel-on trainer that spun out at 400 watts. Was immediately hooked though!”
Liz: December of 2020
Ryan: I was introduced to Zwift in 2017 and used it for training and riding, but got hooked on the racing in 2018. In May of 2019 I became a part of Saris NoPinz (then Indoor Specialist) and never looked back.
Jacquie: One week before COVID hit.
Matt: I’ve been on Zwift since late 2014/early-2015, I believe. I’ve got a 5-digit Zwift ID that I’m proud of.
Why do you Zwift?
Morgan: Mostly to keep my higher-intensity training going. I no longer wanted to take on hard running workouts because it was a strain on my joints, but riding allowed me to accomplish my desires to train hard and not beat up my body. I still run a few days a week, but they are all just recovery-type runs. I’ve always loved the ease and convenience of running, and zwift definitely provides that over outdoor riding. I don’t have to worry about flatting on zwift!
David: “To maintain fitness, save time, and ride/race with the lads. Great community, too. Can jump into a group ride or race whenever you want.”
Liz: I have 2 little kids and live in an area with brutal winters. Zwift is a controlled environment that is always readily available. It's a challenging, fun, convenient, and a super productive training/racing tool.
Ryan: As a systems integration engineer, my work week can be demanding and sporadic. Zwift allows me to ride/race any time of day. As an ex-collegiate athlete the absence of competition and the feeling of not belonging to a team is never easy, but because of the team I’ve become a better athlete and met amazing people along the way.
Jacquie: Because it is safe, time-efficient and KILLER training. Also, I can binge-watch a lot of Netflix while eating chocolate. 😛
Matt: Zwift has been an absolute game-changer for riding inside. It’s becoming something truly amazing in what it brings to not only training, but community as well. Some of my closest friends have been made because of the platform. It gives me the freedom to unleash my competitive side but also balance the life of a career and family. My training room sits next door to my office now.
Best indoor training/racing pro-tip?
Morgan: Start pedaling hard 3-5s before your race “start.” My husband started Zwift racing before me and had to learn this the hard way! There are a lot of nuances to Zwift racing that take time to figure out and then actually implement them into your racing strategy.
David: You can never have enough fans.
Liz: Draft hard, then go all in and fully commit when the time is right.
Ryan: Set up a dedicated space for riding that you can hop on easily. I regularly wake up 15 minutes before a race with teammates starts and am able to get dressed and on the bike before I’m even fully awake.
Jacquie: Ace the A/C game. The colder the better. My ideal temperature is when I have to start my warm-up with a hat, sweater and undershirt (which will all come off in the first 15 minutes).
Matt: Find a group of people you like to race, ride, and chat with, then race, ride and chat with them. That alone will get you far.
We’ll have Part II of the questionnaire up on Wednesday! Stay tuned.