This post is the 2nd in the series where I will have the racers on my masters and 1/2’s teams answer some questions to help everyone learn some things about them. Following is the information provided to me by the tower of power Mike Gardynik.

Rider profile

Name: Mike Gardynik

Age: 50

Occupation: Engineer

Years riding: 15

Years racing: 5

Greatest racing success: Although I’ve been fortunate to have had many great experiences in my relatively short span of racing, my top 10 finish at the 2016 Masters National TT has to be my proudest achievement. The course wasn’t suited to my strengths, and I had some training set-backs leading into the race (due to illness), but, Jason was able to tweak the training plan to get me dialed in just in time. Through Jason’s coaching I was able to be competitive with the top racers in my age group – something that would have been unthinkable just a couple of years ago.

The one that got away: My first race didn’t turn out as planned. I was in a great position going in to the last half mile of the race. I was just starting to ‘power up’ for the push to the finish when my chain broke! Even with the broken chain, and having to push the bike the last few hundred meters, I still didn’t finish last – but, I was definitely in a position to win the race.

Indoor training tips: For me, the key to getting through long trainer rides is to have a workout plan. By being able to break-up the ride in to smaller segments, it’s much easier to get through the workout.

Why are you excited to race with Kinetic Fitness Coaching Elite Masters this year?: I’m very honored to have been invited to race with Jason, Houston, Mark and Rick for 2017. In addition to being great people, they have a wealth of experience and knowledge that they readily share. I’ve learned a lot from all of them individually, and am really looking forward to continuing to learn and improve from their collective input. It’s going to be a great year!

2017 goal(s): Continued improvement in Time Trialing, with another trip to Masters Road Nationals

Anything else you want to add: A few things that have made riding much more enjoyable for me were: 1) Going to races – I was able to meet other, more experienced racers who gave me advice. 2) I joined a club – which opened me up to group training rides, which are much more enjoyable than solitary riding. 3) I got professional coaching – which formalized training around my goals and abilities, leading to improved results in races.