Written by: Julie Larson
Posted: Wednesday, 25 June 2008
The Colorado cycling scene will be seeing positive changes on
the asphalt horizon. According to the American Cycling Association’s executive
director Jon Tarkington, “It’s been a year of upfront transitions, and next
year will be another even bigger year of change.”
The American Cycling Association, originally started as the
Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado in 1976, promotes the sport of bicycle
racing in the Rocky Mountain region; develops local, regional and international
competitions; and coordinates bike club activities.
His Start
Tarkington has been heavily involved in cycling since
childhood and is dedicated to improving the sport for the next generation of
enthusiasts.
“I started cycling with my dad when I was 12. We did longer,
non-competitive rides,” he says. After a year of riding, “I saw a thing on TV
for a series of mini-classics. The next year I got a road bike, showed up and
started racing.”
Tarkington’s passion for cycling continued through high
school and college. “I went to CU specifically for bike racing and skiing,” he
says. When Tarkington wasn’t working for the ski patrol after college, he was
cycling.
“Riding is what made me happy, and I wanted to figure out a
way to make a living at it,” he says. “I had already coached a couple of
collegiate cycling teams at that point and there was a burgeoning market for
personal coaches.” Tarkington began his coaching endeavor with a handful of
athletes and watched it develop into Teton Consulting, which offers one-on-one
tailored coaching services.
Tarkington also fuels his road cravings by riding with the
Vitamin Cottage Cycling Team. “[Cycling] has become just an engrained part of
my life—it’s almost impossible to imagine life without it.”
His engrained passion turned an unexpected corner in 2006
when a car struck him while he was riding. “I couldn’t ride for six weeks and
that was torture, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”
“After all those years, I had never been hit by a car. I was
wondering what it would do to my level of commitment,” he says. “It changed it
some, in that up until that point I was very gung-ho on traveling and going to
big, bad races around the country…after that, I thought it was time to slow
down. That was a big transition.”
Leading the ACA
Tarkington then decided to turn his attention to the
American Cycling Association. “I wanted to start to give something back,
because I had gotten a lot out of the sport over the years,” he says. He also realized that the ACA Board of
Directors didn’t include a racer.
Now, as the ACA’s executive director, Tarkington is eager to
develop programs geared toward youth, women and the Masters category,
streamline races and foster relationships with other racing organizations.
“We have a lot of programs geared toward early development,”
says Tarkington. The reengineered
First Bike Program, now structured through bike dealers, “facilitates a
relationship between the junior (ages 10-18), the parents and the bike shop,”
he explains.
The ACA is also working on a Junior Handbook that would
provide a comprehensive cycling guide for parents and youth. The ACA’s Juniors
Ride Free Program allows juniors to race for free as well. These youth programs will be joined by
a series of junior day camps this year.
In addition to youth outreach, the ACA is developing two programs
aimed toward attracting more female riders. The first is the Women’s Mentoring
Program. “At designated races there is an experienced woman or two—usually it’s
one in the race and one on the sidelines—that facilitates the race for newer
people,” Tarkington explains. “It [the program] gives them pointers and
assistance in how they’re riding and a general pat on the back.”
The ACA is also creating a Women’s Club Handbook. “There is
a certain disconnect between women who ride recreationally and who have the
potential to race, and them competing,” he says.
Tarkington is
looking to expand the Masters category as well. “I see a big potential for
growth in 35 and over, but we really see a big spurt happening in the 45 and
over.”
Additionally, he would like to see more cooperation between
cycling organizations. “One of my biggest goals is to get competitive cycling
and non-competitive cycling to work together to solve some of our common
problems. I would really like to see us work together with two main groups:
non-competitive event promoters to improve cycling events period in Colorado;
and two, I would love to work with USA Cycling on developing grassroots
racing,” he says.
With a baby on the way, though, Tarkington’s most important
goal is being a good dad. “I want my kids to be able to have the same
opportunities that I had, if they choose that same type of activity. And,
ideally, I would like them to be better.”
In the spirit of this election year, as candidates local and national are out campaigning and the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Denver end of this month, we decided to check in with busy politicians around our active state to hear how they stay fit and healthy. 
