Rider Profile: David “Rocket” Richter

Full disclosure: I work out with David almost every Friday at Herriott Sports Performance‘s Medicine Ball Conditioning class, and I admit my bias on this selection.

David has a natural athleticism that he could probably apply to any sport. For example, during one recent conversation he expressed how hard it is for him to run–“I mean a 5K is 15 minutes of absolute suffering”–or something to that effect. Nice: 5 minute/mile pace is a fantasy for most. Earlier in his career David was on a path to becoming a professional baseball player, but instead opted for the spills and thrills of bike racing.

Age: 39

Education: UW

Employment/Work/Career:
Professional cyclist (retired); currently coach/partner at Herriott Sports Performance. I was a bike messenger before I turned pro.

Year started cycling?
1970’s (BMX)

What bikes are you currently riding?
Guru. Our race squad is the test team for Guru. In 2010 we will be riding the new Photon.

Any other cycling gear you love at the moment?
Shimano Di2 electronic shifting. Very cool…I’ll be riding it in 2010.

What were your athletic experiences before cycling?
Baseball. I did every sport I could, but baseball was #1.

How did you get into cycling?
I did BMX as a kid, then got a mountain bike in 1988, started racing, became a bike messenger, turned pro, switched to the road.

What does your yearly cycling schedule look like? Miles per week/year?
When I was a professional I’d ride 15-40 hours a week (300-600 miles.); it was my profession. Now I train 5-10 hours a week. I need to be more precise with my training now…

Tell us about some of your cycling career highlights:
I’m proud to say I’ve won BMX, track, cyclocross, mountain, and road races at the top level. I’ve won UCI races and been able to race around the world. I think my favorite win was the Bermuda Grand Prix on my wedding anniversary. This season I won every WSBA competition in my category: #1 ranked rider, BARR, and the Washington Cup.

As the 2009 road season winds down, what’s on your radar for 2010?
There are one or two races that left a sour taste in my mouth this year, and I hope to sweeten that in 2010. Todd (Herriott) and I want to raise the level of racing in the NW. We plan to do that by racing hard, smart, and efficient.

Tell us about your most memorable race or ride:
So many!

One I do remember was one I nearly blacked-out at: Bank of America Crit in Charlotte, NC, the richest crit in America. On the last lap, I lost all my lead-out guys so I was battling solo with all the big teams…going for the richest one-day of the year. I knew I had to go early, so I did…over 400 meters from the line. I started to get tunnel vision, and the tunnel became smaller and smaller and I crossed the line blind! I nearly passed out, but didn’t crash and my vision returned just before I piled into the first corner of the course. I didn’t win, but scored a top-10 result and a nice pay-day.

What’s your favorite Seattle-area ride?
Rocket Ride! The premiere ride in the NW (named after me)

Any other sports that you do? What kind of cross-training do you do?
I love participating in all sports: I love sport. I’m a big F1/Moto GP fan. I appreciate the spatial capacity needed to excel in those sports.

Do you have any advice for folks getting into cycling or for cyclists thinking about racing?
Don’t get caught up in the end-game; enjoy every workout.

What keeps you excited about cycling?
Learning new techniques and facets of the sport and contributing to the development of racing: Discovery, application, mastering and teaching.

What obstacles get in the way of cycling?
Obstacles are a part of cycling (and life.) That’s why it is so hard. When there are obstacles in my way I just empty the garbage and move on; I just don’t think of them as obstacles. How we deal with obstacles is our choice and not an excuse…part of the game.

The Velocity Blog’s “Rider Profiles” highlight the accomplishments of some of our amazing local cycling athletes, and provides insight into their lives that may inspire us all.