Chances are you have heard his voice excite the crowd at Athens Twilight or US Pro, and now you learn how he got there to also become the man behind Totalcyclist/Per4mance Training Center. 

 

NC.com - How did you get started in the sport of cycling, and now end up involved as a commentator, coach and mentor?

Chad - I got started back in the early 90s because I was tired of running and saw some cyclists out riding. Chatting it up. I was thinking, man..that looked cool. The next day I was at the bike shop picking up my Schwinn Tempo 7 or 8 speed! The rest, as they say, is history.

The commentator, coach and mentor aspect came as a progression. My major in school was communication. Public speaking and interpersonal communication were my interests. When I picked up the bike I started learning more about the sport, more about the training and more importantly more about who I was a cyclist.

In the late 1990s a local race was going on and music was playing, but no one was actually talking on the mic...so, I just picked it up and started babbling, rambling on about the sport and some tactics. I enjoyed it a lot, but with no real idea of what I was doing. I guess I was heard by another local promoter and he asked if I would commentate his race. I said “err, sure?” The following year, Gene Dixon of Swagger (Athens Twilight, USA Crits) heard me and said you're pretty good...raw, but pretty good. He asked me to do Athens Twilight THAT year. I was like, sure! Ow, wow I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. After that I was hooked.

Coaching came from my passion of working with the interpersonal aspect of what makes athletes tick. I went to the Olympic Training Center to get the highest level of coaching. I started working with local athletes and decided hey, I kinda dig this. So, eventually I picked up more and more clients, opened up training centers and started interspersing my knowledge of cycling, training, racing and commentating into one big “package” for cycling. The unique aspect of all the commentating/coaching/mentoring is I get a birds eye view at the races of our clients! 
 
NC.com - What is the cycling community and culture like there in Charlotte?  It’s evident that your efforts contribute to the growth, but what other momentum is taking shape and how do you tap into it?

Chad - Charlotte’s cycling community is vibrant. We have a  community that is philanthropic and talented! We have probably one of the most talented masters group in the country, civic minded/benefit events like 24 Hours of Booty and soon to have a world class velodrome just down the road. I have been asked to be on the board for the new Carolinas Velodrome. I have commentated the Charlotte Presbyterian Criterium in front of 40,000 friends. That’s always a blast. We have amazing mountain biking, road riding, and the Training Center is always full too. I am heavily committed to the wellness of cycling in Charlotte because of its relevance to me and my business. The culture is a mix of racers, messengers, enthusiasts and everything in between. Not very different than Nashville, or any other southern cycling community I would think.
 
NC.com - You are a Level 1 certified coach leading a staff of coaches such as our friend Jeff Hopkins (former Nashvillian), as well as Thad Dulin and Tim Henry to name a few.  What was the inspiration behind TotalCyclist.com and the Per4mance Training Centers in Charlotte, and how have you built it into what it is today?

Chad - Great question! I was working a full time job while starting my coaching in the late 90s. I started thinking, man I love this, but how do I turn it into a business? There were only a FEW Cycling Coaches who coached for a living. Most were part-time. Two things really changed that.

1) I started coaching a professional golf coach (on the bike), and she had a training center for golfers. We had the exact same clientele. I thought, if she can have a training center for a outdoor sport why can’t I?
2) I had a potential client, when I first started, call and asked me if was a full-time coach. Meaning did I do it full time. I had no answer for that. I lost the client and decided I have to make this legit in the eyes of the general public.

Racermate just released computrainers and soon thereafter, with some input, released a program that would really work in a group atmosphere. I bought 8, leased a space and started building programs. I had no idea how to do it...just kind of learned on the way. Since then it’s been a blast learning all the way and building the TotalCyclist/Per4mance Training brand. (Commentating has obviously helped!)
 
NC.com - There aren’t many true cycling commentators and voices in the US that fans recognize like they do for baseball or football.  Dave Towle, John Eustice and Frankie Andreu come to mind. Do you ever connect with other commentators, and can you explain how having an energized and recognizable voice adds to the race experience?

Chad - Yeah..it's interesting but there really aren’t that many of us. Nationally there is a few of us. You always get to work with the top guys, just depends on the promoter and what style he is looking for. Then it becomes word of mouth on how you get the gigs. I have worked with Dave many times. Ironically I have worked many of John Eustice’s races for him. The US Open Cycling Championship and I do a fantastic race for John, the Univest Grand Prix. That is a European Style UCI race in the States! Frankie and I have spent  time together as friends and business associates but never have really worked together.

I find it is a balance to be energetic yet educational. I know there are tons of racers listening to me. (Interestingly I have clients and friends actually pick up on my inflection when I feel a particular move is dangerous and react!) My “mantra” for commentating? Educate 50% without insulting the other 50%. So far I guess it has worked. I particularly like being a part of the production of the race. I feel it needs to be a experience that people should leave and go..wow that was fun. One anecdote: I was walking to get coffee the next morning after a big bike race. I was crossing the street and a man asked me if I raced the race... I laughed! I told him I was the race commentator and he said he happened upon the race, went near the finish line. He told me I kept him interested, educated and entertained.  He became a cycling fan from that point on. Exactly what we need!
 
NC.com - What have been a few of the more memorable racing moments you have called over the years?  Surely there’s some that stand out for you and the fans.  Plus, what events are you excited to work for in 2010?

Chad -
Athens Twilight: Wild, crazy, entertaining, vibrant, nuts.  Vasili Davidenko relentlessly attacking for the win.
US Open: Snow, snow, cold, snow. Svein Tuft.
San Francisco Twilight: Richard Fries and I loved that race! Downtown San Fran was rockin’
US Pro: Ironically, Saul Raisins First TT back from his crash was very interesting.
Charlotte Presbyterian Criterium: Hometown!
Univest Grand Prix: During a leftover hurricane and Lucas Euser, through a absolute downpour, wins the race.
Sommerville for it’s nostalgia.
Chris Thater Memorial for it’s cause

Races coming up? All the above and more. TXTough in Dallas is becoming a real criterium gem. USA Crits National  is always fun. This year should be whizbang. I have left off too many in the above list and I apologize.

I have been very blessed to do some very big races. The most memorable was the epic race in Richmond, VA on NBC. It was the US Open Cycling Championship and it snowed a ton at the start. Freezing cold. Epic. Svein Tuft launched his career there.  There are tons more, and I apologize to all the great races that aren’t listed, but frankly they all have a unique and special spot.

NC.com - You get to interview a lot of top notch regional talent and domestic professionals.  Who are some of the more colorful and entertaining riders to interview, male and female?

Chad - Wow! There are too many to list. Cycling is a unique sport that always brings out colorful personalities. Most are eager to talk. Some are more “colorful” than others, if ya get me!
 
NC.com - As for the growth and outlook for ladies, what are you seeing take place within the female side of professional cycling?  Do you feel the outlook for young female juniors is promising?

Chad - Hmm.. I hope so. I am a big fan of women's cycling. It’s so hard. Payrolls are low and the demands of the sport are so high. It’s like women have to give up potential income working a regular paying job and do part-time and race. Travel and fatigue. However, the women's peloton is so unique. You have such diversity in talent at the local races that its so hard to prepare for the raw speed of NRC and International combination. Client Liz Hatch just released a great article on Cyclingnews that echoes my sentiment. There is always a push towards getting junior women into the sport but it always seems to fall short. Our sport is not like soccer, volleyball or mainstream sports. There is no “pipeline” to the bigger stage. USA Cycling has a development program that is still “developing”.

NC.com - Since you have your eyes and ears on the landscape of cycling here in the US, which names should fans keep an eye out for in 2010?

Chad - That’s a brilliant question because it has so many layers to it. If you talked to any parent and told them that there son or daughter would be traveling around the country (world) living in a dorm, cheezy hotel, chasing pizza primes and living off of 10K a year they would be dumbfounded. Yet, every year we have so many young and up and comers TRYING to get that gig on a Mountain Khakis, Jelly Belly, Team Type 1, Bissell..you name it. I love the U23 elite teams that are assembled. Trek-Livestrong has a great stable in the Kings and of course Taylor Phinney. Love to see him race in the States some. Mtn Khakis has provided some bright up-and-comers with a development mindset. Hoffarth and Brown. Very tough question.

NC.com - We appreciate you taking the time to share yourself with the readers of NashvilleCyclist.com.  We’ll give you the last word, what would you like to leave the readers with?

Chad  - If you see me at a race...please come up and say hola!

Please visit Totalcyclist.com to learn more about Chad and Totalcyclist/Per4mance Training Centers. You can also contact Chad via email at chad@totalcyclist.com and follow him on Twitter @Totalcyclist.