Team EPC is Ready for Battle on the XTERRA Circuit

In 2008, the EPC XTERRA squad experienced a stellar inaugural season coming away with multiple State and Regional Championships, a National Championship and many top podium places across the state of Colorado and across the country. Then the EPC XTERRA Team consisted of eight athletes, equally split between men and women. Two up-and-coming professional athletes along with six amateur athletes vying for the top honors in their respected age-groups ranging from 27 years of age to 52 years young. These hard working and dedicated athletes regularly push their bodies to the limits and inspire many others to take up a similar healthy and active lifestyle that promises to produce a higher quality of life.

Combining the well known and feared strengths of Colorado endurance athletes with industry leading Colorado based sponsors like Wheat Ridge Cyclery, Pearl Izumi, Rudy Project and Yeti Cycles the EPC XTERRA Team will be a force to reckon with in 2009. Having expanded to ten athletes, the EPC XTERRA Team plans to continue it’s dominating presence in the Mountain Region XTERRA scene as well as select events across the country.

Team captain and coach, Cody Waite, is racing his third season as an XTERRA professional. In 2006, Cody dominated the Mountain Region while placing top amateur at nearly every event he entered while collecting an XTERRA Amateur National Championship. In 2007 he turned professional and grabbed a top-5 finish in Ogden while finishing an impressive 7th place on the XTERRA America Tour in his first year in the pro ranks. 2008 proved to be another year of learning valuable lessons that he hopes will payoff in the way of a stronger 2009 season ahead. Off the race circuit, Cody lives in Lakewood, Colorado and is a professional triathlon coach with Endurance Performance Coaching.

Team EPC’s other professional racer is Sara Tarkington from Boulder. After a successful career as an elite road triathlete representing the USA at 4 World Championships, Sara needed a different challenge and took up mountain biking 2 years ago. In her first two years of racing XTERRA, Sara was 12th at Worlds in 2007 and 9th at Worlds in 2008. Sara has fallen in love with riding on the dirt and hopes to make her way closer to the podium this year as her skills on the bike continue to improve. Sara balances racing as a pro while working full time as a child protection worker in Boulder County, making her a master of quality training sessions rather than quantity.

Cary Kinross-Wright (35-39) decided to narrower her focus to XTERRA in 2008, after 8 years competing in adventure races, ultra marathons and Ironman triathlons. In her first season Cary became the 2008 Mountain Region champion in the Women’s 35-39 division and third in her age group at both the 2008 XTERRA USA National Championship and the 2008 XTERRA World Championship. After 13 years in the corporate world as a chemical engineer and venture capital investor, Cary is now following her passion as a coach with Endurance Performance Coaching; she is also an owner and manager of a personal training studio in Denver. Cary spends much of her time training in Golden where she lives, and Winter Park and Crested Butte, with her husband Mark and dog Bob.

In the “Super Dad” division is Ed Oliver (40-44). With a wife, 2 young boys, a full time job, and running a Pedicab business in Denver, Ed uses any free time he has to get in his miles. Ed has won the Mountain Region points for the last 4 years and doesn’t look to be giving that title away anytime soon. Ed uses his riding skills picked up from years of racing against guys like John Tomac, Ned Overend and Tinker to make up for his still improving run and swim. His 2009 goal is to never be “chicked” at any race this season!

Kathy Eckert (44-49) starting seriously racing XTERRA in 2005 at the young age of 43. Kathy won National Championships in 2005 and 2008, podiumed at Worlds in 2007 and 2008 and was the Mountain Region Champion in 2006 and 2007. Kathy’s athletic interests also include winter sports – you can find her telemarking the bumps at Mary Jane, volunteering as a ski instructor for handicapped kids for the National Sports Center for the Disabled at Winter Park (which she’s done for 15+ years) or skate skiing at Devil’s Thumb Resort in Tabernash. Professionally, Kathy is an HR executive at a large consulting firm where she’s worked for over 18 years. She credits her work-at-home and flexible schedule as a key factor in her ability to have work/life/training balance.

After making numerous appearances on several failing reality TV shows Luke Jay (25-29) turned to XTERRA racing. Because of the brutal triathlon training Luke bulked up to a "huge" 150lbs. and quickly became a bodyguard for Chuck Norris and Steven Segal, both paying him with gold. After winning the lottery a few times, Luke focused more than ever on the 2008 season. Much to his mother’s dismay, he was able to win an XTERRA Mountain Region and National Championship, dashing her dreams of her son joining the circus. He is ready for the 2009 season and more determined than ever, mainly due to his new life coach, David Hasselhoff, who is helping him focus his energy while wearing speedos. Currently Luke is working as a sales rep in Littleton Colorado. Along with way too many hobbies (about 17), Luke and his wife Becca are also raising/training their 20-month-old son Ryder.

Rickey Tolliver (40-44) is from Parker, Colorado where he lives with his wife and daughter and works as an epidemiologist for the state of Colorado. Rickey is a long time mountain bike racer that is looking to exceed his rookie XTERRA season in 2008. Second overall in the 40-44 year category for the Mountain region in 2008, Rickey won his age-group at XTERRA Iron Creek and XTERRA Indian Peaks in 2008. Rickey is now focused on improving his results at both the National and World XTERRA Championship races.

Competing in the women’s 35-39 age group in 2009, Julie Bruckman is a feared competitor amongst the XTERRA women. She is a multi-time Mountain Region Champ and podium finisher in Maui. In 2008 Julie won the amateur overall at Temecula along with the overall win at XTERRA Four Corners. Back in 2009 to defend her titles and give the girls in her new age group a run for their money. When not training and competing, Julie works as a massage therapist and lives with her fiancé in Littleton, Colorado.

New team member for 2009, Jason Michalak covers the men’s 30-34 field with top finishes at XTERRA Crested Butte, Four Corners, and Beaver Creek. Bringing a long history of Wisconsin swimming to the Colorado Rockies has moved Jason up through the ranks of his fellow XTERRA amateurs. He has time well spent in the dirt, running high school and college cross-country. What he is most excited about is tearing through the Colorado Rockies on his mountain bike with his fellow EPC teammates. Jason promises his 3rd year racing XTERRA will be his most competitive.

Rounding out the team for 2009 is Danielle Kehoe. Although only 22 years old and new to mountain biking and XTERRA racing, Danielle’s triathlon experience is deep and hard to ignore. She has been racing triathlons since she was 7 years old on the Iron Kids circuit. Over the years she has raced as a junior and U23 athlete representing the USA at National and World Championship events around the globe. Most recently she has given a solid run at ITU racing under the tutelage of triathlon great Siri Lindley. Currently she is completing her degree in Exercise Science while swimming and running track at Metro State College in Denver. Once she gets the mountain biking down, she is guaranteed to be battling for the top spot amongst the female amateurs in 2009!

With a top-notch group of amateur and professional Colorado endurance athletes the EPC XTERRA team will be tough to beat. Follow the EPC Multisport squad in 2009 as they train, travel, and compete on the XTERRA circuit. Look for them at all Mountain Region XTERRA events sporting their silver Pearl Izumi race suits and Yeti mountain bikes and be sure to say hello. Learn more at www.epcmultisport.com