by John Conley

This feature is a continuation of the Front of the Pack article on Renee Nicholas in the August 2001 issue of Runner Triathlete News. To get the "rest of the story" on Renee Nicholas, please read the Front of the Pack article in that issue.

Ride for the Roses director Renee Nicholas (pictured) has been around sports her entire life but only recently "converted" to cycling and multisport activities.

"I grew up in Maine. I enjoyed team sports and things like running, hiking and tennis. You have to hike in Maine". "In high school I thought of myself as an athlete but I forgot about that part of me. I did not realize that you could do individual sports and get enjoyment out of that", she recalls. Exposure to athletes like then LAF executive director, Karl Hausman and Lance Armstrong himself led to an interest in cycling. "I started to become a jock because of all the friends I met through LAF". "That's how I got my first bike. They put on reflectors on my bike and I didn't realize that reflectors weren't cool", she laughs.

Nicholas confesses that at first she did not know Lance Armstrongs history as a world class cyclist. "I didn't know all of the things he had accomplished. To me he was just an incredible man who beat cancer. I had no idea how good he was at cycling. I didn't know his world-wide reputation. To me, he was just our boss", she said. Gradually, Armstrongs world-class accomplishments became clear to Nicholas. "It was like sitting in a room with a great big bear, and you don't even realize he's there until you look over and there he is. It was pretty incredible to be there with him", Nicholas reflected about the two-time Tour de France winner and 1996 Olympian.

Nicholas has seized the Lance Armstrong energy and has committed herself to participate in, as well as direct events. She is currently preparing for the Capitol of Texas Triathlon on July 29 and will use that level of fitness to continue her training using the Galloway method to prepare for the Marine Corps Marathon on October 28. In addition, Nichols has joined the Motorola Austin Marathon and Willie Nelson 10k for Farm Aid organizing committees. "I've always been confident in my academic ability and work ethic. Now I'm proving it in athletics", said Nicholas proudly. "I have a much greater appreciation for all the events".