Marisa Asplund
Residence: Durango, Colorado
Background: Distance Running, Mountain Biking
Occupation: Professional Road Cyclist, 8th Grade Science Teacher
Strengths: Stage Racing, Climbing
Interests: Gardening, Telemark Skiing, River Running, Jewelry Making, playing with Cora (dog), Trail Running
I bought my first mountain bike in 1993 with only 400 bucks that I had saved up over the summer. That marked the beginning of a long relationship with myself and two wheels. At that time I was living in a suburb of Kansas City, and contrary to popular belief, where I grew up was not flat, but rather quite hilly. I rode recreationally with a few mountain bike races mixed in but was more focused on distance running. Reading the latest magazines about the forthcoming "Mountain Bike Revolution," I learned of such towns as Durango, Colorado and Moab, Utah and dreamed of residing there one day.
After completing my undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas, I decided that my real calling was truly in the Rocky Mountains, and moved to Durango in 2001 with a short one year stop off in Salida, Colorado.
Ski bumming, mountain biking, and river running dictated the pace of my life for a couple years, but certainly didn't seem to pay the bills. So that's when I went back to Fort Lewis College to earn my credentials as a secondary science teacher. This would prove to be a serendipitous move, as that is where I met Rick Crawford, and the FLC cycling team. I was convinced to put my dirt skills to the test and race my mountain bike with the team. Although, mountain bike racing was enjoyable and successful; there seemed to be something missing. Two hour solo efforts did not stack up to the mental and physical aspect of multi day road racing that I was to soon delve into.
After racing only one season at the collegiate level on the road, I quickly climbed the ranks and that summer (2004), began racing in the pro women peloton with a solid finish at the grueling Tour de Toona as a new Cat. 2 rider.
2009 marks my fifth season racing as a pro; I have spent time with the Ford-Basis Squad, CPT-Colnago, TIBCO, and Team Cheerwine, winner of the 2008 NRC team competition.
In the off season, I still keep myself fit by competing in some ultra distance running events, regional triathlons, and of course skiing the Colorado powder. All this and I manage to find time to teach Earth Science to 80 eighth graders. Needless to say at the end of the day I go home tired, but am always ready to take on the next challenge.
