Get to Know the Team: Scott Pennington

Name:  Scott Pennington

From:  Union KY

How long have you been cycling:  Since I was 5.   I used to ride stupid distances to friend's houses in middle school that no parent would allow today, like 25 miles of hilly rural curvy roads.

What is your athletic background:  I grew up playing baseball, soccer and wrestling.   I've always had biking and running in the background.   My wife has a new addiction to running, so we've been hitting several half marathons in the midwest and at Disney.  We did OK in the Chicago Tri which became a Bi when the lake was too rough to allow the swimmers in.  She wants to do a half in every state, so we better get moving.  I want to do exactly 1 marathon to say I've done one, but I'm not sure my knees would still talk to me.

What is your injury history:  I've had both ACLs reconstructed by Cincinnati Sports Medicine (shout out to Dr Mark Siegel!!) from playing indoor soccer.   I will eventually most likely have both knees replaced, but I won't be sitting around waiting for it!

What was your first bike:  Obviously we all had kids bikes, I don't recall the names, I had a red one with a banana seat that went off too many stupid jumps.  I got a Sears 10 speed Freespirit steel bike in middle school that I painted a few different colors over time.  That was the bike I did my first century on, and it got me through to college.  Then I bought an '86 Cannondale SR600 with the money I saved from landscaping.  That bike saw a lot of (mis)adventure, multiple double centuries and multiple RAGBRAIs.  I knew it was getting long in the tooth when people started noticing that it stood out just because it had downtube shifters.

What do you ride now:  2017 Cannondale Synapse.

What do you remember most about your first bike: I literally remember laying down my first kids bike in an apartment parking lot that barely had all the snow swept off in Erlanger KY the day we took off my training wheels.  My first 10 speed, I remember riding countless miles around Indiana campgrounds with my brother on his matching bike.

   

What does your preparation for the race look like:  It seems like mostly trying to understand logistics and collect volunteers.   Kevin and Roger have been my constant reminder to get on the bike every day, even through the winter.   Zwift has been a lifesaver, making the hours in the basement pass like nothing.   I managed a 2 day out and back to Chilicothe a few weeks ago when senior management was away, to renew the feel of the long stretches on the bike alone, that was really nice.

What do you expect to get out of the race: I just am looking forward to a personal sense of accomplishment for experiencing something so few people ever get to do.  My bucket list includes a solo crossing (maybe with the wife) and maybe another shot at RAAM as part of a 4 person team.  Oh yeah, I want a finisher jersey!!

What section of the course are you most looking forward to:  The start will be filled with amazing energy and nerves.   I'm looking forward to the Glass Elevator as a group.  I'm actually looking forward to the ride through the passes in the Rockies and surmounting the Continental Divide again - these are parts I'm hoping the whole group can do together.   I am excited to ride the section through the Cincinnati area again. I am hopeful that we can get some local support out for that.  If we're not too beat, I think the ride down the east side of the Appalachians with the end in sight will be exhilarating.  I'm hoping to see a sense of joy and accomplishment in my teammates as well for something I've bugged them about doing endlessly.   I think some of them might just be doing this with me to shut me up.

   

What section of the course worries you the most:  I hope that we'll be ok as a group through the desert and against the winds on the plains.  If those go well, I think we're in good shape.   I've always heard that the Appalachians are short and brutal for riders that far into the ride, we'll see how that goes.