Caleb’s favorite pastime as a kid was riding his bike at the “bike jumps” where he had dreams of being a BMX’er. Mountain biking stole that dream, but then somebody stole his mountain bike (anybody seen a neon orange Jazz Vertical around?). His next bike was a Trek 1400, but without fellow road cycling enthusiasts in his hometown, he grew out of road cycling by his teens.
Caleb graduated from Princeton University, class of 2003. After taking time to play lots of rock and roll and settle into a career, he returned to the bike as a commuter. It was then that he met a friend who interested him in racing. “My friend would now and then punish me on the bike on his recovery rides,” Caleb says. ” I lost 75 pounds during this period in my life. Thank you Chris.”
Caleb was quickly bit by the racing bug, and has been out there since 2007. He mostly trains with his wife Beth, Mike Firth, Chris Ziem, and the Pro Pedals team.
Height: 5’7″
December Weight: 175-178 lbs.
Race Weight: 170-175 lbs.
Birthdate: June 25, 1980
Childhood Heroes: “MacGyver, mullet and all.”
Hobbies and Interests: “Playing music [guitar, piano, bass], baking bread, and my new-found hobby: brewing beer.”
Favorite Movies: “Shawshank Redemption, Gladiator, and Cinderella Man.”
Musical Tastes: “Jack Johnson, Joe Satriani, Switchfoot.”
Favorite TV Shows: I don’t have a TV. We huddle around the computer [13″ laptop] to watch movies.”
Favorite Meal: “Sausage pizza.”
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Honey Nut Cheerios.”
Favorite Pre-Race Meal: “Bagel, apple juice, and carefully-timed coffee.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Schwan’s Rocky Road.”
Childhood Dream: “To be a NASA astronaut.”
First Car: “1983 Ford LTD. What a great conversation piece.”
First Job: “I pushed a lawnmower before I could reach the upper part of the handle bar.”
Favorite Vacation Spot: “Canadian Rockies.”
Pre-Race Feeling: “Usually a bit of nerves, with a touch of fear that I might have to go during the race.”
Early Racing Memory: “Blueberry Road Race in 2006. I sat in, just fearful of the chaos.”
Funny Racing Memory: “Rich Owens bursting a Gu shot in his white skin suit. White shorts of any variety should be illegal by the way.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Chocolate.”
Greatest Racing Moment: “Winning my first race in Union Grove, PA. I was – and still am – totally surprised.”
Most Painful Moment In Life: “I’ve been pretty sheltered, but I think the worst, most painful moments in life are my own mistakes and shortcomings. I don’t mean goofs, but character flaws – specifically, ditching my family to go be with my then girlfriend just before I left for Princeton. It’s not a mistake to spend time with the girl you love, but the circumstances and decision I made then were rooted in selfishness. We’ve mended fences, but that one hurts still.”
Worst Injury from Racing: “Type II shoulder separation. Bulging disc is far worse, but it’s likely from training, so it doesn’t really count. Not certain of the cause.”
Closest Racing Friends: My wife.
Funniest Racer: “Greg Leach, bar none. Greg, was it Ocean City, MD triathlon you ended up instead of a TT in Wilmington, DE? If I’m gonna razz him at all, I have to point out he is super-nice, super-humble, and one of the best guys you’ll meet.”
Favorite Race: “Iron Hill Twilight Criterium.”
Embarrassing Racing Memory: “Getting dropped at Mount Joy Road Race.”
Toughest Competitors: “The Metra guys. I wouldn’t say ‘competitors’ because they’re pretty much out of my league, but I’m always in for a beating Tuesday nights at Lakewood. Nicest guys.”
Favorite Athletes to Watch: “Trials rider Ryan Leach.”
Qualities You Most Admire in People: “Humility in very talented people.”
What You Love Most About Riding Your Bicycle: “I love being fit. I’m also an engineer to the core, so watching power, HR trends, etc. really does it for me.”
