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Congratulations to Josh Beck! Josh set the UMCA Alabama Cross State Cycling speed record:
Thursday, November 30, 2006
PRESS RELEASE
Alabama Native Josh Beck Sets Alabama Point to Point Cycling Record
BIRMINGHAM – November 30, 2006 –Greenhalgh Insurance Agency, Inc., Commercial Insurance Agent Josh Beck completed a 222-mile bicycle trek on Saturday, October 21, 2006. Just days ago, Beck learned that he now holds the UltraMarathon Cycling Association’s (UMCA), Alabama East to West cross state record for both Senior Men (18-49) and Overall. The UMCA recognizes five records in each state concerning point-to-point cycling (http://www.ultracycling.com/).
Beck cycled across the state of Alabama, east to west, completing the trip in 12 hours and 8 minutes. Beginning in Phoenix City, Ala., at 4 a.m. and continuing across the state until reaching the Mississippi border just outside of Cuba, Ala., Beck averaged 18.3 miles per hour. He traveled U.S. 80 the entire way and was accompanied by two support vehicles, one following along behind him with flashing lights. Temperatures did not come out of the 30’s until about 9 a.m., making for a chilly ride for the first 5 hours.
In order to prepare for this trek across the state of Alabama, Beck says that he already had a good fitness base going into the training. In April of this year, he competed in Ironman Arizona, which involved 2.4 miles of swimming, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run. His training for the event required him to discontinue running in June of this year and began cycling 5 or 6 days a week. He is on pace to cycle in excess of 5,000 miles in 2006.
Beck credits his (late) grandfather, Jerry Payne, as his biggest role model: “He had tremendous influence on my life. I can remember him talking to me before I was about to start my first “real” summer job. He said, ‘Boy, you go out there and work every day like your life depends on it. It doesn’t matter how hard your co-workers work. You work at your speed, and that speed is wide open. You have to give it your all every day. If you do that, good things will happen for you.’ I have never forgotten that and apply it to my life in all aspects.” Beck also gives credit to his wife, Tanya, and his faith in God: “I thank the Lord every day for His blessings and the ability He has given me. None of this would be possible without Him.”
Beck, 33, is a native of Gadsden, Ala., and graduated from Gadsden High School and Auburn University. Beck and his wife live in Birmingham, and actively compete in triathlons. Beck is currently preparing for the Mercedes Marathon in February 2007, and will travel with his wife to Idaho in June 2007 to compete in Ironman Coeur d’ Alene.
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Gadsden Times article about Josh Beck's cycling trek:
Published October 25, 2006
Leaving Mark in History
By Trevia English, Gadsden Times Staff Writer
Gadsden native Josh Beck feels confident he set the Alabama Cross State Cycling speed record Saturday by cycling across the state east to west from Phenix City to Cuba.
The record is pending certification by the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association.
Beck, 33, graduated from Gadsden High School and is a commercial insurance agent by day.
He and his wife, Tanya, who live in Birmingham, are avid triathletes by hobby.
"My wife and I are pretty involved with triathlons and such," Beck said. "I was looking for an endurance event for this fall, and I found this on the Internet. There wasn't an east-to-west record, so I decided to give it a shot."
The UMCA recognizes six records in each state, including cross country and cross state, bicycle road and bicycle track, mountain bike off-road and point-to-point cycling.
Beck started his trek just after 4 a.m. and finished 222 miles and 12 hours later. He averaged about 18 miles per hour in 30-degree weather.
"For the first four to five hours, it was around 30 degrees, and I just about froze my tail off," Beck said Monday in a telephone interview. "It was pretty miserable up until about 8:30 a.m., when it started to warm up. It finally made it to the mid-70s around 1:30 p.m."
Beck traveled U.S. 80 the entire way accompanied by a support vehicle with flashing lights.
"It went very well. Everything went as planned, and it's been pretty awesome," Beck said of setting a state record.
Beck said he already is preparing for the Mercedes marathon in February. He and Tanya will go to Idaho in June for the national Iron Man tryouts.
Josh Beck cycling across Alabama, October 21, 2006
(Photo: Courtesy of Josh Beck)
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