GamJams.net: Where Mid-Atlantic bike racers roll: 10 Questions With... Erin Silliman

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

10 Questions With... Erin Silliman

(GamJams) 1. You've had incredible success in a short time as a cyclist. What in your athletic background would have foretold this full frontal assault on the MABRA hierarchy?

(Erin Silliman) Full frontal assault? I know I haven't won as many races as world champion Leslie Jennings. But, here is my background: I have played or participated in almost every sport from gymnastics to soccer, cross country, track and field, softball, basketball to field hockey. Once I picked up field hockey in high school, I kept at it and played at American University. Post college, I picked up cycling again. I commuted to work on the Capitol Crescent Trail daily until I was "spotted" by Super Dave Osborne. I have been on a bike since I was 3 - even took off my own training wheels - and was born with a competitive spirit. My dad is a very competitive cyclist and challenged me on and off for years while I borrowed my mom's steel frame 1978 Schwinn Le Tour III.

(GamJams) 2. Most racers don't have the facility you've shown with different disciplines. What do you suppose is the common thread among your road, tt and crit winning efforts?

(ES) I cannot speak much for the TT - no one else showed up! Between road races and crits, I am much more a crit racer and sprinter by training this year, but I think training with the men upped my threshold and confidence enough that I was able to race hard in almost every race. I feel like I have gained a good sense of perspective on my own abilities versus my competition in MABRA, which is very beneficial in a race. I pay attention and I I am not afraid to risk the outcome of my race by trying something new - I am determined!

(GamJams) 3. Not many people who've won MABRA jerseys have also played at the MTV Music Awards. Tell us a bit about your life off the bike.

(ES) I was born into a musical family. Both of my parents are pianists and my mom has taught piano for 30 some years. I started on the piano then switched to cello later in grade school and continued as a music major in college. Throughout high school and college I traveled to Canada, England, Germany, Austria and Prague as part of a youth symphony orchestra and I currently participate in "gigging" quartets. In 2005, I got a call to perform in Kanye West's band during his east coast tour...so I did. My final performance with him was in NYC for the MTV show awards! (Again, that was in 2005-2006 before he started acting like a fool!) Other than that, I enjoy keeping busy.

(GamJams) 4. "Race your strengths, train your weaknesses." We hear it all the time. With no obvious weaknesses, where do you focus most of your training?

(ES) In the end, my weakness' this year have turned out to be time trialing and climbing. I got off to a tough start this year battling knee injuries and chronic back issues. I worked really hard starting in January to develop a base again after spending months really feeling uncomfortable and hating my bike. Even though I trained every weekend on hellacious hills, I felt like I was miles behind everyone in my training and that's when I decided to start doing the speed/threshold training rides with the men. While that greatly improved my threshold and sprinting abilities, I trained for crits and raced mostly crits and thus I never trained in the wind and on my own this year. Thankfully, I only had to do a couple of races that relied on time trialing and solo efforts, but in a nutshell, everything started as a weakness for me and I elected to train for crits since crits are mostly the type of racing that I do.

(GamJams) 5. You're one of the women who's not afraid to mix it up and train and race with guys. How is riding with women different than riding with men?

(ES) Riding with women (my teammates) allows me to know and understand their strengths and weaknesses and how we can race together as a team. Riding with men was something special! The fear of getting dropped, or the desire to prove my strength to the men, clicked the switch on so that I would bust my butt that much more. Men or women who are stronger than me will push me to train harder no matter what. This year I ended up doing many workouts and training rides with men during the racing season because it better prepared me for the few NRC races that I did. Not only did it help me get stronger, but I learned a lot about the finesse and tactics of racing.

(GamJams) 6. When your fitness and talent allow you to race at such a high level with so little experience, what have you done to be able to survive among much more experienced racers?

(ES) I have learned a lot about how I race as an individual this year which kept me smart (most of the time) in the saddle. Knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and where you need to be and when was crucial for me this year. That combined with knowing my competition helped me improve as the season went on.

(GamJams) 7. With 3 MABRA jerseys securely in your possession, what are your goals for 2010?

(ES) I would love to expand my resume to include more NRC races. Next year I hope to race a few more NRC crits as well as a few of the bigger stage races and see how I turn up. I had so much fun doing them this season, even when I got lapped by Laura Van Gilder and Tina Pic. I want to be finishing with them next year!

(GamJams) 8. GJ: What's the best quick advice you can give to women coming out of other sports and into cycling?

(ES) 1. Join the purple team, 2. Race into shape. Many women and men from other athletic backgrounds feel under prepared for racing and embarrassed to do their first race. Trust yourself and understand that your athleticism will surprise you. My advice is to get your feet wet and get addicted! :)

(GamJams) 9. You had a pretty good year, but the most important win, the one I know you really had your heart set on, eluded you. What are you going to do to ensure a win at Lost River next year?

(ES) That was by far the most enjoyable race this year! I'm going to spend a lot more time at the Barn and hopefully on my bike in general. This year was my first full season, start to finish, and I hope to keep healthy and continue without injury.

(GamJams) 10. Finish the following statement: "In 12 months I'd like to be..."

(ES) A happy, healthy, pro racer!

Photo courtesy of Linc Brookes.

David Kirkpatrick is a Features Editor with GamJams who races for NCVC. He is enjoying growing fame through his blog Flamenco Chuckwagon, and as promoter of the lauded Lost River Classic.