Lenny Katz recently took a trip to Arizona to train at The Cycling House and had a wonderful time. He interviewed owner Owen Gue for us:

<b>Katz</b> Explain what The Cycling House is.

<b>Gue</b> The Cycling House is the ultimate all-inclusive training destination. Whether you’re a cyclist or triathlete The Cycling House provides the perfect training environment, food, staff, rides and tools you need to get in that perfect training week in warm and sunny Arizona. The Cycling House provides comfortable bedrooms, amazing healthy food and rides that are catered to exactly what you want to do.

<b>Katz</b> What’s the history?

<b>Gue</b> Me and a teammate came up with The Cycling House concept while training for the Professional NRC Circuit in 2004. We went to Tucson, AZ to train one winter and noticed that it was the ultimate place to get in those winter base miles. We saw Telecom, Discovery and tons of other pro riders all over the place. I decided to start a business that offered the “pro lifestyle” to anybody that was willing to come down. Great food and comfortable accommodations was a must so we knew that a hotel just wouldn’t cut it. That’s when we decided to create a “Cycling House.” Nice rooms and a really comfortable atmosphere.

<b>Katz</b> What is your cycling background?

<b>Gue</b> I started riding mtn. bikes with my Dad when I was really young. I got a road bike when I was 14 and did a local Montana race. I actually won that first race I did and from then on it was full on road racing for me. Hammer Nutrition started sponsoring me when I was 17 and by the age of 18 I was a category 1 racer and doing most of the NRC races around the country. When I was 19 I got 4th at U23 nationals and that got me a spot on the Broadmark Capital team based out of Seattle, WA. 

From the age of 20 to 22 I posted multiple NRC top 10’s and racked up wins in California, Montana, Washington, Arizona and Oregon. In 2007 I decided that I didn’t want to travel as much as I was and picked up surfing for the summer. The Cycling House was always a huge part of my life because I ran it for 6 months out of the year in the off-season.

<b>Katz</b> The staff is great. Tell me about them.

<b>Gue</b> The staff at The Cycling House is truly amazing. I knew I had to have really good athletes down here but it’s more than that. All of these guys are professionals but they are so humble and kind and helpful. My guys are all from Montana which makes it really cool. We all grew up together riding so we know what to expect. They are all incredible bike handlers and have so much knowledge about racing, training and nutrition. 

Andy Schultz was down here working for me last year and he’s such a great guy. He has an engineering degree so he could go get a “good job” anywhere but he chose to be a pro mountain biker and tear up the trails instead of a desk. He was the U23 2005 National Champion in cross country mountain biking and now races for the Kenda/Titus mountain bike team. He was ranked 7th overall in the Norba National Pro series in 2007 but he is on track for an unbelievable 2008 season. 

Sam Schultz, Andy’s younger brother, is another one of those incredibly helpful, happy people. Sam, like his brother, was born to race mountain bikes. Sam raced on the US National team since he was 18 years old and has also won U23 nationals in 2006. Sam has podiumed at the Pan Am Championships multiple times and now races for the Subaru/Gary Fischer Pro Team. He does the World Cup races so he will be in Europe one week and California or Scotland the next. He just got named on the Olympic Long team for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Brendan Halpin is the Triathlete at the house and is so gifted in all 3 sports. He did the Iron Man World Championships last fall and is now a pro triathlete. Brendan has been breaking records in the NW for the last 2 seasons and I don’t think he’s going to stop anytime soon.

<b>Katz</b> The food is excellent. What’s the story?

<b>Gue</b> I knew what it was like to go train somewhere and always have to eat out every meal. I think it’s super important to eat quality calories when you are training but also make sure that it tastes good. We only cook all natural almost all organic food at the house. We don’t do any pre-packaged foods so we know what’s in it. We always make food to people’s liking. We have a ton of food preferences so as long as I know what somebody likes or dislikes we can make everybody thoroughly satisfied.

<b>Katz</b> What about the riding in Tucson?

<b>Gue</b> The riding in Tucson is off the hook.  We have copious amounts of roads to ride that always blow people away.  Mt. Lemmon is one of the most popular rides that we do down here.  It’s about a 22 mile climb with 6500 feet of climbing.  Mt. Lemmon is one of the most beautiful climbs that you’ll ever ride.  We do rides North, South, East, and West of Tucson so people are able to see the full spectrum of what this area has to offer.

<b>Katz</b> What is your typical client?

<b>Gue</b> We get so many different people down here it’s kinda hard to nail down one genre.  But, if I was to sum it up into one sentence I would say that we have professional people (doctors, lawyers, engineers, businessmen/women) that are interested in coming down to get in some great training and also use it as a vacation getaway.  We don’t really get professional athletes down here at the house for the most part.  The folks we have down are busy with their jobs and life so they treat it as training and a vacation. They are focused on racing at their best in their respective age groups and/or categories.  That being said, we get a ton of incredibly talented riders so that’s why I have a staff of professionals so my riders don’t get dropped. 

<b>Katz</b> What’s your usual program?

<b>Gue</b> I really have a couple different programs that I work off of.  The first one is a camp.  We don’t actually put on our own “Cycling House Camp.”  I have companies or coaching services block out a week or so and then they get the clients to come down here.  Usually they have a coach or guy in charge that will tell me exactly what rides and foods they would like for the duration of the camp.  My staff is still fully involved in the day to day activities and guiding rides. 

The other program that I work off of is much more individualized.  Usually their are few friends that book a certain amount of days and just say they want to do some great riding.  They tell me what they are looking for duration or terrain wise and I put together a ride schedule for them.  A lot of the time guys will come down with a really detailed training program and so we do whatever they have to do for training.  I get some food preferences and we make meals based off of what they prefer and don’t prefer.  It’s really cool to have this one on one interaction with riders because we can both learn so much from the other.

<b>Katz</b> Is there a Cycling House Montana in the near future?

<b>Gue</b> Well, I’m a Montana boy so whenever I have the chance to get back to the Rockies I do.  The riding in Northern Montana near Glacier Park in Whitefish is absolutely incredible.  I’m planning on opening up a the Cycling House Montana for the month of July. There should be some info on my site about this new development soon.

<b>Katz</b> How would somebody get a hold of you?

<b>Gue</b> The best way to get a hold of me would be via email. Anyone can call me at 406.370.7601.  Even if you’re not interested in staying at The Cycling House I always like to hear from people in different areas.  Since I quit racing my bike I’ve really gotten into surfing.  In the summer I like to go to California for a couple weeks at a time to catch waves.  Maybe I’ll make my way over to NY for some cold NE swell…