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Riding vs. Training (Morry Prefers Training)

Morry Fealy ready to ride

Morry Fealy has been an athlete most of his life. Until his early 60s, he was an active marathon runner and coach.  At age 65 he completed his seventh marathon, just minutes shy of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. A year later, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and his doctors told him his days as an endurance athlete were over – and that wrestling a cat on the couch would be about the most strenuous activity he’d be able to sustain. Morry didn’t see it that way, and two years after giving his cancer a swift and definitive kick in the backside, he crossed the finish line of the Portland Marathon.

After the race, Morry was given a road bike by his son, who wanted to encourage his father to try a new sport that was a little less jarring. So began Morry’s love affair with cycling. It didn’t take long for him to set his sights on Cycle Oregon.

Morry followed the advice of many cyclists who say the best way to train for a big event is to log as many miles as possible. He discovered that a regimen of running 25-30 miles a week combined with riding 40-50 miles a week was enough to allow him to complete his first Cycle Oregon, but not quite what he needed to enjoy it as much as he had hoped.

The next year, Morry set some new goals for Cycle Oregon. These included getting to camp with enough time and energy left over to check out the host towns and to be able to snag a good spot in the beer garden. That’s when he contacted Michael Choate from Colorado Premier Training, a company that has partnered with Cycle Oregon to build customized programs designed to help riders get the most out of their training.

On the road with Morry

Michael, a certified U.S. Cycling coach, worked with Morry to develop a program tailored to his specific needs based on his experience, strengths and weaknesses. Morry’s program was geared toward making him a better climber and a faster rider. Michael used an online training program to outline individual workouts for the week. Morrry used this same program to “log” his workouts so Michael could monitor progress and plan for the next week.  Each and every workout was designed to ensure Morry was able to maximize every moment spent on the road or at the gym.

Did it work? Of course! On a bike, Morry is now a force with which to be reckoned. If you want to know more about his training, you can ask him yourself at Cycle Oregon 2010 – that is, if you can catch him.  If you can’t, look for him in the beer garden – he’ll be guy with the premium spot already staked out. Or you can just call Michael Choate at (503) 708-2997.


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