Jim Lawrence // Cycling
Motto: “Be the gazelle!”
Jim Lawrence began his athletic career as a swimmer in high school, winning multiple state championships. While attending the Air Force Academy Jim raced short course triathlon, which led to IRONMAN-length events. In the span of 12 years, Jim completed 10 IRONMAN races, while his wife completed three. Jim’s children became involved in the local junior cycling team, and one of the coaches suggested the kids try the velodrome. The entire family signed up, and Jim’s track cycling career began.
In the first year of competition on the track it became apparent that, despite 20+ years of endurance training, Jim’s strength was in short sprint events. At the 2012 Masters Track National Championships, with no race experience, Jim finished 4th in the sprints and decided to refocus his training on those events. In the seven years since, Jim has set the UCI Masters World Record in the Flying 200m Time Trial twice, set Masters National Records in all events under 1km, podiumed at Masters Nationals in 15 of 18 events entered, won the Masters National Championship 14 times, made the podium at the Masters World Games, captained a tandem for visually impaired athletes at two Para-Track National Championships (winning two events and getting on the podium in two others) and was top three at Masters Track World Championships nine times. With all his personal success, Jim counts watching his kids (and some of the kids he coaches) excel at national events as his proudest moment in endurance sports.
In 2016 after 26 years of service, Jim retired from the United States Air Force and Colorado Air National Guard. He currently lives in Colorado Springs, CO, and flies for United Airlines. In 2020 Jim will be focusing on coaching the local junior team (Jim has also served as lead coach and assistant coach for the Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado Junior Track Camp, and the lead coach for the USMES track camp) as well as repeating his success at the 2020 Masters Track National Championships, Masters Track World Championships and the Elite Track National Championships.