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Deanne Teague
I started at Les Mills in 2003 as an Impact instructor and assistant coach for Fight Club. I also filled in occasionally for RPM before becoming a permanent fixture. I had been teaching RPM in Petone for the two years prior to that.
I have always been into keeping fit, and exercise is a big part of my daily life.
RPM has been excellent and has encouraged me to take up road cycling. I have found that my fitness has stepped up to another level and has given me far more energy to cope with work, study, my busy lifestyle and keeping up with my daughter.
All the GearShifters squads have been highly enjoyable, with our past members achieving their goals and with most far exceeding what they had orginally anticipated. This next squad should be just as good - heres hoping the Wellington weather co-operates!!
My biggest achievement to date has been racing in the 2011 Wgtn to Akld, and all my Taupo training played a huge part in my success, this time I hope to get sub 5 for Taupo and again participate in Wgtn to Akld also! |
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Greig Rightford
Les Mills BodyTrainer.
Greig takes GearShifters for the Cycle Specific Strength Training.
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Richard Chiu
Drafted into doing one leg of the Taupo relay 10 days before the race turned into two legs on the day! Despite being a total rookie I was hooked, and a couple of months later got my own road bike.
That was 5 years ago and after handful of Taupos and Graperides I still enjoy cycling simply because its fun. A quick ride around the bays or a longer one north with friends is a great way to keep fit and enjoy the fresh air.
Gearshifters is a great environment to pick up the necessary bunching riding and cycle skills to tackle Taupo. I’ve been involved with 4 Gearshifters squads and have enjoyed them all. It’s fun helping out and inspiring to hear everyone’s goals. See you on the road!
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John Holyoake
I started with GearShifters in 2008 to train for Taupo and had only been riding off and on for about 6 months before that.
Cycling for me is a way of keeping fit, keeping the weight down (a love ofHeineken, is the balance) and meeting people. I was surprised at how social cycling is, with plenty of time to chat both on the bike and afterwards over coffee.
I have now done around Taupo a couple of times, a number of events around Wellington and Graperide last year. This year I helped train Gearshifters for Taupo 2009 and really enjoyed the opportunity to share what I have learnt so far
Graperide for me, while challenging, is also a great weekend and social event.... so I am looking forward to meeting some new riders and getting back on the road with some old friends.
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Craig Anderson
I started riding about 12 years ago as a mountain biker to lose some weight after giving up smoking. Since then I've competed in just about every discipline of the sport including road, time trialling, track and even cylocross, and have ridden most of the major road events in the North Island.
My first lap of Taupo was in 2004, with a PB of 4:23 in last years event. This year I've entered the 320km enduro, lets hope I stick to my guns on that!
I have a real passion for the sport and have enjoyed helping and encouraging newcomers for the past 2 GearShifters squads, see you all soon! |
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Roger Hopkins
Having played many sports I have to say that road cycling is the most exhilarating.
The thrill of riding in close quarters, at pace, chatting with great people brings me back
A coffee and a chat after the ride is a must do; cyclists are a social bunch.
I look forward to learning new techniques, sharing my experiences, and meeting new and previous converts for the Taupo training rides.
I am totally addicted - I love cycling and I know you will.
See you on the tarmac.
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James Moore
I’ve been a Mountain Biker for years, but when I got challenged to go solo around Taupo, I knew I needed some help. GearShifters was a great introduction into road riding. Now I enjoy the road, almost as much as the dirt. I’ve done a number of road events, including Taupo a couple of times. GearShifters is a fun, safe and sociable group of people who enjoy the world of lycra and skinny tyres. I look forward to riding with you as we train for the big event.
Cheers
James
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Stephen Holmes
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Stu Turnbull
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Robyn Lewis
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Louise Hockley
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Raelene James
I joined GearShifters in 2008 as a very nervous novice. I brought a road bike a few months earlier, rode it twice, all of about 20 kilometres and decided I didn’t like this light weight twitchy bike with skinny tyres.
The gym put me onto another novice cyclist and we ventured out around the Bays together, it was hilarious! We were both as scared as each other. That ride lead to a great friendship, we still cycle together, we just ride a bit further and a bit faster these days and we still laugh a lot.
We joined GearShifters with the intention of doing one section of the Taupo Challenge, perhaps half if we were really fit. The training we received was fantastic, the trainers were great, they were helpful and patient, they taught us everything we needed to know took us well and truly outside our comfort zone. They gave us the confidence to have a crack at the entire 160k circuit! It was a very long ride but we crossed the finish line together. It was the most amazing sense of achievement I’ve every experienced.
I’ve now completed 3 Taupo rides and 3 GrapeRides with GearShifters. I’m totally hooked! As well as keeping me fit, it’s fun and very social. I have met some amazing people and made some great friends through GearShifters. I’m looking forward to the start of this squad; there’ll be great rides and a lot of fun. See you all there!
Raelene
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Julia Fitzgerald
I learnt to ride when I was 6 and have been riding on and off ever since. I attempted Taupo on my own in 2004 & 2005 with both attempts ending up in the back of an ambulance on a nebuliser because I was woefully under-prepared. I took 2006 off for personal reasons, so when I heard about Gearshifters at Les Mills in 2007 I decided it was worth another crack and signed up. It was so much fun and gave me all the right prep to get around that I keep on coming back and have done the Taupo and Grape Ride squads ever since. I've completed Taupo and Grape Ride 3 times now. Sadly injury forced me out of last year's Taupo and I didn't complete this year's Grape Ride so I have some unfinished business.....
I've always played team sports so riding with a group really appeals to me. It motivates me to get out of bed on those mornings when I'd never do it if it was just for myself.
The best thing for me has been learning to ride with a great bunch of people of all abilities in a supportive environment. It has given me the confidence to do things I didn't really think I could achieve. And of course, there's always the post-ride coffee to look forward to!
Cheers
Julia
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Hannah Willis - Tranee trainer
I joined GS in September 2010 and started cycling at the same time. I started off having not ridden a bike very much at all so I was quite nervous and I had no idea what I was in for, but it has been awesome - I love it. I was into team sport when I was young !! but now I find it hard to make the commitment to a team sport as I have other commitments in my life. GS suited me because you have all the benefits of being a part of a team but if you have to miss a week or a training session for another commitment you don’t feel bad because you are not letting anyone else down. In saying that the more involved you get the less likely it will be that you will want to miss out as it is too much fun. Prior to cycling I ran a lot - cycling is better!!
If you want to start cycling but are not sure where to start GS is the best way, it is a supportive environment and will give you everything you need to know to feel confident on a bike and to achieve the Taupo challenge, cycling around Taupo was something I always wanted to do so completing it felt awesome. Now I’m into my second year and I am going to be learning to how to train and help others get what I did out of GS.
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