Meet the Captains

Margie Nolen, Mountain Bike Captain

astrotexas@gmail.com

Texas born and raised, Margie has been mountain biking for over 10 years.  Although she said she would never race, she started racing in 2008 and began racing for Bicycle Sport Shop shortly there after.  Now she’s a racing addict and has been known to encourage others, who shares her passion for mountain biking, to start racing. 

Margie has been active in Ride Like A Girl (RLAG) since 2008 and is always encouraging women to get on a bike and ride!  Fast or slow, staying upright and having fun is always the ultimate goal. 

Although Margie has been known to wipe the cob webs off of her road bike and go for an occasional road ride, mountain biking is her prime passion.

When the weather doesn’t allow for biking, Margie enjoys indoor rock climbing. 

Sean Ahmadi, Mountain Bike Captain

sean@coachahmadi.com

Sean Ahmadi received his Kinesiology degree from the University of Texas (UT) Austin. After graduation, Sean became a USA Cycling and USA Triathlon coach. 

Sean is a licensed professional mountain biker and Cat 1 cyclocross racer. He is also a certified strength and fitness trainer. When Sean is not helping others achieve their fitness goals, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids, and enforcing their no-car-Sunday policy.

Sean is also the head coach for the Texas High School Racing League (part of NICA), and Project Cyclocross 2015 to promote junior cycling development, and spends a lot time of time training adaptive athletes.

Sean’s philosophy for life is simple; “I believe in exercising for life, which means no matter how old you are you can be active and healthy.”

Todd Musick, Road Cycling Captain

todd_m@bicyclesportshop.com

Texan by birth and cyclist by choice, there are few things better in life for Todd than rolling down a farm-to-market road in the spring with longhorns and bluebonnets on one side; cool-water stream and pecan trees on the other. Of course, crushing his friends on the weekly shop ride and watching their lungs and legs catch on fire is fun for him, too.

He's not a racer, per se, but he does enjoy competing against the "young guns" when he can. Fortunately for Todd, being a cyclist doesn't require a pro card or team sponsor; all that is needed is a bike – and he certainly has a few of those. Either way, racing or just riding, Todd always has fun on his bike.

This year Todd will be certified as a USA Cycling Coach. Furthermore, as Road Club Captain, he will be participating in the BSS weekly shop rides, the monthly BSS Women's Ride, and several of the BSS Signature Cycling Series rides. Just for fun, Todd will also throw in a few century rides as well as test his racing skills at the Driveway.

So, no matter if you're a racer or rider and regardless of your fitness or skills, please come join Todd and the BSS Road Club as they ride in 2013. Get up, get out, and go for a ride.

Claudia Spooner, Triathlon Captain

claudiaanns@yahoo.com

Claudia Spooner started racing marathon 20 years ago with her first marathon in 1993 in Dallas. Since that first race, she has been passionate about running, cycling and swimming for over 20 years. She has been ranked All American for the last 3 years and qualified to race as a professional this past November at Ironman Arizona. With this passion for racing and training, she took every step to learn as much as she could about the sport and ability to teach and encourage others.

She is a Certified USAT Level II Elite Coach, USA Cycling Level II Coach, USA Swimming Level II coach, and USA Track and Field Certified Coach. She also just recently got her TRX pro certification and her USAT Youth and Junior coaching certification.  

Her passion to teach and grow this sport is evident in how she lives her life and encourages others to live healthy active lifestyles.

She is a wife and mom with a 7 and 8-year-old girl and boy who she absolutely adores and encourages them to swim, bike, and run all with a healthy balance in life.

Jason Lentzke, Triathlon Captain

jason_l@bicyclesportshop.com

Jason grew up in the midwest and played soccer through high school and a bit in college. To stay in shape when he hung up his cleats, he started to run. By 2005, Jason was competing in marathons and ultramarathons. Later that year, he signed up for his first sprint triathlon. It wasn’t pretty, but Jason was hooked after his first race. Soon Jason was placing at the top of his age group. Jason enjoys racing all distances, but his true love is long course triathlon.

To share his passion for training and racing with others, Jason received his coaching certification from USAT in 2008. Since then, he has coached beginners and world championship qualifiers to personal success. For the last two years Jason has lived and trained in Austin, Texas with his wife, Jennifer.

Daniel Curtin, Cyclocross Captain

daniel_c@bicyclesportshop.com

Daniel, an employee of Bicycle Sport Shop since 2007, has been an avid roadie since 1984 dabbling in races but mostly riding for fun. While he threatened to get a cyclocross bike for years, it wasn't until 2011 that he took the plunge and toed the line at his first 'cross race. He was instantly hooked making 12 of 19 TXBRA races in 2011, finishing 23rd in the Texas Cup CX Novice category. Not only did he find the racing challenging, but it was fun, and as serious as each person on the course wanted it to be. With short courses typically run in public parks, and short races, most under an hour, he found that his wife and daughter loved to come and enjoy a morning in the park and watch the races along with many other racers' families. Burgeoned by the 'cross community's warm and welcoming nature--despite the good-natured heckling--and inspired by Austin being awarded the 2015 US Cyclocross National Championship, he helped found the Bicycle Sport Shop Cyclocross Team in 2012 (now the Bicycle Sport Shop Cyclocross Club) and acts as an ambassador for the fastest growing cycling discipline in Texas. Daniel currently races as a Cat 3 'cross racer and is a part-time stay-at-home dad.

Carla Jennings, Cyclocross Captain

cjenn@austin.rr.com

Carla began competing in triathlons in 2005, at the age of 44. She soon realized that while she didn’t care for running or competitive swimming, she did like biking. She competed in her first TMBRA mountain bike race at Warda in 2006. Carla’s raced on the Bicycle Sport Shop Mountain Bike Team since 2010.

After volunteering at a local cyclocross race, Carla discovered how much fun a cross race could be. Carla competed in her first cross race in 2009. Carla joined the Bicycle Sport Shop Cyclocross Team in 2012, but was unable to compete because of elbow surgery.

Carla likes to exhibit good sportsmanship and promote the benefits of biking. She hopes to draw in more women of all ages into the sports of mountain biking, cyclocross, and racing.

Carla’s handy to have on the trail, as she is a certified Wilderness EMT, EMT-Basic, American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor, and a National Safety Council First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor. She’s also active with the Austin Mountain Bike Patrol.

 When she’s not on her bike, you can find Carla in a kayak. She’s an American Canoe Association certified kayak instructor, and teaches kayaking for Pure Austin Gym and The Expedition School.