Champion cyclist riding strong in Maricopa

By Misty Newman

For Pete Masiel, getting up at 4:30 a.m. and heading out for a 100-mile bike ride is just another day in the life of a cyclist known for his passion, endurance and leadership within the Maricopa cycling community.

“My worst day on a bicycle is better than my best day anywhere else,” Masiel says.

Cycling has always been an integral part of his life and has kept him bouncing back from the challenges he’s faced. Pete joined the Marines after one year of college. While he was enlisted, he picked up cycling to help stay in top physical shape.

Masiel suffered a serious injury in 1993, which ultimately forced an early retirement from the military in 1996. The incident proved to be a catapult for his drive and ambition later on in his life.

“I had to have back surgery, and rods were placed in my back. The doctor told me that I couldn’t do anything anymore,” he says. “My existence was going to the car to work and back home, eat, and then do it all over again. From 1996-1998, I went from 195 pounds to 260 pounds. I was drinking up to a case of soda a day. I saw a picture of me and I didn’t recognize myself in the picture. Then, I hit a point where enough was enough.”

Not being one to quit and allow a life circumstance to keep him down, Pete set his mind on getting back in shape.

He started mountain biking again which was difficult for him initially.

“The first ride took me five hours to go five miles. The first day I thought, ‘Well, this didn’t kill me.’ The next day I did it again and then again and again,” Masiel says.

Soon, 5 miles became 7 miles and eventually he started riding 100 miles a day. Pete worked all night and then would get home and go riding. As a result, he lost 30 pounds in three weeks.

During this time, Pete would typically ride in the same areas and soon became friends with a woman that often rode the same trails.

“She took me under her wings,” he says. “She helped me get through obstacles and taught me new things. I saw her finesse and had no problem having her help me. She turned out to be a professional mountain bike racer,” Masiel says.

With this improved training, his confidence soared and he entered his first mountain bike race.

“I was still overweight – so my first race was the Clydesdale; I came in fourth place and after this, I was hooked,” he says.

In 2004, Pete took racing to a new level and started racing mountain bikes professionally.

Starting in the beginners class, it didn’t take Pete long to move up. As he progressed through the classes, he landed the California State Mountain Bike Championship in 2002 and 2003. The fourth year he raced in the pro class starting at age 45. He remained competitive in this class for two years despite the age difference between him and the other riders; on average, the pros are no older than 35.

At age 47, Pete started endurance racing which can be anywhere from 100 to 3,000 miles. During this time, he was ranked No. 2 in the nation in the open class endurance mountain bike racing and No. 3 for the open class cross country racing.

Masiel’s drive to excel in everything he does, which he attributes to the Marine Corps, motivated him to compete in the 3,000-mile Race Across America with his cycling partner. To accomplish the full distance, this involved Pete and his partner switching places in 30-minute increments during the day and then 2.5 hours at night so they could sleep.

To train for this race, Pete rode for 96 hours, 4 minutes and 8 seconds on a stationary bike.

“For four days, I would ride for 12 hours and then take a break for 30 minutes,” he says. “One hour could be accumulated within a 24 hour time frame. I was off the bike for a total time of 2.5 hours. I broke the stationary bike world record by 11 hrs.”

Masiel knew before he started that he “was going to break the record.”

Pete has accomplished extraordinary feats for being told in his younger years that he would never be active again. He continues to ride every day with the cycling group in Maricopa and does well even with his current circumstance.

“My weight is a challenge for me now,” he says. “Most cyclists are 150 pounds at the competitive level and I’m now 200 pounds.”

Despite this, Masiel can still keep up with the younger cyclists in Maricopa.

“There have been times where I’ve joined a cycling group and they didn’t know who I was. They didn’t have the belief that I could keep up,” Masiel says.

They would push the pace but Pete’s was faster.

“I would just sit there relaxed while they were waiting for me to ‘Peter’ out,” he says.

Before long, they recognized that Pete was not only keeping up, but starting to push the pace and pulling the group. In cycling terms, pushing the pace means the lead cyclist sets the speed for the entire cycling group.

Masiel goes on other rides with Phoenix cyclists who visit Maricopa to ride with him. One of the rides includes what is called a drop ride.

“This is a hard ride. We start with 30 riders and end up with five or six,”  he says

The average speed maintained during this ride is 22-25 miles per hour but can hit speeds in the mid 30s. The group starts on State Route 347, rides to SR 84, then to Interstate 8 along the shoulder to Gila Bend and then return on SR 238. Other rides include 24 miles to SR 84 and back and the ATM (around the mountain) up to Baseline, to South Mountain twice and back and then a return on the 347, which is a 100-mile round trip.

Also, regardless of riding with younger cyclists, Pete says, “I put the hurting on these kids.”

Masiel ,of course, is always in the remaining group left in the drop ride. He is motivated to do his best and live a full life doing what he loves to do most.

“I know what it’s like to be in pain; people have no excuse,” he says. “I am old enough that I’ve seen people work their whole life, retire and then die.”

On Thursdays, Pete leads a cycling group in Maricopa on a social ride to encourage new riders.

“Basically, this a no-drop ride – we go at the pace of the slowest rider. We may break into two groups where one group goes a little faster, but no one is left behind,” he says.

Masiel’s inspiration comes from what people have done for him, “others who gave of themselves selflessly and want nothing in return,” he says.

“What I try to do is give back. I have coached and mentored others that have gone on to get scholarships.”

Masiel currently organizes clinics and mentors other cyclists. He finds joy in helping new riders learn and grow.

His advice to new riders is “to have fun and enjoy yourself. Stick to the basics if you want to be a great racer. Focus on the pedal strokes to move you forward, and enjoy the ride.”