Planet Extras! | Planet Profile of Randy Bowman: With Several Marathon Wins Under His Belt, Bowman Shoots for Worlds Young Ohio Skater Is Turning Up the Training This Year By Robert "Watching From the Sidelines" Burnson Randy Bowman is one of those inline speed skaters who, like the legendary Eddy Matzger, just love to skate. But that hasn't prevented the 22-year-old native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, from enjoying some success. During the last few years, Bowman has climbed the winners podium after more than a few races, among them last year's Texas Road Rash and Big Granite Inline Marathon, and the 2003 Cactus Classic. But this year, Bowman hopes to take his skating to a new level and win a place on the U.S. World Team. "I think I've got a pretty good shot at it," he said this week in an interview from Houston, where he is training for Sunday's Texas Road Rash in Round Rock. Palm Beach Challenge Bowman's World Team aspiration's were bolstered in January at the Palm Beach Challenge in Florida. At the meet, he finished ninth in the track portion, competing against most of the U.S. skaters vying for spots on the U.S. team. Only eight men will make the team. But Bowman thinks that he's got a good shot and has set his sites on the Outdoor National Championships, which is the qualifying event for the World Team. "I watched all the pros at Palm Beach," he said. "And I knew from watching that I just had to work on my sprints and I would be right there with those guys." Training in Texas Bowman has been working on his sprints -- and everything else -- in Texas lately, where he has been staying with friends. Bowman said he trains eight hours a day, five or six days a week. ("I need at least one day off," he said.) He splits his training between skating, running, bicycling and weight-lifting. "I know that Joey Mantia is probably working his butt off and a lot of other guys are working, too," he said. "I'm just one of those guys who is trying to make it, and I'm working hard." (Continued) Part 1|2 >>> | Related Reading: | |||||||||||
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... Copyright © 2005 by Robert Burnson | |||||||||||||