A group of cyclists train for the upcoming TriStates 100.
On weekends, the group regularly rides the 100-mile loop that begins at Beverlye Middle School in Dothan and runs through Alabama, Georgia and Florida. John Pitchford was always a runner. But he hurt his knee while working and had orthoscopic surgery to repair the damage. As his knee healed, he began riding a bicycle rather than running. “Next thing you know, the guys are putting me in the pool, and I was doing triathlons,” Pitchford said. That was four years ago, and Pitchford is still riding a bicycle. “Biking is really good exercise,” the 33-year-old farmer said. “It’s not as much impact on your joints as running.”
Pitchford does six to eight triathlons a year, and he and fellow triathletes are often training with long bike rides. He’s done a few local bike races. And when he can’t ride, he has a lot of nervous energy to work off.