FULL NAME
James Walsh
HISTORY WITH SPINERGY
I rode my first pair of spinergy's back in my CX days in socal and then got to ride some of the older gravel wheels in 2019. Then the GXXs came along and my mind was blown. They are so compliant and fast.
ACCOLADES
Top 20 overall in many US gravel races with numerous 40+ wins and podiums. Also and extensive background in ultra running and triathlon with many wins and podiums. 2008 Xterra Age World Champ.
INTRODUCTION
My name is James Walsh and I love racing. After almost 20 years in endurance I still get so stoked to toe the line and just go all in. The feeling of crossing the finish line, totally empty and knowing I gave it my all, is a feeling that is impossible to replicate outside of a race for me.
BIOGRAPHY
I've been an athlete basically my whole life. I grew up playing baseball, surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding. I played baseball in college and then joined the Coast Guard. In my 20s I surfed, skated, and snowboard my brains out while working for one of major tech companies and San Diego. To stay in shape for riding (board sports) I ran quite a bit, mountain biked, and lifted weights. On whim in 2005 I signed up for the Carlsbad Half Marathon and loved it. I loved the training process and exceeded my expectations and was hooked.
Soon after I entered a triathlon and then found Xterra (offroad triathlon) and went all in. To prepare for Xterra I started trail running and racing my mountain bike a lot and that quickly became what I loved the most. I just loved being in the dirt. Over several years I raced mountain bikes at every distance, cyclocross, and ran ultras. I had success in it all.
In 2015, right before my daughter was born, my wife (also a very accomplished endurance athlete) and I moved to Colorado. I continued racing mountain bikes and running ultras and quickly found success in the mountains. In 2017 I did my first gravel race and have been hooked since. The dynamics of a hard gravel race and the fact that every race and course is very different keeps me stoked.
These days I'm still racing and training hard with my wife and around our daughters every growing soccer commitments, which I love. I can see how my daughter has watched how hard her mom and I work and everything and how that has influenced her own athletic pursuits and nothing has made me prouder.
"The GXX with PBO spokes are like a not-so-secret weapon when it comes to gravel racing. People obsess over tires and tire pressure in order to ride fast and reduce the pounding of riding fast on the dirt. The GXX wheels are so compliant. You can really tell the difference, especially on long rides or races where the terrain is demanding."
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