KORI SEEHAFER

Louisville, CO
Age: 36

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2008 Olympic Talent Pool Member
2008/2005 Worlds Team Member
3rd American in 2008 International Road Rankings
Top 10 in 2008 Pro Tour Standings
2008 Sweden World Cup Winner
2008 Prince Edwards Island Time Trial and Overall Winner (Canada)
3 Pan American Podium Results (3rd in 2008 TT, 2nd in 2007 RR and 3rd in 2007 TT)
Winner of 2007 Route de France Prologue and carried leader's jersey for 3 days, 3rd Stage 2
Top 10 in National Rankings 2007, 2006, 2005
3rd in 2007 Overall Standings of Tour de Toona/1st 100mile stage (leaders jersey for 6 days)
2007 Redlands Classic Sprinter's Jersey
2007 Valley of the Sun Overall Winner/1st in TT, 3rd in RR
2006 Podium Result Tour of Montreal TT - 2nd
2006 Nature Valley Grand Prix - 2nd Overall to teammate, 2nd Stage 4 RR, 3rd Stage 5 Crit
2006 Tour of Holland Most aggressive Jersey
Top 10 2006 Montreal World Cup
9th 2006 Sydney Australia Track World Cup
2005 USA Track Nationals 3rd
2005 Tour de Toona Hollidaysburg Stage 1st
2005 Nature Valley Grand Prix - 3rd Overall, 3rd TT, 2nd Mankato RR
2005 Cascade Cycling Classic - 3rd Overall, 3rd Criterium, 3rd in Circuit Race
2004 Univest Grand Prix 1st Overall
2004 Joe Martin Stage Race 2nd Overall, 2nd RR, 3rd TT, 3rd Criterium
2004 Colorado Cycling Classic - 3rd Overall, 1st Stage 2 RR
2004 Bermuda Grand Prix - 3rd Overall, Podium 3 Stages
2004 San Francisco Tmobile Cycling Classic Top 10
Over 70 Podium Performances in National and International Events/Over 30 wins

MEET KORI SEEHAFER

I had a chance to review some of your experiences and successes in the world of competitive cycling. Can you review some of your cycling background and achievements with us?

Sure - From 2005-2008, I raced at the top level of women's cycling. I began traveling to Europe with the National Team in 2005 and was part of the T-Mobile squad and The US National Track Team. In 2006, I was starting to see the podium in Europe and major stage races in the U.S. I excelled as a support rider and learned from my teammate Kristin Armstrong (2008 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Women's Time Trial). I had developed my engine enough to be on the podium in major time trials. In 2007, I developed my sprint. I was seeing the podium a lot at the start of the season. I won the sprint jersey at the Redlands Classic and was top 10 in the stage race, but on the last day I broke my collarbone. I was in a break of 4, the fastest sprinter in the group, and in the last 250 meters of race I found myself in the barriers and unable to use my left arm. I pedaled to the finish and finished 4th for the day. I also went straight to medical. I didn't heal and had to have surgery. My next race back was the Montreal World Cup (the last week of May). I crashed the first day, got up returned to the group and ended up in the 30's that day. By the end of the season, I returned to Europe, raced the Route de France and won the opening prologue. I wore the leader's jersey for 3+ days then passed the jersey to my teammate Amber Neben who went on to win the stage race. Within a month, I had signed on with an Italian Team, Menikini, to race in Europe for all of 2008 and to live in Italy. In 2007, I was one of 7 who qualified for the 2008 Olympic Talent pool. Of these 7 riders, 3 were chosen to race the Olympics in 2008. Winning a world cup automatically qualified a rider to race in the olympics, but I won my world cup after the deadline. The Olympic committee selected some of our strongest time-trial athletes (Kristin Armstrong, Amber Neben and Christine Thorburn). I was married in 2003 to the development tt1 men's director Jack Seehafer. 2008 was a very difficult year for us because I was gone the entire year. After that year, I was going to retire but my husband got a job with team type 1. I knew I loved cycling and wanted to start giving back. I joined his team and signed up to help the squad in any capacity I could. I wanted to be a rider/mentor for athletes to develop.

“Before working with cyclists that have diabetes, you likely had thoughts about what it would be like to coach athletes with such a condition. What did you think the experience would be like? How was the reality different than what you had thought?”

I was initially nervous to coach the athletes because I didn't have Type 1, and I didn't have any formal medical training ( my degree is Math Education). I really didn’t know what diabetes was when I committed to work with the team! I started with researching some very basic information about diabetes on my own. But it wasn’t until our first training camp in 2009 that I developed a real knowledge and additional understanding about living with diabetes. This training camp really turned out to be a diabetes education “crash course” for me. It was an immersive experience. At the end of the training camp my fear about coaching athletes with diabetes was gone. I am working with a group of confident and capable high level cyclists. I have total confidence that they will successfully work through any challenge – diabetes related or otherwise. I was also happy that the women didn't care that I didn't have Type 1 diabetes or extensive knowledge about their disease to offer them. Instead, they looked to me for what I can offer - instruction on what they could do on the bike to be better even better competitors.

What is your personal experience with diabetes?” Do any of your family members or friends have diabetes?

I have relatives and friends who have Type 2 diabetes. After joining the team, I now have lots of friends who have Type 1.

Your coaching experience requires you to live in a world surrounded by people with type 1 diabetes. Is there any advice that you would like to share with parents of, or friends to, a person with diabetes?

I notice that the athletes with Type 1 get frustrated if they are treated as “special” or “different”. It's normal because you can't label people. The athletes on the team want to accept the same challenges and trials that any athlete endures to see what kind of person they are. On my end, education has helped me out. By using myself as a guinea pig, I learned about what their day is like and how different it is from my day. I now appreciate the process they go through, and this process has taught me about myself. It's hard to understand anyone unless you put yourself in their shoes.

Why is exercise and competition a part of your life?

It's my nature. I've competed for almost 30years. It's who I am.

What drew you to Team Type 1?

My love for cycling. TT1 cycling program is impressive and their successes in the sport speak for themselves.

Tell us about a personal achievement that was significant to you.

Earning my college degree. It was significant because it was a worthwhile longer term goal - and I saw it through to the end.

Of your many athletic achievements, is there one that you find especially significant? Why?

Winning the World Cup. I felt I failed with making the Olympic Team. I wanted to prove to myself that I did not.

If there is one piece of advice you could give to someone who was newly diagnosed with diabetes– what would it be?

Life is different and life is always changing. You never can take for granted anything. The true test for a human is how they get up and face challenges to become the person that they want to be.

What has been your favorite TT1 event to date? Why?

2009 Training Camp. It was the first time I met everyone. They all had such different stories and I was so inspired by it all.

What is an athletic goal you have for the short term – say in the next year?

To get women athletes with diabetes on the podium with cycling.

What about an athletic goal that you have for the long term?

To see a women athlete with diabetes winning an international cycling event.