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Coach Lorri Lee Lown

Location:

Santa Cruz, California

Years training:

26

Years coaching:

23

Cycling disciplines:

Road, mountain bike, cyclocross, gravel, track, paralympic track tandem, ultra-endurance (road and mountain), touring, duathlon, running

Lorri was an unlikely athlete, not really participating in any sports until her late 20s. While she can't throw or catch a ball, she found balance sports to be her jam, and she learned to ski, skate, and eventually cycle. After riding for just a couple of years, the 2001 tech bubble burst, affording her the opportunity to change careers. Having fallen in love with riding a bike, and seeing all the positive aspects of a lifestyle change, Lorri made it her mission to share that experience with others. She returned to school, studied to become a personal trainer and a coach, and the rest is history.


She has coached beginner athletes to national champions in disciplines that include road, mountain bike, and cyclocross. She was an early adaptor of training and racing with power and participated in the very first power-based training seminar with Hunter Allen and Andy Coggan. She's also trained for running with power utilizing Stryd technology. In addition to coaching individuals, she's been a coach for the Norcal High School Cycling League and numerous charity training programs, and she has taught indoor cycling. She has taught skills clinics for many of the NorCal clubs and teams, as well as corporation and bicycle coalitions throughout northern California. She has coached camps for the Sea Otter Classic, AthletiCamps, and the Specialized Women's All-Sports Camp.  


With 20+ years of bike fit experience, Lorri is one of the most experienced fitters in California. She opened her own studio in 2001 and has also fit at various bike shops on the San Francisco peninsula and in Silicon Valley. She trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with USA Cycling, as well as Serotta International Cycling Institute (SICI) and Specialized SBCU Body Geometry F.I.T. and R.E.T.U.L. She holds certifications in both road and triathlon bike fit from Fit Institute Slowtwitch (F.I.S.T) and shoe/pedal interface from Bikefit/Cyclepoint. She is also a United Bicycle Institute (UBI) Certified Bicycle Technician.


As an athlete, Lorri has raced road, mountain, track, gravel, cyclocross, Paralympic track tandem, and duathlon. She made a late-life transition to running and achieved age-group wins in both half marathon and 10K, as well as podiums in numerous other running races. She's participated in countless endurance, ultra-endurance, and multi-day events, including AIDS/Lifecycle, Furnace Creek 508, HooDoo 500, and Silver State 508. She’s had the opportunity to ride and race her bike all over the world.


She founded Velo Girls, one of the first and largest women’s cycling clubs in the United States, in 2002 and is head coach for Savvy Bike, coaching skills clinics to hundreds of individuals each year.

Qualifications:

  • USA Cycling Level 1 Coach

  • RRCA Level 1 Running Coach

  • League of American Bicyclists LCI (League Certified Instructor)

  • SICI Serotta Certified Bike Fitter

  • RETUL Level 1 Bike Fit Technician

  • SBCU Body Geometry Level 1 Bike Fitter

  • F.I.S.T. Certified Bike Fitter (road and triathlon)

  • Bike Fit Certified Bike Fitter (shoe/pedal interface)

  • United Bicycle Institute Certified Bicycle Technician


Events I've participated in:

  • Rebecca’s Private Idaho

  • Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder

  • Cascade Gravel Grinder

  • Croatan Buck Fifty (podium)

  • Dirty Kitten Gravel (1st place)

  • Old Growth Classic (podium)

  • Sea Otter Classic Gravel (podium)

  • Grasshopper Adventure Series (the original mixed-terrain events in norcal)

  • Sea Otter Classic road race, circuit race, cross country mountain bike race, gran fondo

  • Local and state road racing, criterium racing, time trial racing (individual and team), cross country mountain bike racing, cyclocross racing and track racing (including series wins)

  • The Death Ride - Tour of the California Alps (11 times and coached 12 annual Death Ride camps)

  • USA Cycling National Championships (cyclocross and cross country mountain bike)

  • USA Paralympic National Championships (track tandem/blind and visually impaired)

  • 8 and 24-hour mountain bike races

  • Furnace Creek 508

  • Silver State 508

  • Hoodoo 500

  • Self-supported and guided tours and bike-packing ranging from 2 days to 4 weeks throughout the US and internationally (New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, France)

  • Running races ranging from 5K to half marathon (including podiums in all distances and age group wins in 10K and half marathon)

  • Duathlons in various distances (including age group wins)


Podcasts:

Athlete Testimonials

Lorri has been excellent. She has been very collaborative, hands on, and understanding. I enjoy working with her.  - Dwight G.

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