The full story
This is the longer version of how a health crisis led me to the bike, and how the bike led me toward the UCI Gravel World Championships.
It starts with the moments that forced a change, the habits that made it stick, and the bike that turned that change into a goal worth chasing.
The Wake-Up Call
Dr. Siddiqi walked into the room, took one look at me, reviewed my vitals, put a hand on my shoulder, and asked, “John, what are we doing?” It was not anger. It was the kind of disappointment that makes you realize the truth has been obvious to everyone but you. He made it clear how serious things had become and left me with a simple understanding: if I wanted a future that was not defined by medication and declining health, I needed to change right away.
Not long after that, I was in Atlanta with a friend and his brother-in-law, who was older than me and dealing with many of the same issues I was. He was overweight, exhausted, and struggling with severe sleep apnea. After lunch, he tripped stepping onto a curb in the middle of a busy intersection and got stuck on his back until my friend and I helped him up. No one laughed, but the pity in the air was impossible to miss. In that moment, I saw a version of my own future that I did not want.
The Method
I log everything I put into my body. More than anything, it gave me honesty and structure. I stopped chasing perfect days and started paying attention to what a good week looked like.
Every day I move at least a mile, no matter what. It can be a walk, a ride, a run, or a hike. I have done it while sick, through airports, and after long travel days. The point is simple: keep moving.
Those habits became non-negotiable. That is what made the change last. Progress did not come from one dramatic moment. It came from repeating a few important things long enough for the results to add up.
The Build
What started this was not racing. It was the realization that my health was moving in the wrong direction and that I needed to change it before I made things harder to come back from.
Food logging, daily movement, and consistency gave me a system I could trust. That system changed my body first, but more importantly, it changed what felt possible.
The bike gave the health turnaround somewhere to go. Riding became racing, racing became bigger goals, and bigger goals eventually became Moonshot Cycling and the pursuit of the UCI Gravel World Championships.
Why it is personal
The purple look behind Moonshot Cycling honors my mom, who passed away last year and remains part of the fuel behind the goal. My granddaughters are part of it too. They call me Paka, and before big races I put tape on my shoes and have them draw hearts on them for me. Part of this pursuit is wanting them to see that chasing a huge goal is worth it, even when it looks crazy from the outside.
Partnerships
I'm looking for partners who understand the story, believe in the pursuit, and want to help bring Moonshot Cycling to life.