While most people are thinking about retirement at 61, Haze
Thompson is just getting started.
While most people are thinking about retirement at 61, Haze Thompson is just getting started.
Thompson, who has been active all her life, set the national time trial record with a time of 32:50 on a 20-kilometer track last week in San Diego in the Southern California Time Trial Cup. The previous time in her age group was a 33:10.
But she wasn’t planning on racing competitively, nonetheless setting the California State record, then breaking her own mark the next year – for what turned out to be a national record.
“It was something that was really unexpected,” Haze said. “It was something fun that my husband and I can do together. It’s been an ongoing athletic pursuit. Getting into racing was quite a surprise.”
Last September, during the state championships in San Diego, she ran the 20-kilometer course in a time of 33:16 and came home with a gold medal.
Her husband, David, who has been a lifelong cyclist, introduced her to the sport a couple years ago before a trip to Tuscanee, N.Y.
David entered the race last weekend on Fiesta Island in Misson Bay in San Diego to help him get ready for the national competition in August and urged his wife to enter the race with him.
“It was almost a second thought that she would do that,” David said. “For her, it was just going to be a training race for the Kern County women’s staging race next week. She was hoping to do at least as well as last fall. We weren’t thinking records. It wasn’t until the coach called that we found out that it was 20 seconds better than the national time.”
Although she has been riding for a couple years, she has already been able to give some of the younger riders a good race. In the first race of the season, Haze placed sixth in the Category 4 (Novice) Division of all age groups during a hill climb race. In her last race, Haze won her 60-69 age bracket and came in second in the 50-69 women’s bracket.
“My advantage over the younger people isn’t much,” Haze said. “My goal is just to try to keep up with them. As you get older, you may be able to focus better. It is a surprise to me that I am doing so well. I am trying hard. Sometimes it feels like I am pushing the limits.”
As a long-time equestrian, Haze said the transition to cycling was easy to make.
“I have had really good coaching,” Thompson said. “I have been resonably athletic all my life. You have to train hard and you have to be focused. In my age group, there aren’t as many riders who go at it as hard as I do.”During one of the camps in the Sierras that Haze attended, San Diego cycling coach Arnie Baker encouraged her to get serious about the sport because he knew with her dedication that she would have a good chance to win.
Haze came to the United States in 1962 from Cape Town, Africa. She returned for about 18 months before moving back to the states. She has also lived in the Bahamas and in Australia.
When she was growing up in Africa, she was involved in various sports like running and swimming. Haze played a sport called netball, which was similar to basketball.
“She has been strong both in her upper and lower body,” David said. “She has the mindset for competition. She likes to focus. She will go forever and won’t complain about the pain.”
The Thompsons have traveled around the word. In July 2003, they made a trip to France to take a two-week organized cycling tour through the Pyrenees Mountains.
Their trip covered 420 miles, and they climbed a total of 70,000 feet while riding through the peeks and the valleys. Their luggage was shuttled from hotel to hotel.
The couple has gotten into rock climbing and mountaineering since moving to California. They moved to Hollister 14 years ago because the land was cheaper than at Palo Alto and they had more room for their horses.
Haze said the scenery in the area often reminds her of her home in Africa.
“Some of the hills and valleys in this area look a lot like where I lived in, especially some of the interior areas (of Africa),” Haze said. “Cape Town reminds me a lot of San Francisco.”
David has always been competitive in cycling, but it wasn’t until about three years ago when he really started focusing on cycling as something other than a cross training sport. Before that time, he was active in marathons and cross country skiing, making it to the U.S. national team.
The Thompsons train with the cycling club sponsored by Off the Chain Bike Shop. Each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., the group meets across the street from the southern entrance of Ridgemark.
Riders are timed in a five-mile loop on the beautiful San Benito County back roads through scenic cow pastures.
“‘Impressive’ is not the word – she is just incredible,” said shop owner co-Brian Lucas. “She is a very determined lady. Guys half her age have trouble keeping up with her. She is very focused.”
Dave holds a course record at 11:45. Haze recorded a 14:20 this week during the first time around and a 29:13 for both times around. And she has no plans to stop racing.
“It takes a lot of time and commitment,” she said. “But it keeps you fit and strong. I think this gives people a better chance to participate and enjoy things.”
