The Man of Gold

At age 14, Dr. Eric Heiden had an epiphany. He wanted to go to the Olympics for speed skating then follow in his father’s footsteps and become an orthopedic surgeon. Accomplishing one of these goals would have been impressive; the pair extraordinary. An overachiever, he fulfilled both, plus made a detour in between to become a national cycling champion and compete in the Tour de France.

He credits the success in each distinct chapter of his life to mental fortitude. You can put in the work at the gym or hours of studying, but at the end of the day you need to be mentally tough to overcome challenges, he says. Eric grew up in an athletically gifted family in Wisconsin. He and his sister Beth, one year younger, honed their skating skills on the frozen lake in their grandparents’ backyard. The siblings would attend two Olympic Games together with the U.S. Speedskating team. After his 1976 Winter Olympic debut at age 17, Eric’s talent blossomed. He went on to win the overall world championship title the next three years enroute to making sports history at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games where he captured gold in all five speed skating events, establishing five Olympic records and smashing the 10,000-meter world mark.

The journey to becoming “the Man of Gold” required resiliency. His quest for speed resulted in multiple injuries. Eric credits his father’s ingenuity for helping him find ways to continue training. For example, when a broken leg required him to wear a long leg cast for six weeks, his father designed a version that could detach up top so Eric could bike. Cycling was a big part of his off-ice training. “I found the thrill of speed I got on skates on the bike,” he says. “I was intrigued to try racing but always too afraid of injuring myself.”

Soon after his monumental Olympic performance, Eric felt his passion for speed skating wane. “I didn’t have the desire to train as hard as I knew I needed to be successful,” he says. “I was too proud of what I’d accomplished to compromise.” Months after retirement he was sporting a different style of Lycra. Cycling seemed like a natural transition, says Eric. It essentially uses the same muscle groups as speed skating. However, the longest race in speed skating lasts 15 minutes, while you might be racing in the saddle for five hours, he says.

Eric captured a U.S. Cycling Championship in 1985 and competed with the 7-Eleven team in the 1986 Tour de France. That mental toughness he turned to on the ice was key to his performance, particularly during the Tour de France, which he describes as the hardest event he’s ever participated in. “I was very good at speed skating, but I was a better than average cyclist,” he says. “I had to dig deep physically and psychologically to do well. You need to constantly believe there’s nothing you can’t overcome.”

Life is full of chapters and Eric knew early on his chapters as a professional athlete would come to an end. He went on to graduate from Stanford Medical School and jokes that studying medicine into the wee hours is a lot more comfortable than climbing a mountain on a bike in a snowstorm. An orthopedic surgeon with practices in Park City and Salt Lake City, Eric now helps athletes overcome injuries, much like his father did for him years ago. His unique combination of academic knowledge and first-hand experience allow him to connect with patients on a deeper level and adapt treatments to their specific needs.

At 65, Eric still prioritizes fitness but has scaled it back from the double or triple sessions of his elite days. He aims to lift weights two to three days a week and ride his bike at least four times, with a focus on Zone 3 training. Exercise is as much about mental health as it is physical fitness, he says. “If I miss a workout more than a few days a week, I don’t feel as focused,” he says. “Cycling is a way for me to mentally relax. It’s like my church. It’s a time I reflect on the day and talk with myself about issues without interference.”

After years of chasing speed, Eric says he’s OK with slowing down just a bit, starting with participating in Blackberry Farm’s Spring Tour de Smokies. “As a racer, you ride through beautiful countries with your head down,” he says. “When you look over to the side for a glimpse you think, ‘This is a place I’d like to come back to as a tourist.’ At Tour de Smokies, I don’t care if I’m at the front. I just hope to be enjoying the ride, the scenery and great conversation.

Click here to join Dr. Eric Heiden at Blackberry Farm's Spring Tour de Smokies event.