Sports Story--November 2007

News Story

by Alaina Arp

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index
Previous News Stories | Send mail to The Voice

Student Zips to
Finish Line on Bicycle

[Sports Photo]

Clay Sharp poses at the Eastern Sierra
Double Century in June 2001. --Clay Sharp, photo

Clay Sharp, 46, commutes to MBC as do many other students -- except he usually rides his bicycle from his home in Vancouver, Wash.

Sharp does not limit his cycling to riding to college. In the past year alone, Sharp completed three bicycle races: the Grand Tour Highland Triple Century, the Solvang Spring Double Century Sunday Staff Ride and the Knoxville Fall Classic Double Century.

A double century is a long-distance bicycle race in which cyclists ride a 200-mile course in a day. All of the events were in California.

The Knoxville Fall Classic Double Century, sponsored by Quackcyclists, took place on Sept. 29, 2007. The 201-mile course wound over five mountains and included an elevation climb of 12,600 feet. Sharp finished 20th out of 249 cyclists.

"With that one, I earned my fifth triple crown," he said.

To win a triple crown, Sharp had to complete three double centuries in a year.

Five hundred and nine cyclists started the Solvang Double Spring Century. Four hundred and eighty-three finished the 200-mile course. In a special staff ride, Sharp rode the course with six other volunteer race staff members.

He finished the course in nine hours and five minutes, whereas most cyclists average more than 12 hours, Sharp said.

The Grand Tour Highland Triple Century is a 300-mile race completed in a day. Sharp was the only person from the Northwest to ride in it this year.

Although the cycling season is ending, Sharp is already looking forward to next year. "I plan on knocking out another race during spring break," he said.

In addition to his five triple crowns, Sharp was inducted into the Gold Thousand Mile Club in 2001. To receive that honor, Sharp rode five double centuries in a year. In 2002, the Coast Guard nominated him as its Elite Athlete of the Year.

Lynn Katano cycles with Sharp. She said she has known him for about six years.

"Clay is an outstanding athlete," Katano said. She said Sharp has a joy and passion for riding as well as an enthusiasm necessary to take an athlete to a higher level.

Katano has completed 87 triple and double centuries, several of them with Sharp.

"We've ridden together in a few races," she said. "He's a lot faster than I am. Some days he feels like doing a social ride, and he'll slow down and ride with me."

Long-distance cycling is only a part of Sharp's life. For the past three years, he has worked as a volunteer at Washington State School of the Blind.

Sharp said he enjoys working with the blind children, taking them out on tandem bikes, hiking with them and teaching them to ski.

Sharp said his desire is to "basically use everything I've got to help out the visually impaired and special-needs kids because, in my heart, I believe the least are the most."

Adrienne Stout, recreation and volunteer coordinator at Washington State School of the Blind, said that Sharp has been instrumental in WSSB's cycling and ski program. Sharp provides the children with self-esteem, confidence and support by teaching them to cycle, ski and snowboard. Ms. Stout said, "He is an inspiration to our students and an asset to our school."

Sharp said he gets his motivation to ride from God and from the children he works with. "Every time I get on that bike," Sharp said, "I feel like I'm riding for Jesus, and I am riding for the kids."

After his hundreds of rides, Sharp said, "The biggie is relying on the audience of one to help overcome insurmountable odds."

Sharp credited God with giving him his cycling passion. "God used cycling to set me free from being trapped by life's circumstances," he said. Those circumstances included the emotional trauma he faced growing up in an alcoholic family.

Now Sharp calls himself a "servaholic" and sees cycling as a ministry.

After about 22 years in the Coast Guard, Sharp decided it was time to move on and retired in 2003. Although he had studied for a semester at Concordia and at George Fox University as well as taking several college classes through the Coast Guard, Sharp never finished a degree. After retiring, Sharp decided to go back to school.

He knew he wanted to attend a Christian college and settled on Multnomah. Now in his second year at MBC, Sharp is working on a major in educational ministries and on a minor in music.

Even with a college schedule, Sharp plans to continue cycling.

"Hopefully, in the near future, I want to do the Furnace Creek 508-mile race," Sharp said. "God willing, maybe one day the race across America."

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index
Previous Features | Send mail to The Voice