For Long, BMX racing is his life
For BMX racer Nic Long, his career and what comes with it are not so much a job.
The racing culture comes naturally to the Lakeside, Calif., native.
Long, 22, was introduced to racing at 7 by his father on a track near their Southern California home. And together with his two sisters and cousins, the U.S. Olympic hopeful grew up in the extreme sport.
“Basically, my whole life has been at the track,” Long said between training and lunch Friday. “It’s basically my life. Our slang, the way we talk, is all bike-related or race-related. When you grow up here for so long, it’s just kind of part of you and the people you hang out with. It just grows on you.”
The culture of racing grew on Long, whose 6-2 frame is covered practically head to toe with tattoos. Long’s arms, chest, stomach, hands, sides, right leg and even one of his fingers sport body art.
But even with BMX racing flowing through his veins, Long acknowledges the difficulty of earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic roster this month.
David Herman secured one of the three men’s team berths by finishing atop the USA Cycling power rankings.
The second spot belongs to the winner of the June 16 trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. The U.S. coaches will have their choice for the final rider.
Long, who has battled through a broken wrist and nagging back injury this year, was selected along with seven other U.S. riders for the trials. Also in the field are 2008 Olympic silver medalist Mike Day and bronze medalist Donny Robinson.
It would definitely be an honor, just being part of something bigger than me. My dad always talked about (the Olympics). He would say, “It’s going to be the Olympics someday, blah, blah, blah. It’s going to get bigger.” Sure enough it did.
My dad’s been everything for me in this sport. Up until April of last year, he was the one who solely helped me with everything. He watched every single race I’ve ever been at. So even when I’m across the world and having trouble on something, he’s always watched the races and I can call him up each time and ask him what I need to do differently.
David (Herman) is one of my best friends. I go out and stay at his house in Colorado twice a year, three, four weeks at a time. I just go out there and hang out or train, whatever it is, depending on the time of the season.
I’m afraid to go to the doctor right now because I have a back injury that I’m afraid to get checked out. . . . I’m just afraid I’ll go to the doctor, and they tell me there’s a problem and I need to stop riding.
I guess if you saw me without my racing gear on I could be a little intimidating with the tattoos and all that. But it’s not really like that at all. It’s just kind of a way of life, a culture. Learn about other hopefuls in our series at olympics.usatoday.com