Currents: Bruce Martens, director of Loppet's Cycle Works

Bruce Martens is the head coach and director of the Loppet Foundation's Cycle Works program, established to give more people the opportunity to learn how to ride mountain bikes and, for some, to compete. Martens is a 2012 founding member of the Minnesota High School Cycling League, which today has more than 1,500 riders.

"Peak Performance" and everything academic: Last week from U.S. National Library of Medicine | National Institutes of Health, was "Physical activity as a model for health neuroscience." (bit.ly/2EVcLqT)

I did my master's degree work at the University of Minnesota in the field of integrated behavioral health, and I am continually fascinated with all of the ways our bio-psychosocial interactions contribute to our success and/or shortcomings. It's particularly useful in my work with adolescents, as well as working with their parents.

Following

I'm not much of a "follower," but if I had to disclose "who" I follow, it's Mark Trumper and his PedalPower school-based cycling group. He's doing THE most important work with kids on bikes, and doing it with passion and vigor that inspire me every day to get up and do the things I need to do to keep this whole movement going. With the pay-to-play sports culture America has cultivated, it's increasingly difficult to serve kids who deserve equitable opportunity (especially in cycling). Mark has moved mountains to grow a grass-roots, school-based program that provides kids who would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience all of the gifts the bicycle has to offer daily access to outdoor adventure, community engagement and quality mentorship.

Watching

It's cycling season, and I try my best to stay current on all of the mountain bike world cup and the grand tours of road cycling happening around the world, but there really is little down-time/screen-time in my life.

I did just watch Brene Brown's SuperSoul Sessions: The Anatomy of Trust talk the other day. I'm also an all-day listener of Minnesota Public Radio news. I have been huge fan of Brown since 2011 because of her fearless immersion in self-understanding and her ability to communicate what we are all challenged by. MPR keeps current with global happenings in a fair, balanced, and in-depth fashion I've come to rely on for years.

Listening

In my work with kids, I listen to whatever they are. This past weekend I was exposed to "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X, featuring Billy Ray Cyrus. It's all righ-, but my go to is always Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive." It pretty much sums up my life over the past decade, and I listen to it every day.

Doing

This summer I'm seeking balance between running cycling programs out at the Loppet Foundation trailhead, hosting camps around the region, providing support service for bike programming around the city, training coaches on how to work with kids on bikes, logistics for Loppet Cycle Works racers, and maintaining my own wellness, family relationships, and quality rest and recovery. It's never perfect, and every day I'm mindful of the importance of intention and deliberate action working in harmony.