We were lucky to catch up with Steven Peace recently and have shared our conversation below.
Steven, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.
Steven Peace was a healthy, U.S. Navy Officer and a bicyclist, riding 200 miles a week. However, on October 16, 2006, one month before his fourth deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan in five years, a massive stroke hit his brain and body leaving him unable to speak, use him arm, or walk independently. What made it worse was that he lived alone. Luckily, a shipmate found him, fourteen hours later, when he didn’t show up on his ship. Among the things he had to give up, was the Navy, which he had been in for 16 years. He was medically retired as a Lieutenant Commander with an honorable discharge.
He started riding recumbent about one year after stroke. Over the next two years he rode a few recumbent, until 2009, Operation Rebound helped him graduate to the upright trike. He was 1 of only 3 people to ride the upright trike in the United States. He was determined to make that change. Now he finds himself in the new World of Para-cycling. He has won Para-Cycling US Nationals (9 times), medaled in UCI World Cups (30 times), and competed in UCI World Championships (8 times). In the 2012 Paralympic Games London, he placed 5th and 7th… and that was just the beginning. Also, in the summer of 2018, he participated in the Soldier Ride Across America completing a third of the trek from New York to San Diego. In his “spare time” he also completed my 9th Million Dollar Challenge, dabbles in triathlons, and works on improvements to the design of the upright trike.
When not racing or riding, he can be found with the grassroots of his coaching business, as a USAC Level 2 Coach. Peace Cycling Performance (PCP) has taken off to great success. Currently, PCP includes 2 UCI World Champions (Jill Walsh, Ryan Boyle), 7 National Champions (Ryan Boyle, Jill Walsh, Mandy Kloepfer, Jay LaPointe, Ryan Sykes, Becky Piper, and myself), and 4 Paralympians (2012 myself, 2016 Jill Walsh and Ryan Boyle, 2021 Wash and Matt Rodriguez).
In 2017, a teammate held a surprise for him. Teammate, Jill Walsh, presented me with the Order of Ikkos medal. This award is given by a Paralympic medalist to a coach/mentor to recognize the difference they make in the sport. This was a once-in-a-lifetime presentation that he could not have been happier to receive it and he was able to share the moment with the Challenged Athlete Foundation Cycling Club.
This year has been an awesome transition for him having shifted from being a competitor to taking the reigns of CAF Women’s Handcycle and Trike Teams. These athletes are all at the top of their game… many are Paralympic and World Champion. Having assumed the Coaching/Team Managers role as well as mechanic, transport, everything but cycle for then. It has been an absolute joy and one he’ll hope continues to grow.
Before my stroke, he never thought of competing at this level. Now? Just put it in front of him, and he’ll do it. CAF has a box on its application that says “elite athlete” he can check that now.
Steven, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Well, how I got into “biking” is not a normal story. Prior to 2006, I rode my bike on the weekend for recreation. Then, in 2006, I had a stroke after work and I spent 3 months in the hospital. To get use of my right side afterward I was introduced to the 3 wheeled recumbent. I loved it! On it, I could really move and I gained that freedom that I felt was lost. Eventually, I “graduated” to the upright trike. There were no book and people to teach me about that trike. Spent a lot of time in parking lots learning how to ride. Basically everything I knew about bikes…. I had to do the opposite on my trike. I finally participated in US National of Paracycling… and that was it. I took 1st place and the rest was history. I spent the next 12 years racing in everything you could imagine. Nationals, World Cups, World Championships, ParaPanAm Games, culminating in the London Paralympics. I also rode just about everything including Soldier Rides, Soldier Ride Across America, and Million Dollar Challenge to name a few. I knew everyone in the US who had a trike, and 90% of them I help them get it and taught them to ride it. I took note, made instructions, and had a multitude of trikes. I certified through the USA Cycling as the Coach Level 2. I picked up the nickname “the trike whisperer” and “the trike guru”. I formed Peace Cycling Perfomance and eventually joined with Challenged Athletes Foundation to launch the CAF Women Handcycle Team and the CAF Trike Team
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I think about one moment the I made a decision that affected me greatly… it always brings me to late 2009. You see, I had won Paracycling Nationals that July which qualified me for World Championships. At National, I had been classified as a T1. Basically, there were T1/T2 for athletes who rode trike. T1 was the more disabled. When I arrived at the Canada World Championships, I was re-classified as a T2. I was taken from a podium guarantee T1 to guaranteed last place. That finished the season and I had a huge decision to make. On one hand, I could be happy with was I had. Pretty much accept things and just ride for recreation. But, on the other hand, I could crack down and train harder then ever before in the hope that I could get another shot. I obviously chose the latter. In April of 2010 at the Australia World Cup, I placed on the podium in 3rd place. I had chosen wisely.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Obviously, finding athletes that classify for the trike is extremely hard. What is the most effective strategy… any way that your word can reach someone, use it. Social media, hospitals/rehabilitation centers, word-of-mouth, etc. You would not believe it. Use everything and everyone to pass the word. When I started, there was 3 of us. Now, there are 25 of us and 40 actual upright trikes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.peacecyclingperformance.com
- Instagram: Peace6080
- Facebook: smpeacer
- Twitter: @smpeacer
- Other: Www.challengedathletes.org