From Sunday afternoons at Seattle’s Century Link Stadium to riding a bike in an Olympic-style cycling velodrome, Luke Willson shifted from the hard-hitting game of pro football to the speed and danger of semi-pro cycling. 

How did Cycling Become Luke WIlson’s New Passion?

Luke Willson played eight seasons in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl ring in his rookie year. After calling it quits late in the summer of 2021, he visited his parents in Canada. He rode with them there—his first time back on a bike since grade school. The fun time he experienced on a bike started him down the road of fun and channeled his competitive fire into cycling.

“It was a lot of fun, and I loved being in nature for long stretches of time,” -Luke Willson

 

Check out Luke's ride on Strava from Wenatchee to Entiat, then over and up to Waterville. "Climb to Waterville smacked me"

Luke’s First Road Bike Race

“My first road race was a Cat 5, or novice, and near the end, as we were sprinting, a couple of guys in front of me crashed, and there was a big pile up, which caused me to fall, too.” - Luke Willson

Get our free mobile app

Despite the crash, he signed up for another race and placed second. This is when Luke began to have illusions of grandeur. “I’m going to blow this thing up,’”

“That clearly didn’t happen…because at my next race, which was a stage race with a little elevation, I got absolutely smoked.” -Luke Willson

A Switch to Track Cycling

Most successful road cyclists are lighter on the scale. It makes sense since you must haul your body up steep and long hills. A friend of Luke’s suggested this 245-pound frame wouldn't be as much of a handicap if he switched to the velodrome for track cycling. A sport that favors explosive, powerful athletes. 

“Even on the velodrome, it’s kind of comical,” he shares, laughing. “I still stick out like a sore thumb in a hilarious way because a lot of times it’s me, a 34-year-old, out there next to 19-year-olds who weigh 75 lbs less than me, and I’m like, ‘All right, here we go!’”

Check out Luke's recent session (Warmup + race) on the Marymoor Velodrome)

He’s now aiming for the Olympics.

Luke Willson’s lofty goals include: 

• Representing Canada in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. 
• Continue to grow a digital cycling community called the “Stone Cutters Union.” 

The idea behind the online group is to encourage riders at any stage of their cycling development. 

Why the name Stone Cutters?

“When I am struggling, I look at the stone cutter and I see him hammering away at the rock and I know that it was not the final blow that split the rock, but the hundreds that came before’,” -Luke Willson

Strava was kind enough to share Luke Willson’s cycling training story here. Do what I did, and follow Luke Willson on Strava.