Chip Kogelmann (38). Born in Bellefonte, PA. Raised in State College, PA. After trying most sports when young, focused on alpine ski racing and soccer in high school. Won the state championship in alpine skiing as a senior and played varsity high school soccer. Attended Univ. of New Hampshire where I walked-on the varsity soccer team. Played two years at UNH.

After college I lived in Vail, Colorado for 2-years and spent a season in Park City, UT. It was in Vail that I got into competitive mountain biking (tip: ski towns are way cooler in the summer) and had a brief (2-runs!) stint on the old Bud Pro Mogul Tour. Also lived in Alaska for 4-months working in a fish processing plant.

Returned to live in Portmouth, NH for a few years where I continued racing mountain bikes in New England and one year I won the Trail 66 points series in the male expert category.

Then went to Penn State University to pursue a Master of Science degree in Forest Science. While at PSU I joined the road cycling team. That got me hooked on road racing and I worked my way to a Category 2 level. (Cat 1 is next followed by Pro). I did a lot of stage racing. At the same time I started doing ultra endurance 100 mile mountain bike races. I’ve competed in about 8 of these.

In 2007 two weeks after the Shenadoah 100 and about 4 weeks after the TransRockies (7-day mtn bike stage race) I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Two surgeries and 4 rounds of chemo later (about 1-year) I was in remission where I’ve been for 2-years now.

This year my main focus in Ironman USA in Lake Placid, NY. My goal is to qualify for the World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

I also have two awesome 4-year old twin boys who rip it up on the bike, scooter, and skis. My wife Tracey is a serious dancer with an emphasis in ballet but she also does modern.

By day I have a small mining equipment company with 8 employees. (www.alpinecutters.com)