Our Heart & Soul of Precor series highlights the incredible, inspiring people who work at Precor. These articles focus on employees who embody the Precor creed both inside and outside of the workplace. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into the people who make our company so unique!

Next, in our series, we would like to highlight Steve Cardin, who has been working for Precor as a welder and robot programmer for almost 23 years. While this is an amazing accomplishment in itself, Steve also completes 100+ mile bike rides in his spare time. Let’s take a deeper look at what inspires Steve to push his limits.

What is your fitness story?

About 8 years ago, Steve was diagnosed with the hypermobile form of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which mostly affects my joints and connective tissue. Meaning they can sub lux or dislocate as a result. After being diagnosed, he had to take time off work for surgery. While Steve was recovering, he learned that biking helped with the recovery process and cycling helps strengthen the muscles around the joints to help keep them in place, so he bought a bike. After getting back to what he knew as “normal” life, his wife sent him a flyer for the People’s Coast Classic, where riders bike down the entire Oregon coast in 6 days. Steve signed up, started training, and has never looked back. He has now completed that ride six times, plus many more long-distance bike rides! This year alone, he has done seven 100+ mile rides.

How do you find balance working at Precor while still making time for training?

During the summer, Steve and his wife carpool into the Precor headquarters in Woodinville, Washington, but then he’ll ride his bike the 30 miles back home at the end of the day. With our Washington winters, riding outside isn’t as much as an option. When this is the case, Steve does have an indoor trainer at home which he rides about five times a week. He also completes a lot of weekend rides to keep up with his conditioning.

What is your favorite ride so far?

Steve’s favorite ride has been the Cycle Greater Yellowstone. It's uniqueness in that the course changes every year challenges he to keep coming back. He has done this particular ride twice and would like to do it again.

He has also completed the People Coast Classic (same as his first ride) six times.

He has also finished the Seattle to Portland in 1 day (204 miles) which most take two days to finish and has now done it a total of 3 times.

What is your most difficult ride so far?

Steve said his most challenging ride to date has been Ramrod (Ride Around Mount Rainer in One Day). This is a 152-mile ride around Mount Rainier in one day. Bikers climb to about 4800 feet along the ride – who else is tired just reading this?

Do you have any other hobbies that take up your time?

Steve is a co-founder of a local Ehlers-Danlos support group and an admin on an Ehlers-Danlos athletes Facebook group that he helps to manage and takes up some of his time.

While biking is always high on his list, Steve also enjoys going to concerts, listening to music, and seeing his daughter perform in theater.

Do you have any specific goals (long or short term) with biking?

Steve would just like to keep living his passion every day and checking more races off his list.

What achievement are you most proud of so far?

Steve is most proud of completing Ramrod, and is also proud to say he was able to get through the Beartooth Pass day on the Cycle Greater Yellowstone ride. He hit a snowstorm at the top and being able to make it in and out of that was a moment he will never forget.

What is your favorite line of the Precor Creed and why?

I believe in mutual respect and the overwhelming returns of sharing.

Another important and commendable aspect to Steve’s biking adventures is that he is involved with a lot of nonprofits. For a majority of his races he will choose a charity to raise money for leading up to the rides. Some of the charities he has worked with so far include; The Arthritis Foundation, National MS Society, Mary Bridge Hospital, Greater Yellowstone Coalition and Fred Hutch, plus many others. Steve says that the biggest charity he has been involved with would have to be The Arthritis Foundation, where he has raised thousands of dollars for them over the 7 years of riding in the People's Coast Classic. This foundation really hits home for him because Ehlers Danlos Syndrome falls under the umbrella of the Arthritis Foundation and his wife has psoriatic arthritis. While Steve works hard to raise this money he also takes advantage of Precor Gives (where our donations are matched by the company) to be able to give even more back to his charities of choice and said it has brought a lot of gratitude through this journey.