Liam Killeen – Everyday Cyclist
News Posted: 8th March
Words and Pictures by Joolze Dymond
Joolze Dymond talks to Commonwealth medallist and Olympian MTBer Liam Kileen about music, construction work, the future and Everyday Cycling – from homemade trails in the Malverns to blazing trails in Athens.
The name Liam Killeen may not be on the lips of every sports fan as we approach Beijing in 2008, but this young man has done much to raise the profile of mountain biking in the UK in the last couple of years, due to his natural talent coupled with his dogged determination and a genuine love for cycling. Mind you, he could have easily taken a very different path. Another of Liam’s passion is his music, if he’s not listening to his ipod they you could easily find him strumming away on the strings of his favorite guitar. Luckily for the world of cycling, Liam stumbled across mountain biking when a visit to the Malvern Classics with friends opened up a whole new world. That was it, he was hooked. Weekends were spent building trails in the local woods with friends, evenings would find them down at the local BMX track just having fun. Acquisition of his first proper MTB gave him the weapon to scorch the local opposition and from there Liam hasn’t really looked back. He progressed onto national events with equal aplomb and became a talent that was plain for all to see.
Notable victories since those humble beginnings playing in the foothills of the Malverns include a Commonwealth bronze in 2002, superseded in 2006 by Gold picked up in Australia, plus a World Cup podium in the same year. You’d be interested to know that this young rising XC star isn’t a flash in the pan who has just burst onto the international scene. Behind those strong performances are years of dedication, sacrifice and devotion that now makes Killeen a serious contender for Gold in the next Olympic games in Beijing. I caught up with Liam, interrupting him, as he was putting the finishing touches to his house renovation in the off-season, to find out more about this quietly determined young man, what makes him tick, his passions in life and what the future holds…
When did you start to become interested in cycling?
I went to the Malvern Classics when I was about 12 with some friends. It was local and my friends were all into mountain bikes back then, so we thought we’d just pop over and see what it was all about. I saw all the events take place; 4X, DH, XC and saw Hans Rey do his trials riding, it was amazing and inspiring, that was how I got interested.
The following Xmas I was fortunate enough to get a really good mountain bike and the year after I started to do some racing, just to see how I’d do.
What was your first proper bike?
A Kona Kilauea, with XT, in ti silver. It’s still in the family, one of my cousins has it, I hope it never gets sold; it’s a good bike. I’ve loads of memories attached; I rode a good number of races on that.
How many bikes have you got at the moment?
Not that many really. I’ve got lots of bits of bikes. I’ve got 4 complete bikes, including 2 cross bikes. I’ve got bits that are 10-12 years old. Crazy pedals with elastomers! Now I think, “Why did I buy them?”, but at the time they were the lightest ones around, cutting edge just like the old flex stem!
How did you get into racing?
All my friends had mountain bikes long before I did, but after the Malvern Classics, we all started meeting up after school and build trails in the woods, not just downhill stuff but little circuits. Plus we’d go down to the BMX track which was close to my school and just muck about. Then we just decided to enter some local races, one weekend I’d go with a friend and his family and the next my friends would come with me and my Mum.
So it started with the local stuff, then progressed to the National Points Series. In my first year I was in the top 3 most weekends, the following year I won pretty much every event I entered.
When did you think that becoming a pro rider might be a good idea?
I guess pretty early on. I did well at the races I rode at the beginning of my racing career, so I decided that I’d do some proper training. I’m very disciplined and the training regime appealed to me. I got stuck in and it dawned on me soon after that making a career out of riding a bike seemed like a good idea. So yeah it just progressed from there.
Did you get a lot of support from your family when you started?
I did back then and I still do really. My Mum and Grandparents used to come and watch me race and Dad came along when he could. My Mum still comes out to watch me at some of my races and when I ride cyclo cross, she comes and helps out in the pits. Roger Hammond’s Mum and Dad do the same thing. I think it’s quite nice having family support at a race.
My parents are pretty pleased with what I’ve done. My Dad has been a guitarist since he was 15 so I’ve done something similar to him but in a different way, so he understands. There’s nothing negative. I’m pretty lucky that my family have been behind anything I’ve wanted to do.
You got involved with your cycling at a pretty young age; did this have an impact on your schoolwork?
I didn’t neglect my schoolwork. I did enough. I didn’t particularly enjoy school, but I got my GCSE’s and a couple of A levels. I was never into the idea of going to uni and by that time I was cycling full time anyway.
What were your interests at school?
Sport, of course, I played rugby, did athletics. Then other subjects that interested me were music and art. They were my two favourite subjects. Oh, and geography. It’s good that I knew all about places like the Rocky Mountains and stuff and now I’m fortunate enough to have ridden there in some of the most awesome trails in the world.
You left school solely with the ambition of being a pro rider? Despite it being a pretty tough route to go down, there are lots of ‘wannabes’ but only a handful actually make the grade.
Yeah I was pretty determined. It seemed an attainable goal. I’ve worked hard and it’s paying off. I’ve only ridden in the elite ranks for 2 seasons now, prior to that I was racing against under 23s. Hopefully over the next couple of years I’ll be able to continue and improve naturally. Most athletes seemed to hit their peak mid 20s, even early 30s, so hopefully I’ll continue to grow stronger. I don’t think I have to step it up massively, just see how I go naturally. Obviously you have to keep adding to your training but you just do that steadily. I’ve seen athletes go from one year being not very good, to the next being amazing, but they don’t seem to be able to hold that form, I want to be at the top of my game for a while and I’m happy to get there steadily.
Is the Olympics in Beijing next year one of your major goals?
Yeah I’d like to get a result there. It’s the biggest mountain bike event to win. To improve on Athens would be great to get a Gold would be good. This time next year that’s all I’ll be thinking about, but this year I don’t want to think about it too much, I want to focus on the World Cups and The World Champs, but next year my focus will shift.
This year my aims are podiums at World Cups and the Worlds, as I figure if you podium there, the same people will be at the Olympics and that will give me an indication of my chances I guess.
The main difference will be the pressure, especially from the general public as my public profile has been raised considerably especially since the Commonwealth Games.
Do you get to the end of the season and go, “Phew I’m glad that’s over”?
Yeah, most definitely. The travelling can get you down, but you have to remember its part of the job and just get on with it. It’s always a good feeling to return home being able to do simple things like cook in your own kitchen, tidy the garden, ride your home trails and catch up with family and friends. Oh and at the moment I have my hands full helping to finish off the renovations of my Mum’s house!
Ah yes, you’ve been at this for a while, is it nearly finished and is it rewarding work?
Yes, it’s taken a while but we’re nearly there. I’ve been doing a lot of the hard labour! The heavier work - digging, labouring, moving rubble, filling the skips, brick laying, and damp course. It’s not something I want to do as a job, doing that day in day out wouldn’t interest me, but doing it every so often, it’s just another break from the heavy bike schedule I have. You feel like you’ve done something, it’s quite satisfying.
It’s an old house. I’m currently helping to renovate the cellar, which was just tiles laid directly on earth, so that’s all had to be dug out ready for the damp course and the concrete. Then we’re putting down under floor heating, that’s where we’re at now.
When the floors finished we can concentrate on sorting the rest of the space out and then when it’s ready it’ll be my home. Mum’ll live in the upper floor and then the lower floor will be mine. Two biggish bedrooms downstairs. I’m really looking forward to having a bike room. It’s a challenge having them in the house. Seeing them day in day out, even when you’re not riding.
Did you have hobbies before you got into cycling?
Yes. Motorbikes. I’d been riding them since I was about 6. My Grandad introduced me to it. I had a 50cc to start off with, then I progressed to a 60, then a 100. I still dabble with it when I’m home, I’ve got a 125cc tucked away in the garage. I don’t really get much opportunity to ride it these days. But it’s something I do more of in the winter, I’m home more then and it gives me a break from the mountain bike. In a way it’s fun time really, like riding mountain bikes but less exhausting. It’s a great adrenalin kick. It’s still an effort but it’s much more a mental thing. I just muck about around the local fields; it’s a great way to let your hair down.
So is cycling your one consuming passion these days?
Sort of. While it is really important to me and I’m pretty focused on my goals for the future, I like to keep a balance in my life. I have other interests and try to indulge myself in these occasionally to give myself a break really.
What path do you think you may have taken if you hadn’t been bitten by the cycling bug?
My Dad’s a guitarist and I’m very interested in music, so I guess I would have ended up doing something musical along the way.
I’ve heard that music is an extremely important part of your life, is it something you pursue when you’re not riding?
Yeah I play the guitar a lot. My uncle is a drummer and we get together when I’m home and do some jamming. When my Dad’s around, he’s mainly based in London; we also get together and play some tunes, some good bluesy stuff. If I had more time, mental time that is, I’d dedicate myself more to my music.
Do you take your guitar with you in the racing season?
I actually have a guitar in the support truck in the States. I was fortunate enough to be given a Fender by a friend of mine that works for Fender.
Do you have an eclectic taste in music or is it pretty narrow?
At the moment I’m really into rocky blues, it’s what I play and listen to mainly but it wouldn’t be unusual to hear some classical music being belted out in the house. It’s very therapeutic.
Is there a song or an album that you think possibly sums you/ your life up at the moment?
Ah that’s gotta be, Ezy Ryder - Jimi Hendrix…
What else do you do to relax?
I love quintessential British humour; Fawlty Towers, Ricky Gervais & The Office, Have I got News for you, etc. I don’t do a lot of TV but when I can, I slip on a DVD and have a good laugh. Occasionally I’ll dip my nose into a book. I really enjoy biographies, especially involving travel. I’ve just read The Long Way Round, where Ewan McGregor and a friend, take a trip around the world on motorbikes. Pretty inspiring stuff.
Other than that I like messing about in the kitchen. I like experimenting with different ingredients using produce that I’ve grown myself along with plenty of garlic, ginger and often chilli, those flavours are addictive! I have to say that growing and eating your own food is very satisfying.
I tend to buy local produce when I can; I steer clear of produce with loads of air-miles.
You have a pretty green outlook then?
Oh yeah I really think about it, we can’t keep going as we are. If more people got on bikes it would really help, especially for the shorter journeys. It’s difficult when I have to travel large distances, especially by plane, but if on the other hand we can help to grow the image of cycling especially to the general public then hopefully it’ll help in its own way.
Do you have any time just to ride for the fun of it?
If I have the time and I’m around I really like doing sportifs. I hope I can do a few more. It’s still a challenge but it’s fun. They’re not races and you get a chance to ride to somewhere different, with a group. It’s pretty sociable. Other days I just go out and explore the trails around where I am. If it’s at home then I head for the hills, if it’s in the States then it’s a good chance to explore and sometimes ride some pretty amazing trails. Sometimes it’s training but sometimes I go out just for the sheer pleasure of being on a bike and riding wicked trails.
Do you have one favourite trail?
No not one specific one, really. There are spots that I think I’ve been really lucky to ride, like the Durango trail or bits of it, that was fun. Victoria, Vancouver Island, there’s a really small tech wooded section about 20mins of some neat tech stuff that was good.
In the Malvern’s, there’s nothing super extreme its just nice being high up and looking out the scenery is a real motivator.
The passion for just riding a bike is still there then?
Absolutely, it’s a job but it’s also a pleasure. I look forward to being out virtually every day. You know when you ride a tech section and it just flows, you know you can’t have done it any better you’ve just nailed it, that’s the best feeling.
What’s a typical day, off-season for you?
A non-bike day? Okay, I’ll probably start with a 30min jog, then come home and help with the labouring downstairs. I’ve been helping out for a couple of months now but when I’m not here I’m out helping a friend build his own house. It’s a good break. It keeps me active, keeps me outdoors and I’m learning different skills.
Then try and play some guitar, probably do some interviews. Then maybe put some thought into next year, training camps, goals, races, obligations I have with the team etc.
Are you happy being an ambassador for the sport?
If my riding a bike can help other people realise the benefits and pleasure you can derive from the sport, then great. It’s good to know that we’re an emerging nation to be reckoned with in many aspects of cycling and I like to be associated with the good that comes from that. Many people have laid the foundations, like Tim Gould, Gary Foord, Nick Craig, Oli etc. I guess people look at me now and think yeah he’s still young he’s got loads of potential still. It’s a good feeling.
You’re quite a private guy; do you not sometimes wish you could get a break from all the attention?
Yeah maybe sometimes, but when you compare me to someone more mainstream, say like a footballer then the attention I get is pretty small in comparison. The majority of public are keen to read about Beckham not me. I guess my exposure in the specialist mags is more intense probably more of a challenge, but I don’t mind. Pro cyclists don’t get paid just on results; you are a publicity machine for your sponsors. It’s an aspect that many people don’t realise. It’s not just riding the bike, you have to attend shows and product launches, speak to people. It’s part of the job. To me though the results on the bike are the most important thing, I don’t mind being a spokesperson but I’m not as outward going as some of my team-mates. The more you put into the sport the more you get out, both competitively and personally.
Does it get exhausting with so many people wanting “a piece” of you, for interviews. mag articles etc?
Part of my job is to market my sponsor’s product, so whatever publicity I get for my sponsors is good. So I have to be available whenever a reasonable request comes in, I don’t mind it, like I said its part of the job. But to get a thank you every so often is nice.
How would you describe yourself?
Determined; private, you really have to get to know me before I really open up. I’m not shy, just contained. I’m pretty confident, especially with things I know that I’m fairly good at.
Have you made any sacrifices along the way and have they been worth it?
Oh yeah I’ve definitely made sacrifices. My social circle is pretty limited at home as I’m away for most of the year. I ‘m lucky that I have a group of close friends here that it doesn’t matter if I don’t see them from one year to the next, I know I can always drop in and we’ll pick up where we left off.
Most of my friends now are now on the circuit, but that’s not a bad thing. You get to support each other and it’s good. There’s always stuff to talk about usually in the bar after a race, it’s a good wind down.
Do you have any regrets choosing this route?
No not really, I feel like achieved some pretty good things that were worth the sacrifices.
So what do you think the future after racing hold for you?
That’s a difficult question at the moment. There are a few things that interest me, physiology, anatomy, possibly some kind of coaching role or even down the line of osteopathy or some kind of therapy, not just straight massage, some alternative treatment maybe.
It takes about 5 years to qualify, either as an osteopath or even a chiropractor, though I can’t say for definite at the moment what I will do when I stop racing, until I actually get there. I’m so focused on my racing that I can’t think that far ahead really.
The thought of bringing on a group of young riders and helping them develop would be also very satisfying. I’m sure something will crop up!
Your life would be so much easier if...
If there were 48 hours in the day! Choosing competitive sport for a career doesn’t really fit with finding an easy life, it’s about enjoying the challenge, and I can imagine lots of people think my life is pretty easy anyway… ‘Just like riding a bike’.