Clint Greenbaum is the Rider of the Month. A former everyday runner and marathoner, he found a new lifestyle with his ElliptiGO bikes.
“When I’m GOing, I feel like I did when I was a young runner. I can ElliptiGO daily, with no pain during or after the ride. Plus, it is a lot of fun. I ride in the afternoon, with the sunset limiting how far I’ll GO – otherwise, I might never stop!” – Clint Greenbaum
Congratulations Clint Greenbaum!
You’ve been named ElliptiGO’s December of 2020 Rider of the Month. Let’s hear your acceptance speech!
I love my 8C & 11R ElliptiGOs, I love the ElliptiGO company, and I love the ElliptiGO community – so it is easy to understand why I LOVE the honor of being named ElliptiGO’s Rider of the Month. I look forward to winning this honor again in 2055, the year of my 70th wedding anniversary.
Do tell, have you always been active and involved in health & fitness?
I have been active in sports for almost all of my 64 years. As a kid growing up in Kansas City, my major efforts were in swimming, cross country, soccer, and track. After playing soccer at Claremont McKenna College, I found running to be the sport that would be easiest to continue daily. (Knowing playing golf at the Augusta National was a one-off.)
I ran two marathons (one on the original course from Marathon to Athens) and participated in many 5K races. I even ran once in the Championship Race of the Corporate Challenge in New York City on the Merrill Lynch team, and we won!
How did you decide on ElliptiGO?
I loved running. Although I never had a running injury, after running almost daily for 40 years, the collective collateral damage made each run more and more painful, and less and less fun.
Trying to diversify, I competed in a triathlon where I live in the Hamptons (NY). Although I was a swimmer, I found that in the triathlon, swimming was a contact sport, but I did learn that road biking was a fair substitute for daily running.
Then in 2012, I discovered ElliptiGO. My cousin told me that his trainer in New York City (Michael Gostigian, three-time American Olympic pentathlete, and an ElliptiGOer), recommended it for runners.
I drove an hour to the closest dealer (Khanh Sports in East Hampton, NY). After a test ride, I bought my 8C on the spot. I could tell right away that I had found what runners dream about – to have a daily runner’s high.
I still run, but only occasionally, with my daughter who is a marathoner. Why occasionally? Because sadly, it hurts when I run, and the pain lingers for days. Running is now the only thing that makes me feel old.
I’ve ElliptiGOed tens of thousands of miles over the past 8 years without any pain. The ElliptiGO is the fountain of youth for runners. For me, the ElliptiGO is worth every cent!
How has your ElliptiGO impacted your life?
The ElliptiGO has confirmed something that I have learned over the years regarding sports: it doesn’t matter what you do, but to do it on a very regular basis, it has to be without pain, safe, and fun.
For example, I found out in middle school that football was not safe – so I quit. Later, I found out in my late 50’s that running was now painful, and that road biking wasn’t much fun and included back and butt issues – so I’ve mostly quit both.
Recently I lost my son, Jake, to cancer. While my ElliptiGO rides were always therapeutic, they are even more so now, especially since they are with my wife, Elisa. In Jake’s memory, right after his death, I pledged to name a part of each of my rides on Strava in his memory. I am currently at “IMO Jake #73”.
You’re a long time ElliptiGO community member, how about a “Happy ElliptiGO Memories List?”
- Becoming friends with Bryan Pate, the ElliptiGO staff, and the GERC board
- Becoming friends with the ElliptiGO community through GERC and Facebook
- Being part of Team ElliptiGO at the 5 Boro Bike Tour
- Organizing two ElliptiGO Days from my home in Westhampton Beach
- “Influencing” by example, leading several others in my community to buy ElliptiGOs
- Introducing my wife to ElliptiGOing – she is now an ElliptiGO fanatic; ElliptiGOing with my daughter, Augusta; and having had the community meet my son at a Rally and a Spring Classic. The ElliptiGO is such a part of our family that it was a part of our Jewish New Year card.
- Being part of Tim Woodier’s Epic East Coast Ride (hosting Tim and riding with him on three rides)
- Getting to ride with seven-time ElliptiGO World Champion Rusty Snow, up a mountain in Santa Barbara, CA
- Getting to ride with Monika Alston in Melbourne, Australia, and becoming friends with her and Henry Tamer
- While on road trips being able to ride with Emma Trump in Florida, Margarita Rypkowski in Tucson
- Riding the perimeter of New York City, the day before the 2016 Marathon, with a bunch of ElliptiGOers, led by Iowan Jim Cremer navigating it, while he held an iPhone
- On an ElliptiGO ride, I saw a fantastic runner who I immediately nicknamed “The Gazelle”. We struck up a conversation while he ran and I ElliptiGOed. We’ve been friends since. I have paced him on several of his 20+ mile training runs. Jordan Daniel then placed 44th in the most recent New York City Marathon!
- Sending Little Clint to represent me at the 2019 ElliptiGO Rally. I have never met Little Clint. He has led an independent life, becoming an ElliptiGO legend
Let’s hear it for your proudest ElliptiGO achievements!
- Becoming the 55th member of the ElliptiGO Century Club in 2012 (the first 100 to complete an official 100-mile ride on an ElliptiGO). Then rode a 2nd century ride as part of ElliptiGO partnership with Bike for Humanity in 2020
- Following the famous money manager Peter Lynch’s mantra of “investing in what you know and love,” I became an ElliptiGO investor in 2014
- Joined Global ElliptiGO Riders Club (GERC) in 2017, soon became a board member and membership coordinator
- Captained the Baum Squad, winners of GERC’s 2018 September Team Challenge (riding all-time month highs of 1,221 miles and 29,484 ft of elevation), and have been a team member of three of the four winning September Team Challenges
- Competed in the 2018 ElliptiGO World Championships riding up Mt. Palomar
- Currently 17th on the ElliptiGO Lifetime list of most miles at over 24,000
- Being in the top twenty in several speed categories: 5K, 8K, 16K, 25 miles, 50 miles, and the 1-hour ride (Find all statistics on GERC’s Achievements and Stats webpage)
What are your words of wisdom for new riders?
Learn the basics from a veteran or watch an ElliptiGO instruction video. It does not take long, and it is not difficult. New riders who learn this way, will learn the right way and are more likely to do things correctly, which will translate into more fun faster, better safety, and sticking with it.
Of course, I recommend new riders join GERC and join the ElliptiGO Facebook Group. While there are more than 30,000 on the road, many ElliptiGOers feel like they are the only ones out there.
The Club changes that feeling and offers fun challenges. The award swag, plus the 10% discount on ElliptiGO purchases (other than for bikes), pays for the price of the annual membership.
When heading out for a ride, what do you consider essential to bring every time?
A helmet, a flashing red light on the back of my helmet, a headband or a buff, one wireless headphone in my right ear (With my left ear open, which is closest to traffic, I can listen to music while hearing what is going on around me), a Garmin watch, a fanny pack (holds my iPhone, my emergency information, an Allen wrench if I need to tighten my mirror, a COVID-19 mask, a credit card, and some money), either clear protective or sunglasses and bike gloves.
Summer clothes are whatever runners would wear in the summer, flat running shoes and short finger cycling gloves. At temperatures higher than 80 F, I wear a Camelbak for water. In winter, I wear what snowboarders wear on the slopes, winter gloves and Thinsulate boots with wool socks.
If my clothes are not bright enough, whatever the season, I wear a bright, yellow, reflective vest.
On my ElliptiGO’s handlebars I have a mirror, a flashing white light, and a wired bike computer. On the bottom plastic mud strip, I carry two “Stand Up and Ride” bags which carry a tube, a small pump, a tube repair kit, a plastic bag of peanuts, a small water, and a cloth to wipe the tracks. I do not use toe cages.
2020 has been a challenging year for most of us. Where do you want to take your riding in 2021?
While it has been nice to be able to increase my miles year to year and to have “Daily Riding” streaks, I have learned not to be a slave to it (except for the GERC GOGO events: Every Day In May and for the September Team Challenge). I will continue to help whatever team I am on to win the Challenge.
I used to be very cognizant about my speed, but since I have been riding much more with others, I happily accept the tradeoff for camaraderie.
My everyday goal: getting in a 20-mile ride with my wife. The only time we do not GO is in the rain, snow, or if the roads are snowy or icy. So maybe part of our future is in Solana Beach…
I would like to rise in the ranks of lifetime miles and maintain my standing (as long as possible) in the speed categories. While I have done 100-mile rides, I find it is like running the marathon – an accomplishment that becomes a difficult chore when doing it.
What is your vision for the ElliptiGO community?
It’s great that the ElliptiGO community looks mostly like me, but there is no reason why it can’t get younger.
Forty years ago, a young runner was encouraged to keep increasing mileage. Now, the emphasis is to train with efficiency to reduce injuries and to cross-train. The ElliptiGO is a “cool” machine for young athletes to use as a cross-training tool.
As GERC’s membership coordinator, I would like to champion events that would be attractive to younger members. They may not have the time to compete in our current challenges, where to win takes a great deal of time, on a very regular basis.
How about a new category of events geared for those in school, in the workforce, or caring for family? For example, wouldn’t it be great if GERC could coordinate marathon-length ElliptiGO races that start just before major marathon running races?
For continued community growth there could be a weekly ElliptiGO podcast, perhaps continuing Bryan Pate’s “Lunch With” series. Would anyone like to help me with this?!
I am an ElliptiGO evangelist! Why do I feel this way? Because I feel as good as I did when I was a teenager (except for when I run), I sleep great, plus I can eat anything I want. Because of this, who wouldn’t want to be an ElliptiGOer?
As a result, in years to come, the ElliptiGO community will be much, much bigger – and I hope just as friendly!
ElliptiGO honors you Clint – may you continue to ride for Jake, and in great company, for many years to come!
Contributed by Elinor Yee – A rider considering herself lucky for each day on her ElliptiGO, drawing inspiration from fellow riders conquering obstacles big & small.
Want to inspire Elinor? Contact ElliptiGO with nominations to Rider of the Month or share your own story. It may just be the next feature!