Tour de Scottsdale

Susie Schmaltz says she’s relatively new to cycling, making it a necessity to go with her cross training. She knows the importance of staying fit, given she’s a nurse practitioner in Scottsdale. 

“I feel all my patients should be doing this,” she said. “You’re not having the impact on the knees and the joints but have the cardiovascular impacts.”

She’ll put her cycling skills to the test once again in the annual HonorHealth Tour de Scottsdale on March 28, where she and more than 3,000 cyclists will begin and end the WestWorld of Scottsdale. She’ll be riding in the 32-mile event. This will be her second Tour de Scottsdale as she aims to “beat her old time.”

It’ll be her “father-daughter bonding” with her dad, Mike, who is an avid cyclist. She’s 42; he’s 71.

He lives in Tucson and she’s in Scottsdale and once and awhile get together to ride and also have “some friendly competition” via Strava. Mike has done Tour de Scottsdale the last two years and will ride the 62-miler later this month. He’s also ridden in El Tour numerous times.

It’s his love for cycling that rubbed off on ?? and now, well, she’s addicted.

“It’s funny but together – my dad and I – have done triathlons and have run marathons,” she said. “As he’s gotten older here in Arizona cycling just took off. It’s been so healthy for him. And it’s something I enjoy doing with him. It’s so easy on the body in as much as you’re not banging your knees and the weather is great.”

Her first Tour de Scottsdale was “great,” she said.

“It’s a beautiful ride, going through the DC Ranch, Rio Verde areas,” she said. “And it’s beautiful this time of year. The course is excellent; the people and the vibe are so hyped up. It’s challenging as well so that’s nice.”

Some treat cycling events as a ride; some treat it as a race. Susie treats it as a race, adding she’s a “Type-A” personality “who sets “lofty goals for myself because I’ll push myself.”

She’ll be ready for this year’s ride, upgrading her bike and gear.

“It’s at the forefront of my training,” she said. 

And she’s getting better at it. She says she’s not a novice and not an expert, but an “intermediate” cyclist who will continue to ride.

“I like to go on group rides,” she said. “Moving from Minnesota to Arizona makes me want to ride year-round. It’s great for cross training and cycling fits in nicely for cross training.

See you in Scottsdale on March 28! To register for the event visit: TourdeScottsdale.org