Moody athlete joins AF Cycling Team

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Eric Schloeffel
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  A Moody sergeant was recently selected to represent the Air Force in a seven-day, 500-mile trip across Iowa with nothing but a bicycle and some camping gear. 

Tech. Sgt. Mark Naglack, 723rd Maintenance Squadron, recently earned a spot on the Air Force Cycling Team which brings opportunities to participate in yearly events performing a sport he's enjoyed since his youth. 

"The Air Force Cycling Team is something I had heard about for several years, but was unable to join since I was stationed overseas," said Sergeant Naglack. "This will be my first race with the team, and I'm very excited to get the chance to do something like this." 

Officially named the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, the event will feature more than 15,000 cyclists and stretches the entire length of the state. At the end of each day, the cyclists stop at campgrounds for rest in-between their daily 50-100 mile rides. 

The Air Force Cycling Team's participation in the event is in coordination with the We Are All Recruiters program. The program's objective is to present a positive image of the service and promote recruit interest. 

Sergeant Naglack believes this role is a perfect fit for him, as he gained much of his enthusiasm for the sport during his six-year assignment at Aviano Air Base, Italy. 

"Cycling is a big sport in Italy, so I did a lot of cycling and touring during my time there," he said. "There are people who pay thousands of dollars to go to Italy for a one week vacation, and I lived there for years on-end, cycling everyday. I enjoy knowing this will give me the opportunity to convince some kid who loves cycling they can have a good job in the Air Force and possibly move to somewhere like Italy to pursue the sport." 

Sergeant Naglack started his love for cycling during his teenage years, and his proficiency has progressed with each Air Force assignment. 

"I started mountain biking when I turned 15, because it was a good way to get around before I had a license and kept me out of trouble," said the sergeant. "I joined the Air Force at 18, and my first assignment was Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. I developed my passion for biking by being able to get out and see the mountainous desert environment in Arizona." 

His next assignment to Aviano AB completely changed his cycling philosophy, as he turned his interest to road racing. During his time overseas, he joined cycling teams that took him all over the European continent. 

"Road racing is almost a completely different sport than mountain biking," said Sergeant Naglack. "There is much more endurance involved in the long-distance road races. It's extremely good exercise." 

The sergeant currently reaps the rewards from this exercise, as the 150-200 miles he rides each week helped him score a 98 percent on a recent physical fitness test. 

"There aren't many hills in South Georgia, so I tend to just focus on road racing here," he said. "I bike 12 miles to work each way everyday, and on the weekends I'll sometimes  ride out 50 miles to get some exercise." 

Sergeant Naglack's co-workers are supportive of his selection to the Air Force Cycling Team and feel his efforts should be a model to all Airmen, said Master Sgt. Michael Caputo, 723rd MXS. 

"He is an incredible athlete who excels in everything he does," he said. "He even recently rode from his home in downtown Valdosta to Ray City (more than 20 miles away) to pass out helmets to underprivileged children. I support his hobby 100 percent, and we couldn't be more proud of what he does."