Our Team
Nicole Smith
Bio: Nicole Smith, 50 years old, single mother of two teenagers and a rescue pup and author of two books and several academic articles, moved to Texas twenty years ago from New York. Half Italian and fluent in French, she is a professor of medieval literature and chair of UNT’s English department. Joy, optimism, growth mindset, and doing hard things are part of her DNA.
Occupation: Professor and Chair of English, University of North Texas
Hobbies: Riding bicycles, cooking, weight training, sewing
What got you into cycling? I’ve always ridden a bike. A bad break up made me want to race bikes
If you never discovered cycling what would you be doing today? Yoga, weight lifting, more sewing
What does your community mean to you? Community means a group of people coming together over a shared interest. It is positive, uplifting, and creates a sense of well being for everyone participating in that community. For me, community is family, bike riding friends, and friends with whom I share values.
Emily Harrington
Bio: I am 58 years old and married for 28. My husband Tom and I have 2 kids. Maya, who is 22 and Logan, 17. I have worked in the fitness industry for over 25 years and now act as head of Functional Movement Exercise for Denton Sports Chiropractic. I grew up showing horses and it was my whole life. Horses taught me so very much about balance and synchronicity. I feel a lot of that when I ride my bike, though I do miss the connection with horses and their gentle spirits.
I have lived in Denton for 25 years and really love it....except summer!
Occupation: Functional Movement Specialist
Hobbies: Being outside, hiking, skiing, playing games with my family, traveling
Nickname: Hah! Em to those who love me.
What got you into cycling? I grew up riding horses and I like seeing nature from my bike.
How long have you been riding a bike? Riding over 35 years, just did my first cyclocross race.
If you never discovered cycling what would you be doing today? Step Aerobics
What does your community mean to you? Everything! Denton community by itself is pretty great, but the cycling groups are wonderful, very supportive at all levels.
Nicole Peterson
Bio: Nicole P from Denton, Texas, but was fortunate enough to live in some pretty cool places (like Germany and Japan) and after some time in Austin decided to come back to Denton as it is truly the best town in Texas . Always the adventurous type, Nicole has been known to try anything at least once—which led to some memorable but questionable decisions (sorry, Mom). Along the way, she discovered her true passion: continual learning and personal growth.
Now, Nicole manages a team of talented folks from all over the globe in the software space, and she’s loving every minute of it. Her career (and her ability to mentor others) owes a lot to lessons learned on a bike—after all, both require balance, perseverance, and the occasional burst of caffeine.
When she’s not managing teams or solving software puzzles, Nicole is out on the road improving her racing skills. She's on a mission to keep getting better... or at least not get dropped.
Occupation: Onboarding Manager at a software company and do a occasional shifts at the best little bike shop in Texas- Velo Republic
Hobbies: Yoga, reading, hiking with my dog, and going on bike trips to new places. I will never say no to trying fancy cheese or fancy coffee.
Nickname: Denton Nicole, Other Nicole, and sometimes Nicole Smith and I are referred to as ‘The Nicoles’
What got you into cycling? I was bribed with ice cream and wine to try an e-bike. Once I got some wind in my face, after two rides I ended up at the bike shop celebrating new bike day, and quickly changed gears (pun intended) to a road bike. It was downhill from there.
If you never discovered cycling what would you be doing today? Yoga, weight lighting, and probably martial arts.
What does your community mean to you? Community is the idea that people across different cultures, life experiences, and backgrounds and come together with a shared goal or interest. Community is more important than ever in our digital age as it is proven that people in general are feeling more lonely and less connected despite social media. I am forever grateful to my bike community and friends- I have been so lucky to meet so many amazing people through bike culture who I would have never had the chance to otherwise.
Christina Gokey-Smith
Bio: I grew up riding horses, starting at just over a year old when I began balancing on a horse. Those early days were spent with my dad, and once I discovered jumping was a competitive sport, I knew I had to be a part of it. My trainers often had me ride the more challenging horses, particularly those coming off the racetrack, because I was comfortable riding anything.
During my final years of college, my now husband, Toby, introduced me to mountain biking. After getting my new bike and clipping in, just two weeks later, I entered my first race at the 24 Hours of Rocky Hill. Upon graduating from the University of North Texas with a focus on coaching and teaching, I was hired at an equestrian center where I trained horses and taught riding lessons.
I began racing mountain bikes for fun, and in 2006, I went to Worlds in cross-country mountain biking, turning pro the same year. That year, Toby surprised me with my first road bike for my birthday to help me get faster on dirt. I soon fell in love with criterium racing, and the majority of my racing career has been spent competing in crits across the nation.
I've been a cycling coach since 2007. In 2024, I made the decision to retire from professional criterium racing, but I still love to train, remain competitive, and at 51, I continue to line up with the elite women and push myself to reach my potential. Coaching is something I truly love, and I’m passionate about helping others find their potential.
Occupation: Cycling Coach and Owner of CycleSmith Coaching, Athlete for Impact Racing Team, and Office Manager at DK Automation & Lighting by Smith.
Hobbies: Spending time with my dogs, riding my horse, and staying strong.
Nickname: Gokes, Spike, Cyne
What got you into cycling? My husband introduced me to riding, and once I discovered racing, I was hooked.
If you never discovered cycling what would you be doing today? I would still be riding, training horses, and working with people.
What does your community mean to you? The environment I live in has the greatest impact on me, so I strive to cultivate the values that are important for my health. I want to be part of a community that shares a focus on health and longevity.