Date: May 7, 2000
Event: Fairmount Classic AMBC 2000
Class: OPEN
Category: Pro
Length: 16+ mi
Time: 1:28:55
Conditions: Sunny & Hot - 90+ degrees
Bike: TREK 9.9 (Hayes Disc Brakes)
Tires: Bontrager

Did you do anything special to prepare for this race?

Not really. Drank a little bit of extra water last night and today. That was about the extent of it.

How many hours are you training a week nowadays?

8-10. I'm not a real high mileage / high hour trainer.

Did you like the race?

I like the course, it was fun. The heat was really oppressive and it was hard to have a really good time in this heat.

How was the start?

The start was very fast-too fast for me. I think it was too fast for everyone. Except for the top two guys, pretty much everyone faded.

Did you have any particular problems?

I felt like I was overheating after the first lap. I backed off the pace a tiny bit and, sure enough it made all the difference in the world. It still took me 15 or 20 minutes to recover, but there were people that didn't recover for the whole race.

Were you chasing anyone down after that?

No, I had to ride my own race. In heat like this you gotta listen to your body.

How was the end?

I didn't really motor the last lap or anything like that. Once I recovered, toward the end of the second, going into the third lap, I was able to pick it up a little bit for the next two laps. Pretty much the last lap I kind of coasted in. I tried to push it, but I felt like I was overheating again.

When's your next race?

I have some road racing I'm going to try, which is new to me. I'm going to do the Wilmington Omnium, to try to get some points to ride with my teammates at the Bikejam Baltimore. It's going to be a road race in the city, like this, except it's more urban than this. It coincides with the Polish festival, in the same park. It will be exciting. I'm a local rider, I don't travel the world. I stay on the East Coast. That's my thing.

Are you still working as a courier in Baltimore?

Yes.

Anything you want to add?

I just want to thank Ernie and our sponsors. Did you see how well-received they were? We had a great set-up with food and drink. In conditions like this, our mechanic and everyone plays a key role.