Date: May 13, 1999
Event: Race for Chocolate XC - 2000
Class: Senior Men
Category: Sport
Length: 15 miles
Time: 1:23:41
Conditions: High 70s - Dry - Fast, hard packed course
Bike: Cannondale F-1000
Tires: Specialized

Did you do anything special to prepare for this race?

Actually, I didn't ride Friday, I usually always ride on Friday but I didn't. That was it.

In the last two months how many hours a week have you trained?

10 to 12

Have you seen any counselors or anything about your chocolate addiction?

I'm going to C. A. It just seems like when there is chocolate involved I go into a frenzy.

Were you strong from start to finish?

I was. I felt pretty good. My whole strategy worked exactly how I wanted it to.

When did you put the hammer down?

On the first descent. Dave Manhardt (FSVS) and I were riding together... he let me by him... he was in first.... he let me by him right before the descent and I just attacked the hell out of the descent.

Did you have any unusual problems with the race?

No problems. Jon Kane did a little work on my bike last night. It worked like it was brand new, not a 120 dollar garage sale item.

How do you rate the course?

I love that course, it was fantastic. 90% single-track, all pine forest.... there's no rocks, but huge logs..... it's just a lot of fun.

What about the "moderate climbing" - was there really any climbing?

There was one climb that was probably a 2 or 3 minute climb per lap. You came off the big descent so you could really roll into it with some momentum.... so, it was neat..... it wasn't too bad.

Were you happy with the way the race was run?

Absolutely, those guys put on a fantastic race.

The only thing I would do differently is make sure Paul Gassler- (Wooden Wheels) got to the single-track the same time I did. I think he got buckled up in traffic and I think he would have been up there with me had he not got caught up in traffic.

As Wooden Wheels team director, did you have to stop and give anyone a tube or anything?

I did not have to give anybody a tube although when I first caught Katie Compton she knocked me down.

Gotta watch her, is there anything you would like to add?

I just wanna thank my wife, and Katie, and Danny and Ted..... the whole community who has...... a lot of people have put a lot of time into me........ as far as riding and....... getting my ass kicked by Todd and Fuzzy on Tuesdays........ just a lot of people and I'm just a product of what goes on in this area (Northern Delaware)... it's a great cycling community between First State Team Velo or Wooden Wheels..... it's just an awesome cycling community.

You seem to be having a great year this year.... when is your next race?

I'm doing a stage race in Wilmington next week Fri, Sat -Sun (May 19,20 & 21) and Ted's trying to talk me into racing Avalon, but it's kind of close to Snowshoe..... so I have to make my mind up about that.

We heard that you got 1st Place at Blue Marsh, was that last week?

Two weeks ago, Jesse Epstein (Wooden Wheels) and I worked together....... it was really kind of an open course where if you had two riders drafting off of each other, you could benefit... we won together.

That makes two first places in a row!

Yeah, I'm pretty happy about that. So I'm right on plan. Next year I turn 30 and hopefully by the end of the year I will make the jump to Expert.