Date: May 7, 2000
Event: Fairmount Classic AMBC 2000
Class: OPEN
Category: Pro
Length: 16+
Time: 1:21:49
Conditions: Sunny & Hot - 90+ degrees
Bike: Trek 9.9
Tires: Bontrager Super X

Did you have fun?

Yes (takes a bite of sandwich).

Did you go out fast trying to hang with Chrissy?

(yes…(mouth full))

Was she working you?

She pretty much beat me to the singletrack, and then every little uphill she gained time. In the first lap I gained back a little bit in the singletrack, but really, she's just so much faster than me.

Could you see her?

For the whole first lap she was within sight.

Did you know you'd be racing her? Did you do anything special to prepare?

Before I knew she was going to be here, I wanted to win the race. But when Ernie said she was going to be here, realistically, I didn't think I could beat her. I drank a lot of water.

How many hours a week are you doing on the bike?

I hate this question. I would say, 15-18.

Why do you hate that question?

I always read everyone else's, and it's always much more.

You can inflate it, if you want to.

Sure, and I did.

Was there a particular part of the race that stands out in your mind after all that hammering? You weren't worried that anyone would come up from behind?

Just trying to follow Chrissy at the start kind of blew the pack apart a little bit. I never looked back. Katie got third, and Matt was telling me the splits with Katie. After I realized Chrissy was far enough ahead that there was no way I was going to catch her, I didn't want to get caught.

So you held your position the whole time? Was there a lap you put the hammer down?

The second lap was so painful. The third was probably my smoothest. And the fourth I was just waiting for the finish line.

Do you like this course?

I like the singletrack a lot. I think I'm getting a little bit better at flatter courses.

You won the short-track? Was there anything left in your legs?

I definitely felt the burn. Unfortunately not many girls did it.

Do you know your time?

No. I don't know what the gap was between Chrissy and me. I think it was three or four minutes.

What's your next big race?

There's a race in Canaan next weekend, then we're going out to Big Bear.

This is a warm-up for Big Bear?

Kinda. This is sort of a warm up for the short track they have.

Are you worried about racing at 8,000 feet?

Absolutely.

Anything you can do to prepare for the high-altitude there?

Drink a lot of water, and not think about it too much, not let it get you down.

Anything you want to add?

I think it was cool that guys like Matt Kelly, Kirk Molday and Chrissy came. It gets us stoked up just to see the top echelon of riders and be able to meet them, because at a big race you don't get to meet them.