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1st Place SPORT
Men Master 50+
Andrew McDermott - WOODEN WHEELS |
Date: September 30, 2001 Event: Spring Mountain Challenge - Super Series #10 Name: Andrew McDermott City: Newark State/Province: DE Country: USA Age: 50 CLASS +/or Age group: Master 50+ Category: Sport Team: Wooden Wheels XC Race Bike: Specialized S-Works M4 Tires: Panaracer XC Pro 2.1 on the front and Conti. Leader Pro 2.0 rear (weird combination, huh?) Conditions: Race course was mostly dry with a few notable exceptions...one being a rocky downhill gully that became quite slick. Email: fud@udel.edu |
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Did you do everything you could to prepare for today's race?
I started training for this Series in January. I've done 13 mountainbike races this season and for the past 6 weeks I was beginning to see signs of burnout, more mental than physical. To reduce the burnout I changed my training for the 3 weeks prior to this race. I cut back riding to every other day and mostly did rides that were fun but still enhanced my abilities. Intervals and hill repeats were forgotten in favor of fun group rides on road and trail.
Did you have any problems getting into the singletrack?
The problem with getting into the singletrack was that grassy uphill trip to get there! Ouch that hurt!
How did you like the climbs?
I almost stopped and dug out that rock that I spun the rear tire on every lap at the top of the steep rocky climb.
Were you strong from start to finish?
After blowing up at the last race on the first lap I had decided this week I was racing the mountain, not the competition. I kept the leaders in sight for the first ten minutes but kept myself to a moderate pace. I made a pass for the lead going into that slick rocky gully descent, at that point I picked up my pace a bit more and stayed strong to the finish.
Were you happy with the way the race was run?
A well run event on a very good course.
When did you put the hammer down?
Ten minutes into the race I passed for the lead but I probably had my fastest lap on the third lap as I know Leo (running in second) is a STRONG rider and would be pushing hard at the end.
Did you have any unusual problems?
Not today!
Did you have any interesting experiences during your race (exchanges with competitors/spectators)?
I almost ran over my teammate John Thompson again......... he did a wonderful endo in the rocks that would certainly be scored at least a 9.8......no blood so he doesn't get a 10. John, we've got to quit meeting like this!
Did you feel any extra excitement since this is the final Super Series race?
I was focused on returning to the form I had earlier in the season. I was not satisfied with the way I rode in the last two events. I wanted to finish the series feeling good about my performance. I raced smart, focused on my strengths and came away from the race feeling good about it. Last year at Spring Mountain was my first time as a Sport racer. It was quite a thrill for me to return there a year later and see the tremendous personal improvements I've managed as a result of racing in this series.
If you had just ONE thing that you could change to make next year's series better....... what would that be?
I say this with mixed feelings. I would probably eliminate the 50+ category and make all Masters racers 45+ as it is in the Expert class. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the 50+ class this year, but my personal preference is to be scored in a larger group. Might this eliminate or discourage some of our older racers? I don't know......... Just a very minor point that is completely a personal issue in the best series in the country.
Anything you would like to add?
It is quite astonishing, on the surface, that this series has been such an amazing success story in its first season. What was the secret to generating record turn out like no other series in the country? I believe the success is due to the fact that the principals involved in organizing and promoting the series are racers. Most of the races were organized by race teams or active racers. These events were all about people pursuing something they have a relentless passion for, mountainbike racing. Some clubs and organizers had the good fortune to put a few extra dollars in their pockets in the process; as it should be. At every event, from this competitors point of view, the primary focus and the bottom line was racing, not money. So long as we keep this grass roots tradition where racing is more important than profit our sport will stay healthy. Don, the mid-Atlantic mountainbiking community is indebted to you for having the vision and skill to bring this series together. You are a champion among racers! mountainbikeRACER.com is the heart and soul of the mid-Atlantic mountainbiking community. Bill, your website has created a sense of community among mountainbike racers that is a model to the world for the way it should be done. Thanks for all your energy and sacrifice! Congratulations to Guy's Race Team on winning the team championship. What an amazing year it has been.......train hard, rest hard and see you all next season.