Team: Metalurges/Chenango Point Cycles

Category/Class: Sport Master 45+

Place: 1st

What was your favorite Super Series race for 2001 and why?

It was a tie between Fair Hill and Escape from Granogue. Fair Hill for the way it was run and the amazing amount of single track. Granogue for the beautiful setting and there were some real climbs in it. Fell Mountain ranks right up there too. Super fun technical riding. In all fairness to Don Morrison his course would have been fast if not for the mud. I really enjoyed all the courses.

Pretend you are coaching your closest competitor........ what would you tell them to do differently in 2002 in order to beat you?

Dare I say this on mountainbikeRACER.com. Buy a road bike and join the local club. Do the majority of your training on the road. Do the club races. Try to do your rides with stronger riders. Climb,Climb,Climb. Time trails are a good gauge of fitness throughout the year. Now the real tip for us older guys. Recover as hard as you train. Enjoy some treats in the diet now and then.

What is it about mtb racing (BESIDES WINNING) that is MOST fun for you?

I like the personal challenge. Mountain bike racing is more like time trials. If you do a race from year to year it will never be the same as a road race will. You get to see and ride new terrain and have to be able to read the trail. The people I met this year were great. You don't see that on the road scene as much.

What month do you plan on coming into fitness for the 2002 season?

Real race fitness would be in April.

What month do you start your pre-season training?

It seems to go on all year. I find it easier to hold a certain level of fitness, rather than take a lot of time off. The cyclocross season runs till December and speedskating starts in November.

How do you deal with riding in the winter conditions (cold, snow, ice, lack of daylight)?

I have flex time at work and try to get out as often as the weather lets me. If not it's on the trainer. I use the Reoch/ Zoneveld program for indoor workouts. I get two speedskating sessions a week. These are high intensity workouts. But they don't kill your legs for riding. We also have Wednesday and Friday night rides with the mountain bike group that I can do.

What are your goals for the 2002 season?

I'll be moving up to Expert. So it will be interesting to see how I do. The races will be longer at some venues. Endurance has always been a strength for me. To do some more 12 hour races and maybe try a 12 hour solo race.

If there was just ONE thing that you would like to see improved for next year (2002) - what would it be?

That the season wouldn't be as long. It was hard for me to stay mentally fresh towards the end with the races spread so far apart. I basically have three seasons the road/mountain bike and then the cyclocross season. This year there was no break between the two. A couple races further north would be nice.