1st Place Beginner Men - Michael H. Homick
Team/Sponsors: Team 53x11 Coffee, Rudy Project

Bike:GT Avalanche 3.0

2008 Cat: Beginner Men - 2009 Cat, if changed: Sport Men

Favorite Race Style (XC, Enduro, Endurance) and why?XC because it is just so much fun

Favorite Race:Battle at Burke Farm

How did your favorite race play out? It was great! I finished first in my age group and first overall beginner

How often do you ride and at what pace per ride?
I usually ride 5-6 days per week, mostly on the road, and don't usually look at pace until I am done.

Do you think riding everyday is over training?
Not if you take recovery rides

Do you switch between road ride, mountain biking and running?
Yes, I end up riding my MTB on the road during lunch during the week and my road bike on the road on weekends. I don't run too much because of past knee problems.

Do you wear a heartrate monitor and train based upon heart rate numbers?
I do use HR as one of my training guides. I will have a specific HR range for each ride or each interval depending on the workout. For recovery rides I will ride easy keeping my HR in a Zone 1-2 range

What (if any) supplements do you take during a race?
I do not take supplements during a race. I drink either water or water with nuun tabs and ingest either gel (hammer gel) from a flask or packets

What type of (if any) supplements do you take after a hard ride?
I usually will either eat a Clif Builder Bar or a Honey Stinger Protein Bar or drink chocolate milk (ovaltine) hot or cold depending on time of year.

What got you into mountain biking and then what got you into racing?
I participated in an adventure race in Richmond in 2005 for my first MTB ride on a three person team with a borrowed bike. I reaaly enjoyed the whole race but the bike segment most of all. So I bought a MTB later that year and started riding it more regularly in 2006. I decided to try racing in 2007. With the good result I had in 2007 I decided to try to focus on MTB in 2008. The VORS was the perfect forum for my increased MTB focus. Thanks again guys!

Would you consider this a hobby, sport, lifestyle, or occupation? Why do you feel that way?
For me this is a hobby that I use to maintain good health and provide stress relief while also filling that competitive itch.

What do you like to do with your time away from your race/training calendar?
I enjoy doing as much as possible with my wonderful family!

Anything else you would like to share? I am looking forward to the 2009 VORS season and anticipating all the great racing to come.

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