This will be the first in (I hope) a series of interviews with the great and good of cycling. Cutting through the nonsense and superlative of modern mountain bike journalism I will cut to the heart of what matters most.
First up is half man half mile destroying machine Jeff Kerkove.
Jeff’s blog is a real insight into exactly what it takes to be at the top of the game and the training and sacrifice involved. So over to the questions:
1) How did you start Mountain Biking?
As a kid I always rode a bike. It was just part of being a child and hanging out with your friends. Well, there was a core group of guys, including myself, that just kept riding. As we got older mountain bike racing started to gain attention. In 1996, I did my first race and have been hooked ever since.
2) Where’s your favourite place to ride?
I love riding in Colorado. That is one of the main reasons I made the move to Colorado in October of 2007.
3) What’s your most essential piece of kit (other than your bike)?
The helmet. It’s such a minor piece of equipment that can do so much for you. Eyewear is also important to me.
4) Don’t you ever burn out with the constant training and wish for a more
“social” pace?
I am pretty strict on my training. I have a pretty good idea what my body is doing and my Coach does a good job of keeping things mixed up. I have no problem taking time off the bike. Once you have good general fitness, it is pretty simple to maintain with effective training. Cycling is my social pace. This is where all my friends are at.
5) Are side burns essential to Mountain biking?
If you are referring to side burns on the sides of my face……nope, not on me. Some folks can pull it off, such as Geoff Kabush. It’s pretty cool for those that want to take the time to maintain and grow it.
Told you it was the cutting edge of Mountain Bike journalism…
Fat Lad
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