“I learned how to ride a bike on a red Columbus convertible. The top-tube was removable for girls or… so I wouldn’t crush the family jewels. My parents put it back on when I learned how to ride.
“My next bike was a discarded Schwinn Stingray that I found in the woods behind my house. We fixed it up as a family project. I painted it a sparkly burnt orange. This bike was complete with the streamers, a slick rear tire, banana seat and sissy bar!
“My first 10-speed was a light blue Ross… it even had quick-release skewers.
“After HS in 1982, I bought a Trek with my graduation money. Most guys used it to get a car. I bought a bike. Back then, most people never heard of Trek. I would ride that bike on Tuesday nights in Rahway Park and I also did a few training races with it. I still have it to this day. When I got more serious about racing, I bought a Colnago with Campy Record. I did only a few races till I was about 22, then stopped riding for the next 20 years – life gets in the way!
“Then around the age of 40, I started to feel old and slow and I seriously hurt my back. During my time at PT, I started to get the hunger to get in shape again. Around that time, my friend borrowed my old Colnago and rode it around for about a year. Then he bought a bike of his own. I joined a gym and we started to ride together. I was enjoying it, but I wanted one of those new bikes with the shifting in the brake levers. In 2005, I went out and bought a Trek 2200… and now I have 8 bikes!
Height: 5’10”
December Weight: “156 pounds.”
Race Weight: “155 pounds. True story.”
Birthdate: “December 19, 1963.”
Childhood Heroes: “Lee Mazzilli, 1970’s centerfielder for the New York Mets.”
Hobbies and Interests: “Photography, cooking – eating and creating great food, drinking great beer, cycling.”
Favorite Movies: “Dirty Harry, Apocalypse Now, The Shining, Heathers.”

Musical Tastes: “Back in the day, it was classic rock — Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zep, Rush, The Who. Now as I get older, I like it more heavy — Rob Zombie, Ministry, Rollins.”
Favorite TV Shows: “Anything on The History Channel. American Pickers, Pawn Stars. And, of course, Seinfeld.”
Favorite Meal: “Pizza from wood-burning ovens, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, and lobstah – only in Maine.”
Favorite Pre-Race Meal: “Oatmeal with a scoop of peanut butter sweetened with honey. And, on the way to the race, McD breakfast burrito with coffee.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Coffee.”
Childhood Dream: “To be the centerfielder for the New York Mets.”
First Car: “1971 Chevy Impala, 400 cubic inch V8, 240 horsepower, 9 miles per gallon. What a piece of crap! Glad they don’t make ’em like that anymore.”
First Job: “Delivered the Star Ledger newspaper.”
Favorite Vacation Spot: “Mid-coast Maine.”
Pre-Race Feeling: “If it is a TT, MTB or cyclocross race, never really nervous. But on the way to the race, I ask myself, ‘Why the fuck am I doing this? I hope I have car trouble so I can’t make it.’ Then when the gun goes off, that feeling is gone.”
Early Racing Memory: “My first race, Rahway Criterium, July 4th 1986, Joe Saling announcing, it was like 100 degrees and I finished in the pack.”
Funny Racing Memory: “Anytime I stand next to Sean Runnette at a cyclocross race.”
Greatest Racing Moment: “Just finishing the Wilderness 101 [100-mile MTB race] or winning a NJ State Cross
title. Recently it was leading a MAC cross race for about 1 minute LOL!”
Most Painful Moment In Life: “Crashed during a sprint at 30 mph on a Saturday group ride. I didn’t know what happened or how to this day. I hit no one and no one hit me. I spent the night in the hospital with a separated shoulder and partially collapsed lung. I had no insurance. I am still paying the bill four years later!”
Worst Injury from Racing: “I’ve been lucky while racing, never had a serious injury, hope I am not jinxing myself here! However, it seems that after almost every cross or mountain bike race I am bleeding from somewhere.”
Closest Racing Friends: “Sean Runnette.”
Funniest Racer: “Sean Runnette.”
Favorite Race: “Providence CX in Rhode Island.”
Embarrassing Racing Memory: “My bike broke, basically at the start of a mountain bike race at Wawayanda this year.”
Toughest Competitors: “Ed Burgess — or anyone in the NJCX 50+ races.”
Favorite Athletes to Watch: “Track and Field.”
Qualities You Most Admire in People: “Those who never give up, no matter what. I try to be that way but sometimes I forget.”
“In high school, I ran track — 100, 200, Long Jump, sometimes the 400.
“In 2011, I was the NJ 45+ 60m State Champion.
“I’ve won and placed in many duathlons.
“In my career, I’ve won a bunch of 5ks and was 3rd in a 10k.” – S.S.
