Racer Profile: Frank Cookson

 

Residence: Old Town, ME

Racing Age: 27

Day Job: Selling rocks, granite specifically.

Discipline(s)/Categories: XC, Enduro, straight up cruisin’

Bikes: Santa Cruz Bronson Carbon, Trek 1 series, and an 80’s era, made in the USA, steel Ross Professional Pro Tour

Strengths: Finding a good line in a moment of fear

Weaknesses: Pizza, err….Beer, well both.

Favorite Trail: Hard to say. Anywhere the trail starts to point down.

Favorite Races: Green Mountain Enduro hosted by Onion River Sports in Northfield VT. Single handedly the most fun that I’ve ever had on a bicycle. Smiles for days.

Pre Race/Post Race Ritual: Before the race: Listen to Slayer, drink some fluids, and try not to panic. After the

race: Assess the damage, be glad that I finished (if applicable), grab a hot dog and a beer and make for home or

the beach, whichever is closest.

Wisdom: Enjoy the ride!

Racer Profile: Gabriel Crooker

Residence: Stillwater, ME
Racing Age: Sport Senior (33)
Day Job: Full time cook at Applebee’s
Discipline(s)/Categories:  Mountain biking, Road, Charity rides
Bikes: Mountain bikes: SE Stout (SS), Salsa ElKaboing (FS), Road: Basso (antique Campy), Fuji Roubaix Pro 2007 (For sale), Trek Ion Pro 2013(CX)
Strengths: The willingness to push on no matter what.
Weaknesses:  Puppies
Favorite Trail:  The River Trail along the Stillwater River, which goes from Orono to Old Town, Maine. This trail is fast and flowey which is a good route to Rose’s Bike Shop.
Favorite Races: I have found through my experiences while racing that if I meet new people, and ride on new soil the race at hand will be a favorite. However, I have a favorite because it’s forever embedded in my brain. The race I speak of is the Hampshire 100; this race is an endurance mountain bike race. A racer can choose from 100km or 100 mile race. 
Pre-Race/Post Race Ritual: I stretch thirty minutes before, and listen to a heavy metal tune that I can memorize the words to keep me going. I also try to spin a mile before race time. For post-race, I find food, water, and then I grab a beer with the company of friends/team to converge about the race.
Wisdom: Never give up! Don’t try new things before a race! Check your helmet! Listen to your team mates about trail conditions, and anything else they have to offer for wisdom.

Racer Profile: Aaron Brasslett

 Residence:  Bangor, Maine

 Racing Age: 44!

 Day Job:  Director of IT and Accounting

 Discipline(s)/Categories: Endurance XC because I seem to like to be punished for long periods of time.

 Bikes:  Turner Sultan, Gunnar Ruffian (single speed), 9:Zero7 Fat bike, Co-Motion Demon CX, and an Aegis Victory road bike.

 Strengths: Climbing

 Weaknesses: Descending

 Favorite Trail:  I love them all, even the scary ones.

 Favorite Races: Carrabassett Backcountry Challenge and the Vermont 50.

 Pre Race:  Sleep!  If anyone can tell me how to actually sleep the night before a race, please let me know.

Post Race Ritual:  Eat, Drink, Sleep, Repeat

 Wisdom:  Shut up and just ride your bike.

Racer Profile: Geoffrey Bergmark

Residence:  Bangor, ME

Racing Age:  35

Day Job:  Senior Design Engineer for Johnson Outdoors-Watercraft, essentially I am an “adult toy” designer…

Disciplines:  MTB, Adventure Events, CX

Bikes:  Enough that if I get a new one my wife isn’t sure

Strengths:  Forutnate to be in Pisgah Forrest for most of my biking life, so steep descents, long technical climbs

Weaknesses:  Fast motorcycles, fast women

Favorite Trail:  The Colorado Trail

Favorite Races:  Pisgah Stage Race, Swank 65, Double Dare, PMBAR, Icycle, Henderson GP… I’m still figuring out the Northeast so I hope to expand the list!

Pre Race/Post Race Ritual:  Ideally ride the course at least once before the event and I still enjoy a cup of coffee before go-time, afterwards try to find a creek or lake to soak in for a while

Wisdom:  Have fun and don’t hold back during the day, nothing worse than driving home and wondering what if, better to implode than be the guy/gal that said I could have “blank” if I would have “blank”

Racer Profile: Emma Schultz

Name: Emma Schultz

Residence: aroostook county, maine
Racing Age: 27/28
Day Job: forester deep in the north maine woods
Discipline(s)/Categories: plant id'ing, amateur yo-yoing, cat admiring, mtb
Bikes: yeti sb-66, ss gt outpost, early 70s peugeot uo-18c
Strength: taking a lot of bruises Weakness: bruising easily
Favorite Trails: ones that descend more than they climb
Favorite Races: riding the 2013 12-hour nordic trail fest with the flu
Pre Race Ritual: taking in all the spandex around me
Post Race Ritual: admiring my new bruises
Wisdom: "i don't do quotes." - emma schultz

Racer Profile: Eli Shank

Residence: Presque Isle, ME

Racing Age: 27
Day Job: Forester
Bikes: Vassago VerHauen SS, old Specialized Demo 8, Late 70's Motobecane Super Mirage
Strength: Being rad around little kids
Weakness: Being reasonable
Favorite Trails- Generally the last one I rode, but otherwise, West/Quoggy Trail @ Nordic Heritage Center, Race Course Trail @ Highland BP
Favorite Races: Pretty new to racing
Pre Race Ritual: Go to the bathroom, check chain tension, Aces High (not all at once but that's definitely possible [See 'Weakness'] )
Post Race Ritual: Busch and a cheeseburger
Wisdom: Behold, the power of steel

Racer Profile: Mark Condon

Residence: Bangor

Racing Age: 50
Day Job: Sales
Discipline/Categories: XC Mtb/Road Endurance/Dirt (Cat 5)
Bikes: Trek Superfly, Scott Addict, Fisher Singlespeed aka Frankenbike (Matt Cote's favorite bike to work on)
Strengths: None that I'm aware of
Weaknesses: Same
Favorite Trail: Troll Stroll at Kingdom Trails
Favorite Races: Vermont 50, CBCC, Battenkill, D2R2
Pre Race/Post Race Ritual: Carbo loading night before (ales preferably, though stouts work too). Coffee right before race.
After:  more ales or stouts, with a supplement of burgers.
Wisdom: "Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do." and "I am confident that when I get really old, the human lifespan will be extended."
--Jens Voight