[JavaBrewer]

The first crit I ever saw was the La Jolla Gran Prix (or something like that) back in the 7-11 team days - Davis Phinney, Jeff Pierce, Andy Hampsten, etc... A few years later a guy named John Tomac came on the U.S. pro scene (accomplished MTB pro) and was my inspiration to pickup road racing.

I regret leaving the sport for so long as I have put on a good 35 lbs since then and its a hard sport to get back into cause you suffer so much when totally out of shape. That plus the time commitment is a real burden - but I sure miss the fitness level, the long rides, and the thrill of dropping people on a grueling climb. The strange thing thing was that I was a really good sprinter but my passion was climbing. Of course I couldn't keep up with the "real" climbers but I had a real love for max effort and could manage pain better than most. Oh and the eating was great too! 3 big meals and a 2000 calorie protein shake just to keep at 165 lbs. Ahh those were the days.