Mike Wise

Name: Mike Wise

Age: 50

Hometown: Emporia, Kansas

Current Residence: Emporia, Kansas

Occupation: Assistant Director of Recreation, Emporia State University

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1. What bike(s) do you currently own? Gary Fisher HiFi Deluxe, Trek XO1
2. What size of wheels do you prefer 26, 29, or both? Why? 29er all the way! They roll through everything so much easier, you can maintain your momentum better and you can’t beat the added traction on the climbs!
3. You’re favorite trail and its location? Hermosa Creek Trail, in Durango Colorado. Hermosa Creek is 21 miles of some of the best singletrack in the United States. The most difficult part of the trail would be the descent or ascent from Dutch Creek.　
4. How many years have you been riding? And how many years racing? I started riding a lot in Jr. High School, just racing my friends across town, and just for transportation. I began racing in about 1992, then in 2000 I took a couple of years off, and have been racing aging for about 5 years
5. What type of racing is your specialty? (XC, Endurance, CX, Road, ect). Why? I specialize in endurance racing, but will also throw myself into cross country races a number of times a year. I prefer the endurance events because I am not that great of a climber or sprinter, but I can hold a high heart rate all day long! Besides, now that I am “OLD” I hate redlining myself for a couple of hours at a time. It just plain HURTS, but being the type of person that I am, I will put myself DEEP into the pain cave on occasion, just to prove that I can still do it!
6. Do you have any pre-race rituals or preferred meals? I always have 3 scrambled eggs, a toasted bagel, and a pot of coffee for breakfast, then I listen to loud screaming music for at least an hour before the race starts to get the energy way up!
7. During a race what Energy and Fluid Replacement products do you use? For hydration I use the orange ginger nuun. For nutrition I use accel-gel. These are the stuff that works best for me, and they taste great!
8. You’re favorite song or band? Some of the “permanent” groups on my MP3 player when I ride are: Decyfer Down, Disciple, Flyleaf, Fireflight, Pillar, Seventh Day Slumber, Skillet, Tenth Avenue North and Thousand Foot Krutch.
9. You’re favorite movie? All Lord of the Rings movies, All the Star Wars movies, anything Super Hero or something that is based from the comic books.
10. You’re favorite foods? I like fish tacos, bacon cheese burgers, pizza and the “Planet Sub” at Planet Sub!
11. Any other hobbies besides cycling? My wife and I own a 97 year old house that we have totally renovated. If we are not working on a project on the house we are doing something with the kids or grand kids!
12. Why should someone take up cycling as a new hobby? It is a physical activity that can he shared by people of all ages. I have a BLAST riding with our grand kids. It is a fun form of exercise that a person can do literally for their entire life.