Evomo Rider Profile: Ray Zeimet
by Bryan on January 24th, 2008
New Jersey, home to the Turnpike, Atlantic City, the New Jersey Devils and its even where salt water taffy originated. Lets not forget Ray Zeimet, Evomo Mountain Biker (East Coast Style). Ray is one of those real cool, low key guys that loves to ride and race bikes… mountain, road, cyclocross and even uber massive pogo-sticks.
On my last trip out to the east coast I had some time to meet up with Ray and my buddy Allen out at Neshaminy for a morning ride. It was a great experience to get out and sample what eastern PA mountain biking has to offer. Read more about my trip to Neshaminy here.
EVOMO: What is your favorite trail to ride?
RAY: So many to choose from… I ride Neshaminy, PA a ton, and the trails around Jim Thorpe, PA are all great. I spent a day on the Hermosa Creek trail in Durango once that blew me away, so did the original 24 Hours of Canaan course in Davis, WV.
EVOMO: What has been your best race?
RAY: Highland Park Cross (HPCX) –I won this year. It was a hard, tactical and super fun battle from start to finish!
EVOMO: Whats your favorite bike to ride?
RAY: For pure fun, my Single Speed 29er! I love racing on my cross bike, and for speed my road bike is also a blast, but the 29er tops them all.
EVOMO: What is your focus on when you are training?
RAY: This year it was all over the place. I trained on my road bike for the most part early in the season for base miles with occasional MTB rides thrown in for fun. While doing that I started running again to improve my cross racing and ended up training for a completing a ½ marathon. In July I got talked into a Triathlon and taught myself to swim. Now I put in 2 days a week in the pool. In September I focused exclusively on training for cross. I also take many more days off from training. I feel stronger this year than I have in a long time. Mixing up my training has kept me physically and mentally focused.
EVOMO: Do you have other training methods besides the bike… weights, yoga, etc?
RAY: I do a lot of core strength work in the winter and some yoga during the season. Swimming has also been a big help for overall conditioning and breathing.
EVOMO: How easy or hard is it to get training rides in with a family and a full time job?
RAY: Not very hard at all really. I commute on my bike most of the year. I ride, run or swim every day at lunch so that doesn’t take any family time. I am also an early riser, so I get a lot of dawn rides in before the family gets moving in the morning.
EVOMO: Does your family participate in the sport of cycling and to they go with you to events?
RAY: My family is very active, and they enjoy spending time riding bikes, but they do not enjoy standing around at races even if I’m winning. That is changing as my kids get older and have done some racing.
EVOMO: Being from NJ, home of organized crime and Tony Soprano, did you ever come across any dumped bodies while out riding?
RAY: No human bodies, but I have come across some nasty animal carcasses and some other very strange things over the years. And to clarify… I am NOT from NJ, I am an army brat that calls New York City my hometown!
EVOMO: What other things do you enjoy besides cycling?
RAY: I love playing with my kids! I enjoy anything outdoorsy especially hiking and exploring new places with my family. I coach baseball, soccer and basketball. I play Ice and Roller Hockey, Snowboard, Ski, Kayak, XPogo and Bodyboard. My son and I are learning to Surf. I read voraciously, usually have 3 books going at once. And my wife and I are becoming crossword puzzle fiends.
EVOMO: What were your thoughts when you first checked out the Evomo brand?
RAY: I was intrigued by the name and I really liked the graphics. The designs were cycling oriented without the in your face ads for components like some of my other shirts. When my wife saw the designs she even asked for a shirt.
EVOMO: What is your favorite Evomo shirt?
RAY: Can I pick 2? I wear both Give Blood and Braincase the most!
EVOMO: What are your plans for 2008… racing, training, etc?
RAY: Since I am still finishing up the 2007 cross season, I haven’t really made any firm plans. I would like to do another triathlon, I plan to do more MTB racing, less road racing and will again ramp up for cross come the fall. I would like to get my kids racing next year and really want to get standing on my surfboard.
As for training, I think my 2007 training plan worked well, I will tweak it a bit, and keep getting stronger and most importantly HAVING FUN!
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Thanks for the props!
love the page and i mite do some racing I think your a great rider
to look up to I some day hope to be as great as you pop
Your great and cool son
Keiran
Way to mix up your training. It’s obviously helped your results. Good luck in 2008. Hope to see you sometime here in the midwest.
your hair was messed up in the second photo but i am sure nobody noticed, lol
looking forward to this season, gotta hook up when the team comes through PA. fo sho!!!!!
miller out
Sweet Ray… I look forward to seeing you at some MTB races this year. I’m doing a lot of it. I may even be crossin it up next winter…
So COOL Ray! Way to start the season and what a down to Earth guy you are! BEST to you on a GREAT 2008!