Moak, Herring Gas take a break after successful season
Published 6:00 am Monday, December 3, 2001
Frank Moak is enjoying the R&R of professional cycling. Inother words, Moak is in the Rest & Recovery mode after a busyyear with the Herring Gas cycling team.
As team manager, Moak also has the responsibility of recruitingsponsors for the team and ordering new uniforms. The team was bornin 1988 and Herring Gas has served as a major sponsor for 13years.
At age 41, Moak maintains a strong offseason regimen to stay intop shape for the upcoming campaign which begins in March. Theoffseason training program consists of lifting weights, running andother sports besides cycling. “Even team sports like basketball andsoccer help tone the overall body and increase strength.”
Like last year, the Herring Gas team will begin serious trainingin late January. The race season runs through October. “Trainingtogether helps us to focus on the year ahead.
“Folks ask me how long I’m going to race,” said Moak. “I’ll keepracing as long as I enjoy it.” His real job is in propertymanagement.
As a cycler, Moak and the Herring Gas team captured 31 teamchampionships last season. Moak enjoyed a very good year, capturing11 individual victories.
Among his wins were a time trial in Mobile, Ala. and a velodromepoints race in Baton Rouge, La. Moak also won a masters roadraceand a Mississippi Criterium.
One of his most pleasant experiences was winning the HighlandColony Park Time Trial Series in Jackson. The series featured onerace a month. The best times from three races were compiled anddetermined a champion.
Moak battled teammate Brian Bunch through the series. Bunchbroke a 5-year-old record with a time of 15 minutes, 8 seconds. Amonth later, Moak posted a 15:07. Bunch bettered that mark with a15:04 and Moak responded with a 14:58.
“There was a lot of good ribbing going on between teammates,”said Moak, laughing about the rivalry. He and Kenny Bellau of NewOrleans are the oldest team members. Bellau joined the team in1990.
Last season the team participated in races across thesoutheastern United States. A few members even made a trip toMinneapolis, Minn., for a summer race. “We went from DafuniakSprings, Florida to Memphis and to Austin, Texas,” said Moak.
A big team victory came in New Orleans, in the Roctober Fest.Trent Rives of Baton Rouge won the circuit race which featuresmultiple mile and one-half laps. Moak said, “The wind was reallyblowing in off the lake (Ponchatrain) and that made it tough. Wehad six riders and the closest team had nine. We kept two of ourriders in the break.”
Moak said team chemistry is a key to the high level of successenjoyed by Herring Gas. “We all pull together to make the teamsuccessful.”