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DailyBicycle.com by Oliver Carbonell Quick Q&A with Mike Silverman of the Vermont 50 Bike Race We interviewed Mike Silverman, Race Director for the popular Vermont 50 mountain bike and trail run event that takes place in early Fall of each year. The event is so popular that he literally has to turn down hundreds of registrants each year! Learn more about the event from his own words. DailyBicycle: Can you give us some background on the Vermont 50 race? Mike Silverman: Laura Farrell, who started Vermont Adaptive needed a way to help fundraise. She was one of the original female ultra runners and started the Vermont 100  and then the Vermont 50.    The Vermont 50 started with only runners and then brought on board the bikes. As the bike population took over it was hard to convince runners to participate on the same trails as the bikers. So we limited the bikes and kept the runners unlimited. From Laura there were several other race directors Jim Hutchinson and Bob Gray. I became the RD about 10 years ago when there were 125 runners and 600 mt bikers. There was approximately 75% dirt roads / double track to single track. Since I have been RD we, the race committee, and with many volunteers have added more single track, a 50 mile relay run, 50k run and about 65% single track. Our running population has hit 550 and our bikes just under 800. ( I turn hundreds away each year) DailyBicycle: How has the program helped Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports? Can you give specific examples on how individuals have benefitted from the program?  Mike Silverman: We help only through fundraising. Our net profit benefits Vermont Adaptive because we are one of there biggest fundraisers. Many non profits are struggling due to cut backs and less grant money available.  To find out who Vermont Adaptive is and about all the Programs they offer to over 400 participants please visit www.vermontadaptive.org.  DailyBicycle: The race sells out in a matter of hours. I know because I’ve missed the online registration start by only a few hours and it filled-up by the time I got around to it! Why is it so popular? Mike Silverman: I truly believe it sells out due to several factors. We do not approach it as a race but as an event. It is a marketing tool for what Vermont has to offer. Our course has a certain rhythm of double and single track which brings you over 77 private lands that are only open for this one day at a very beautiful time of year; Fall foliage season. We really never hold back on expenses and want our higher entry fee to still feel like a value. Lots of food at the aid stations, great BBQ for post race, and live music.  I love that I have been RD long enough where I have seen couples meet in the parking lot and have gotten married. Now they bring their children. I love that we have had several marriage proposals at the finish line. And this year we had a wedding on the course, so there must be something special. DailyBicycle: Do you plan on doing anything new for the 2011 race? Michael Silverman: The areas of improvement I want to deal with is about food at the finish. We are going to make a section at our post race BBQ for participants only. No race bib, no BBQ. For our spectators we will gave a variety of Vermont Vendors to serve our families and friends. I am excited to start this for many reasons. Our participants can count on there being plenty of food and our spectators will get a taste of Vermont. From American flatbread pizza to roast pulled pork off the grill. All VT vendors. I am hoping to have a lot more vendors at our packet pick up on Saturday and make that an even more festive atmosphere. As for the course we are probably going to have a few changes due to landowner issues. Selling of properties. Things we knew were in the works. We’ll give even better raffle prizes, but that we will be kept as a surprise for now. DailyBicycle: How can those who are interested in learning more about the Vermont 50 learn more about it? Mike Silverman: People can visit our site www.vermont50.com. The site has a blog and  facebook link. DailyBicycle: Thanks Mike! Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

DailyBicycle.com

by Oliver Carbonell

Quick Q&A with Mike Silverman of the Vermont 50 Bike Race

We interviewed Mike Silverman, Race Director for the popular Vermont 50 mountain bike and trail run event that takes place in early Fall of each year. The event is so popular that he literally has to turn down hundreds of registrants each year! Learn more about the event from his own words.

DailyBicycle: Can you give us some background on the Vermont 50 race?

Mike Silverman: Laura Farrell, who started Vermont Adaptive needed a way to help fundraise. She was one of the original female ultra runners and started the Vermont 100  and then the Vermont 50.   

The Vermont 50 started with only runners and then brought on board the bikes. As the bike population took over it was hard to convince runners to participate on the same trails as the bikers. So we limited the bikes and kept the runners unlimited. From Laura there were several other race directors Jim Hutchinson and Bob Gray. I became the RD about 10 years ago when there were 125 runners and 600 mt bikers. There was approximately 75% dirt roads / double track to single track. Since I have been RD we, the race committee, and with many volunteers have added more single track, a 50 mile relay run, 50k run and about 65% single track. Our running population has hit 550 and our bikes just under 800. ( I turn hundreds away each year)

DailyBicycle: How has the program helped Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports? Can you give specific examples on how individuals have benefitted from the program? 

Mike Silverman: We help only through fundraising. Our net profit benefits Vermont Adaptive because we are one of there biggest fundraisers. Many non profits are struggling due to cut backs and less grant money available. 

To find out who Vermont Adaptive is and about all the Programs they offer to over 400 participants please visit www.vermontadaptive.org. 

DailyBicycle: The race sells out in a matter of hours. I know because I’ve missed the online registration start by only a few hours and it filled-up by the time I got around to it! Why is it so popular?

Mike Silverman: I truly believe it sells out due to several factors. We do not approach it as a race but as an event. It is a marketing tool for what Vermont has to offer. Our course has a certain rhythm of double and single track which brings you over 77 private lands that are only open for this one day at a very beautiful time of year; Fall foliage season. We really never hold back on expenses and want our higher entry fee to still feel like a value. Lots of food at the aid stations, great BBQ for post race, and live music. 

I love that I have been RD long enough where I have seen couples meet in the parking lot and have gotten married. Now they bring their children. I love that we have had several marriage proposals at the finish line. And this year we had a wedding on the course, so there must be something special.

DailyBicycle: Do you plan on doing anything new for the 2011 race?

Michael Silverman: The areas of improvement I want to deal with is about food at the finish.

We are going to make a section at our post race BBQ for participants only. No race bib, no BBQ. For our spectators we will gave a variety of Vermont Vendors to serve our families and friends. I am excited to start this for many reasons. Our participants can count on there being plenty of food and our spectators will get a taste of Vermont.

From American flatbread pizza to roast pulled pork off the grill. All VT vendors. I am hoping to have a lot more vendors at our packet pick up on Saturday and make that an even more festive atmosphere.

As for the course we are probably going to have a few changes due to landowner issues. Selling of properties. Things we knew were in the works.

We’ll give even better raffle prizes, but that we will be kept as a surprise for now.

DailyBicycle: How can those who are interested in learning more about the Vermont 50 learn more about it?

Mike Silverman: People can visit our site www.vermont50.com. The site has a blog and  facebook link.

DailyBicycle: Thanks Mike!

Copyright 2010 DailyBicycle

Posted 1 year ago
Tagged: vermont 50, mountain bike race, ultra endurance run, vermont adaptive ski and sports, .