Name: Darren McCallum
Where were you born? Emerald QLD
Occupation: builder
Family: wife and 3 kids. (girl, boy, girl) 11,10 & 7
Favourite Sporting Teams:
Favourite Athletes: Jens Voight, Laird Hamilton and Adam Craig all appeal for various reasons.
Favourite Movies: Its been a long time since I’ve seen one that’s not animated. Remember the Titans is an old favourite.
Favourite Music: all sorts with the exception of heavy metal and punk.
Favourite Food: Curried sausages and gingerbread men. (not mixed together)
Childhood Ambition: To stop working weekends so I could play more sport
Hobbies: mountain bike, keeping fit with a bit of cross training, love a holiday (usually in the caravan) with family and friends, still get the occasional ocean swim or surf in.
History:
How long have you been riding? About 12 years
When did you start racing? About 11 yrs ago
What other sports have you been involved in? I played the staples as a kid – footy, tennis, cricket. Surfing, swimming and BJJ as an adult. Now days most of the sport I’m involved in is kids sport as a spectator or helping as required. Gymnastics, tennis, swimming, basketball, netball
Age Group and Handicap mark? Im 41. I Rode off second scratch last week which was my third race with club. That seemed about right for where my fitness is currently at.
Goals:
Why did you join the club? I like to race, had had a few years away from it and find the Sunday mornings and being near home suit my timetable pretty well.
Do you have any goals to achieve? No cycling goals at present. I just enjoy the workout a hard ride provides.
What’s your greatest racing achievement? There has been a distinct lack of greatness. The results I value most are from the days I’ve raced A grade and managed to hang on and get home with some much better riders. There’s always been more satisfaction in that for me than there has from winning a lower grade.
Riding experiences:
Best? March this year spent 9 days mountain biking in and around Rotorua in NZ. Best down hill fun ever.
Worst? MTB crash in 2013 saw me in a coma followed by a month in a nursing home with 13 broken bones including my back, most of my ribs and my pelvis.
What’s your favorite training or social ride? Love a day at the stockyards (the fun side of the YouYangs) on the MTB. Road bike I ride around Stieglitz or to Lorne when I’m looking for a longer rid or a quick run through the hills at ceres / waurn ponds if im pushed for time but want some hard work.
How often do you ride? Lately its been 3 – 4 times a week which seems sustainable and keeps it fun.
Equipment:
Race Bike: 2009 trek madone (yes almost a collectors item now)
Training Bike: As above or often ride my cyclocross if riding alone so I can sneak up a few dirt roads and amuse my small mind jumping gutters and the like.
Other Bikes: Giant trance 0 MTB
Dream Bike: I see a new one most weeks but a smarter man than me once said “the bikes we have are the ones we once dreamt about having”. I’ve never been beaten, nor had a bad day on the bike that would have ended differently had I been riding a more expensive or newer bike.
