Mark “The Polish Hammer” Tomas

Memoirs and Musings
as interviewed by Monsieur Ciseaux

Recently I had the privilege to spend a few minutes with one of MTNBikeRiders newest team racers, Mark Tomas otherwise known as “The Polish Hammer”. Before our interview I wasn’t to sure what to make of a guy known as “The Hammer”. Would he eventually get tired of all my petty and persistent questions and “drop the hammer” on me? Would he flail his arms wildly and strike my forehead like Jackie Chan?…or maybe he is the opposite of his nick name and he will be as gentle as a butterfly. Our readers and our dedicated fans deserve to know so today, I put my life and my artistic penmanship on the line for you.

Mark was raised in the Golden State, Chino to be exact. Not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he valued the simple things in life, friends, family, sun shine and extreme sports. He started his foray into outdoor sports before high school where he learned real quick how to ride a skateboard. Doing fancy tricks on his board was a rush but it was that very rush that would put him the hospital after performing mind bending tricks on a half-pipe (skater talk for a wood contraption that you ride in) that defy all natural known laws. The injury however, was Gods way of getting him off the Skateboard and onto a bike (biking is not a crime!). Before biking however, Mark went through a rough patch in his life where he surfed, primarily in high school. The rough patch was not personal, it was just a time where he thought he was a dude that wanted to hang ten or something. He enjoyed it but is was not his destiny……

I almost forgot, he did race Vespas for a while too; he actually got really good at it and was the West Coast #3 champ for a while. It was clear by now that Mark needed to be in the outdoors and involved in something where he could seriously get injured. Fast forward to 2007 and we now have Mark riding a mountain bike, he has found his calling. He first rides his father-in-laws vintage GF carbon hardtail with some crazy geo numbers, but guess what? he’s hooked. He quickly upgrades to a more modern bike and the rest is as they say “all down hill from there”, or in his case, going uphill quickly.

So let’s talk about the modern Mark. He’s been described by some as debonaire, dashing, mysterious, enchanting, dreamy (by the ladies) and known by some as el guapo. What I found him to be was, well just a cool humble guy. He’s married, 33 years old, the father of 2 (one is on the way) who loves Cream of Potato Soup. By trade, he is a new flavor engineer for Kellogg Pop-tarts, have you tried the Blueberry?, thank Mark for it. He lives back in his hometown of Chino where he often rides to Chino Hills State Park for a ride. He goes to church at Calvary Chapel Chino Valley where most of his friends (including myself) attend and is very active. He loves spending time with his wife and daughter and just enjoying the simple things in life. Mark is known as a “giver” and the dude will give you the bike off his rack anytime.

I asked Mark about training and how he is preparing for this years Triple Crown. His training regimen is highly secretive and very complicated….he just rides and eats good stuff including Soup and Pop-Tarts. He tries to ride a route that will be at least as long as his up-coming race, that’s about it. I have feeling that there is more to his extraordinary performance that just that, but I guess for now the secret will stay with him; he is by the way the reigning Triple Crown champ in his class. Oh, I almost forgot, he did read a MTB skills book once but he forgot what was in it.

Please welcome Mark to the team and support him at the races. He is a dynamic rider that is as good at going up hill as he is at going down. As for his future, Mark says it is “uncertain” but I’m sure he has big plans. He would like to get in to road riding one day but just as a way to be more physically fit for mountain biking. Super D is not out of the question and a few epic trips are definitely in his future but for now, he just wants to do like the rest of us….just ride!