Ned was hard as nails before most of us even heard of mountain bikes.

Dirt Rag brings us a great interview with Ned Overend.  Ned was a legend in the 80's and has only piled on the laurels in the 2 decades hence.  Here he gives us his insight on racing, longevity, the coming 29-er hegemony and the value of getting off the bike. 

Is there a race you look forward to each year?
I always look for different races, but the Road Apple Rally in New Mexico is a favorite. It’s a high-speed race with bermed turns—not as painful as a lot of other races. It is also the oldest mountain bike race in the country, must be going on 30 years.

Update:  Here is another great interview with Deadly Nedly.  Here he gives props to youth racing programs across the country.