May 05, 2015 at 07:28 PM
By the way I will be driving up day of from the East Village leaving ~ 5am and have room for 1-2 more. i have to get back by noon though :-/
Bear Mountain Spring Classic
May 05, 2015 at 09:06 PM
I'm leaning towards the Cat 4 Championship, not because of the Championship itself, but because it's later in the morning, it's attracting a good crowd of racers, and the length, at 56 miles, seems to justify the crazy high fee.
The 4/5 Master's field will qualify for USAC upgrade points. I see 50 signed up in that race now, so it should also qualify for upgrading based on number of races, if one were to upgrade via the new rules.
The 4/5 Master's field will qualify for USAC upgrade points. I see 50 signed up in that race now, so it should also qualify for upgrading based on number of races, if one were to upgrade via the new rules.
May 05, 2015 at 09:26 PM
just realized I mis-read the race start times. the cat4 championship race starts @ 10:05am and there's another cat4/5 non-championship race @ 10:20am. there is also a 35+ 1-4 race at 1:10 but that sounds like a world of pain.
May 05, 2015 at 09:40 PM
Bear has (among others fields)
the 35+ race will rival the cat 1 in hardcore.
- Men 40+ 4/5 at 7:30am
- Men 4 at 10am
- Men 4/5 at 10:20am
- Men 35+ and 45+ at 1:10pm
the 35+ race will rival the cat 1 in hardcore.
May 06, 2015 at 03:00 AM
If you are a cat 4 you should do the cat 4 race. Stay away from 4/5 fields. M35 and M45 can be super tough. But sometimes schedule matters. I always look to see WHO is in what field then make my decision.
I'm looking for a ride that will get me there for the 10am start of the cat 3. I need to return to NYC for work so I can't hang around for a 1 or 2 pm start.
Contact me off group kpsartless@gmail.com or 646 250 3144. I'm in Geenpoint.
Keith
I'm looking for a ride that will get me there for the 10am start of the cat 3. I need to return to NYC for work so I can't hang around for a 1 or 2 pm start.
Contact me off group kpsartless@gmail.com or 646 250 3144. I'm in Geenpoint.
Keith
May 06, 2015 at 01:23 PM
Thanks, Keith.
Like you, I need to be back home early, around 2pm. So the only start that works for me would be 7:30am
Like you, I need to be back home early, around 2pm. So the only start that works for me would be 7:30am
May 10, 2015 at 02:15 AM
You only get credit based on the number of 4's in a mixed field anyway.niallsmart said:I'm planning to go. just trying to figure out which cat4 field i enter for. seems like those chasing upgrade points would be better served by the 4/5 pack? i'm assuming that even though it's not the NYS race, it still earns USAC points?
May 10, 2015 at 10:55 AM
Niall and I are heading up for the Cat 4 Championship at 10. Will report back. Looks to be hot up there for the race.
May 10, 2015 at 11:03 AM
Best of luck guys!!
May 10, 2015 at 11:13 AM
Good luck you two.
May 10, 2015 at 11:46 AM
Good luck to all KCC racing today!
JP in the 2s.
Bruce and Niall in the 4s
Tim Wang in the 5s
May 10, 2015 at 11:59 AM
Ruh-roh...just noticed all the fog outside. Keeping my fingers crossed races aren't cancelled!
May 10, 2015 at 08:58 PM
May 10, 2015 at 10:09 PM
Damn it was hot out there!
Highights: Niall got 10th!
I bonked so hard, that my brain still isn't working enough to provide you with an insouciantly cunning simile. Hard, I tell you.
As we got on the start line, the sun was already out, heating the tarmac. We got some good pictures before they called us up.
The first lap, there was the usual screaching of brake pads and smell of smoking carbon as we came into the turn, slowing from 45 to 8. Niall and I had gotten separated on the move up to the line and half way through the first lap I was able to make my way up to him and we rode together for a mile or two.
On the second lap, the front group continued motoring on the hill, but I lost contact with them. (We could call this getting dropped, but seeing how there were 70 people behind me...) I got dropped.
I eventually rode with a group of 12 or so and a mile from the start finish, we saw the Neutral SRAM car and knew we weren't far behind. On the 3rd climb, we caught up - because they were stopped.
There had been a motorcycle crash and everyone was pulled to the side of the road, waiting. I got off to take a leak, as did a dozen others. After a few minutes, the road was cleared, but the moto made our group (grown to about 25 riders now) wait 2 minutes before going.
When we finally went, and took the roundabout, there's a nice flat stretch where we start to go much faster and all of a sudden, bottles everywhere! I forgot there was neutral bottle support on lap 3 so guys, at 24mph, were sticking their hands out and essentialy knocking bottles to the ground from those holding them up. I moved to the left to stay out of the carnage.
Lap 4, I was solo. Some had gone off the front of the group, others drifted back and I didn't see them again. I had dropped my first bottle just as I had finished it and picked up another at the feed station. By then, I was riding around 12mph.
I was exhausted, I was sweating down through my sunglasses, my brain wasn't working too well, my legs would cramp if I rode over a certain effort. I was bonking. I get emotional when I'm in distressing pain, and needless to say, I love you guys. There, I fulfilled that promise. Stoopid bonking.
I caught two guys riding together and one of them said 'you're killing it.' It made me laugh and throw up in my mouth a little. I looked back and saw them chasing me so put everything I had into just finishing the race and crossed the line with crossed eyes.
I saw JP starting his first lap just as I finished, and gave him a shoutout. It was probably English, but may not have been. JP, if you heard any kind of yelling, that was me.
Niall will have a story of Master and Commander. Mine is of lower decks and skulduggery. I had a bad race. It was a good experience, and I'm glad I did it and got to see what my body can, and can't handle.
Monday at work can't ever throw anything at me like that.
May 11, 2015 at 12:44 AM
I dont know Bruce, it sounds like you actually had fun out there... Ha.
May 11, 2015 at 01:07 AM
Nice work guys! Can't wait to hear the details. Bruce did you bonk or deyhdrate? How long was the race?
May 11, 2015 at 04:23 AM
JP got a nice result...damn that was a long race
May 11, 2015 at 01:31 PM
Looking at the results of the cat 2s, that field looked like carnage. Winner 4+ minutes up, 7 guys chasing, couple of singles and doubles between 6 and 40 minutes behind. They actually pulled and placed guys this year, finally, (will miracles never cease?), 1/2 the field DNFs.twoyacks said:JP got a nice result...damn that was a long race
Similar story for the Pro 1/2 field.
May 11, 2015 at 01:33 PM
Tim Wang got a respectable finish in the 5's
May 11, 2015 at 04:06 PM
Hot out there. 88 Fahrenheit was the predicted high. Might have been hotter.
Tried to load up on salt (Osmo Preload) before the start. Went with the summer distance skin suit. Mmmmmmesh. There was a promise of neutral water. I was hoping it would materialize.
I figured this was going to be a negative race. Small field, three teams with numbers, but they didn't seem particularly strong. I figured surges more than attacks, and attrition would break things apart. Positioning close to the front would make following surges easier.
First time up the hill, there were surges. No throw-downs. I rode first or second row all the way up.
I could also tell I was on a bad day.
First time on Seven Lakes Drive, one guy attacks. We leave him out there. And catch him before Tiorati. More surges at the start of Lake Welch Drive. A few speed up down the hill to get better position for the turn.
More surges on Tiorati. The surge on the first steepish ramp, I can't dig deeper, though I can see I'm nowhere near my max hr. I have to let the group go. We could have shelled a quarter of the field by this point.
A guy passes me, smiles, and says, "we could have done the Masters, but no!" We ride together.
We picked up riders. We dropped riders.
Netural water really happened. The big change was the placement of the feed zone. Right after Tiorati Circle. This probably threw a wrench for those racing, as just about every year I've done the pro/am, the field is strung out on this stretch. But for survival, the placement was excellent, as it was right next to a parking lot and 400 meters from bathrooms with pipes and running water. Probably a water fountain much closer. I got one brand-new Bike Habitat bottle, which I finished and tossed the next lap, but I also got a number of recycled bottles. I had an Optum bottle as well, and finished with a new-looking large Zipp bottle and a beat-up large Giant bottle. Bottles must have been recycled.
on the fourth time up the hill, I was chatting with Evan Cooper. Our group was riding well together, taking turns into the wind, changing our rotation based on wind direction, and backing off whenever anyone asked for it. I figured conversational pace was slow enough. It wasn't, we dropped our companions, which we didn't realize until the feed zone. Felt a bit bad about it, as the guy who declared he was going to finish was dropped. We decided we'd do a fifth lap and pull the plug. Which we did, and we asked the officials to place us. Which they did. 16th.
notes:
Not Enough Kissena! Niall nicely repinned my number, and I saw Bruce as I started, but only four of us!
Max speed was 49.4mph. Which I hit on the "neutral" descent. (let go of your brakes for a second when you can on such descents, it will dramatically cool the braking surface) Second-fastest was 49, which I hit when it was just me and Evan. He went for the forward tuck, hands on tops, butt forward, and probably got over 51. It balanced out because he'd slow down for the turn before I would.
Summer skin suit is great for hot days. One thing. I didn't consider putting sunscreen on my back. Between the radio pocket, the hrm strap, and two numbers, I have some interesting abstract sunburn going on.
I did a training ride a few weeks ago where I rode longer and harder than I ended up riding here (#wormhole). It had given me confidence going into this race.
I drank 7 bottles for this five-lap race. My last two times through the feed zone, I picked up two bottles each time. I was dumping water on my head, shoulders, back, and arms to try to improve cooling.
I briefly lay down on the back seat of the rental car. When I got up, I had left salt residue behind.
Tried to load up on salt (Osmo Preload) before the start. Went with the summer distance skin suit. Mmmmmmesh. There was a promise of neutral water. I was hoping it would materialize.
I figured this was going to be a negative race. Small field, three teams with numbers, but they didn't seem particularly strong. I figured surges more than attacks, and attrition would break things apart. Positioning close to the front would make following surges easier.
First time up the hill, there were surges. No throw-downs. I rode first or second row all the way up.
I could also tell I was on a bad day.
First time on Seven Lakes Drive, one guy attacks. We leave him out there. And catch him before Tiorati. More surges at the start of Lake Welch Drive. A few speed up down the hill to get better position for the turn.
More surges on Tiorati. The surge on the first steepish ramp, I can't dig deeper, though I can see I'm nowhere near my max hr. I have to let the group go. We could have shelled a quarter of the field by this point.
A guy passes me, smiles, and says, "we could have done the Masters, but no!" We ride together.
We picked up riders. We dropped riders.
Netural water really happened. The big change was the placement of the feed zone. Right after Tiorati Circle. This probably threw a wrench for those racing, as just about every year I've done the pro/am, the field is strung out on this stretch. But for survival, the placement was excellent, as it was right next to a parking lot and 400 meters from bathrooms with pipes and running water. Probably a water fountain much closer. I got one brand-new Bike Habitat bottle, which I finished and tossed the next lap, but I also got a number of recycled bottles. I had an Optum bottle as well, and finished with a new-looking large Zipp bottle and a beat-up large Giant bottle. Bottles must have been recycled.
on the fourth time up the hill, I was chatting with Evan Cooper. Our group was riding well together, taking turns into the wind, changing our rotation based on wind direction, and backing off whenever anyone asked for it. I figured conversational pace was slow enough. It wasn't, we dropped our companions, which we didn't realize until the feed zone. Felt a bit bad about it, as the guy who declared he was going to finish was dropped. We decided we'd do a fifth lap and pull the plug. Which we did, and we asked the officials to place us. Which they did. 16th.
notes:
Not Enough Kissena! Niall nicely repinned my number, and I saw Bruce as I started, but only four of us!
Max speed was 49.4mph. Which I hit on the "neutral" descent. (let go of your brakes for a second when you can on such descents, it will dramatically cool the braking surface) Second-fastest was 49, which I hit when it was just me and Evan. He went for the forward tuck, hands on tops, butt forward, and probably got over 51. It balanced out because he'd slow down for the turn before I would.
Summer skin suit is great for hot days. One thing. I didn't consider putting sunscreen on my back. Between the radio pocket, the hrm strap, and two numbers, I have some interesting abstract sunburn going on.
I did a training ride a few weeks ago where I rode longer and harder than I ended up riding here (#wormhole). It had given me confidence going into this race.
I drank 7 bottles for this five-lap race. My last two times through the feed zone, I picked up two bottles each time. I was dumping water on my head, shoulders, back, and arms to try to improve cooling.
I briefly lay down on the back seat of the rental car. When I got up, I had left salt residue behind.
May 11, 2015 at 04:34 PM
Mother's Day...no racing for me else I get slapped
May 11, 2015 at 04:55 PM
Me too. And not in the good way. (hey-ohhhh!)twoyacks said:Mother's Day...no racing for me else I get slapped
Related though, racing KCC numbers seem to be down across the board this year. Not sure if that is factual, but it is my impression. Looking ahead at the calendar, July seems to be extremely thin--even for local stuff. So we're all going to get forced break from road racing soon. Now is the time folks!
May 11, 2015 at 05:02 PM
I wonder two things here.mugwump said:Hot out there. 88 Fahrenheit was the predicted high. Might have been hotter.
Tried to load up on salt (Osmo Preload) before the start. Went with the summer distance skin suit. Mmmmmmesh. There was a promise of neutral water. I was hoping it would materialize.
I could also tell I was on a bad day.
I did a training ride a few weeks ago where I rode longer and harder than I ended up riding here (#wormhole). It had given me confidence going into this race.
I drank 7 bottles for this five-lap race. My last two times through the feed zone, I picked up two bottles each time. I was dumping water on my head, shoulders, back, and arms to try to improve cooling.
I briefly lay down on the back seat of the rental car. When I got up, I had left salt residue behind.
1) Is the first really hot RR of the year a rude awakening for riders? I remember early cross season guys were "dying" because of the heat.
2) Are the training Peaks plans adjustable in terms of allowing riders to taper/peak into bigger A-priority events? Just from talking with a handful of you, it kind of sounds like some haven't actually targeted certain weekends/periods to be rested and bad-ass strong, so maybe its a moot question.
May 11, 2015 at 05:49 PM
As for #1, everyone had to pedal through it. I suppose some were more prepared than others, but it wasn't my limiter. I could tell on Saturday my legs weren't particularly good. They had been good all week.
As for #2, I thought about not doing the prescribed efforts Thursday. But then I realized I'd probably have better sleep Friday and Saturday nights than I usually do and I've generally been recovering well from the efforts. The wildcard are my allergies. So I started Thursday's efforts, thinking I'd cut them really short. But I felt good, so I only cut them a bit.
Sleep wasn't quite what I had hoped for, but better than usual. And my allergies didn't feel quite so bad.
In retrospect, yes, probably should have skipped Thursday's efforts. But I'd been feeling good, have been getting used to that rhythm with decent results, and I figured I had plenty of recovery time.
on the positive side, This is a recovery week. I should be ready to kill at the next race.
And bodes well for Somerville weekend.
As for #2, I thought about not doing the prescribed efforts Thursday. But then I realized I'd probably have better sleep Friday and Saturday nights than I usually do and I've generally been recovering well from the efforts. The wildcard are my allergies. So I started Thursday's efforts, thinking I'd cut them really short. But I felt good, so I only cut them a bit.
Sleep wasn't quite what I had hoped for, but better than usual. And my allergies didn't feel quite so bad.
In retrospect, yes, probably should have skipped Thursday's efforts. But I'd been feeling good, have been getting used to that rhythm with decent results, and I figured I had plenty of recovery time.
on the positive side, This is a recovery week. I should be ready to kill at the next race.
And bodes well for Somerville weekend.
May 12, 2015 at 01:24 AM
Didn't Wiggo train in a sauna?
May 12, 2015 at 02:46 AM
Screw the sauna. 8th floor in a NYC apartment with nothing but diesels fumes from the Bx6 to keep you company. Bring on the heat beeyotches.Jules said:Didn't Wiggo train in a sauna?
May 12, 2015 at 09:39 PM
Pics are starting to show up.
My first thought, on seeing me out of the saddle with the others behind me was, there was a lake?
My first thought, on seeing me out of the saddle with the others behind me was, there was a lake?
Apr 19, 2016 at 02:57 AM
Anybody else interested in Bear Mountain this year?
Apr 19, 2016 at 11:17 AM
I'm in
Apr 19, 2016 at 01:53 PM
Got to do it. Everyone should race the course at least once in a bike racing career. And go up there to ride when they can.