How'd it go?

Joe Matunis and I lined up for the masters race along with 40ish other riders.

• First race of the season, so basic goal is to finish in or ahead of the largest group of riders.
• It was cold and super windy
• Typical of these small field early season races, some are very motivated to get away and the attacks come out from the start
• The first 3 laps are spicy as hell, the first time up the hill is OMGWTF wut wut, we can't do 10 more of this
• We wont, phew!
• Eventually two guys, Palazzi and Loehner manage to stay ahead, and much later two other guys, Boral and Dioslaski gave chase and would finish 3 and 4th
• Palazzi would distance Louhner for the solo win, not that we saw any of that
• The last few seasons, Park races have been getting faster, which is awesome! But at 37~38km/h avg, this might have been the slowlest PP race I've ever done
• I finished a very quiet 25, happy that we all kept it rubber side down and to start my season!

Let's go race bikes!

posting here too! Please sign up to help with registration, marshaling or KOM!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZu966mh33tEeyKrAP5wKiXMr0z7oETs5JMqFRsdUM_9B6Jg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Moved to group ride thread!

Race #4

Got very little sleep after a few fun Saturday work calls turned into assignments going on through midnight. Still started out pretty strong in the race. Initially, I was generally at the front of the field or around the middle and was pretty pleased with myself. 

Richard sorry it was a tough week of racing but you have lots of great lessons learned now and you can put them to good use moving fwd. And thanks for volunteering for reg table and showing up with a great attitude! Really glad to have you showing up early and helping out.

It’s been surprising this year - I don’t think I’ve seen so many solo wins at park races ever. Maybe as people get stronger and the weather is warmer and everyone has higher motivation these will fade, but I’d keep that in mind to try next race…

Good seeing JP in Brooklyn (off the bike!) and hanging out at the KOM.

@RichardKaufmann riding in a pack is a skill and it takes practice. It’s nothing like a group ride. I struggled with it too. Try and race as much as you possibly can - the branch brook doubles are gold for that. Set your goals around as many short pack races as possible - short because you’re getting dropped and longer races just mean longer chases, for now.

I raced Sunday in the Masters division. It was my second race of the season - the first being the first Castelli race back on March 28. The weather was pretty simililar- a chilly low 40's - but with a light drizzle that let up just as the sun rose rosily and we racers rolled out. As in the first race a rider jumped out on  a solo break right from the start, that he held on to to the end. I don't know how that's possible, but after happening 2 weeks in a row with 2 different riders, I guess it's officially a thing. Having DNF'd the first race I was focused on staying as close to the front of the pack as possbile to avoid the having to bridge that dreaded gap that can happen after the hill if you've been stuck at the back. The first couple of laps were fast, but my legs felt good and I was able to hold pretty good position throughout the race. Everyone was well behaved and I was able to settle into a good rhythm, keeping my eyes on the guys with "Burrowes" on their jerseys. There was a break of about a 1/2 dozen riders in the middle laps that I found myself near to, but not attached to the back of. I chose not to chase. I'm not sure, but I believe they were later caught. I was in pretty good position at the bottom of the last climb, but my legs definitley need some more umph before I can hold my position to the finish. I don't know what place I ended up finishing, (does anyone know why it's taking so long for results to be posted?), but I was glad to finish with a pretty OK performance. I'm inspired to go out and train harder and see what happens down the road.

@Joe Matunis

I was watching with Dave Yang.  

A guy from High Gear probably attacked from the gun, as I came to the course at the start of lap 2 and he was solo by probably a minute.  His lead went up to probably around two minutes.

And then, with maybe three or four laps remaining, a chase group with most of the masters heavy hitters--Jerry Kapko, Stephen Dioslaki, JP Rorech, John Loehner (KOM leader jersey), Christophe Palazzi (overall leader), and a few others, got away.  

They passed the 2/3 field and were driving pretty hard.  They were way ahead of the field, and came within 30 seconds or so of catching the solo leader.  

@mugwump thanks for clearing that up! Without the race results to look at I wasn't sure if that chase group stayed away. Interesting things happening in the masters races. I hope more Kissenistas race next time!

Is the 4/5 category in next week's Castelli series race something new? It's only 5 laps, but are other 4's considering signing up? My inclination was to sign up for the Master's race, but now I dunno. I'm curious to see what others are thinking.

it is new. sign up for masters.

Results?  Bros?

I was on the fence about racing this morning.  But when I felt sick Wednesday night, I decided I needed to pass.  My body definitely wasn't quite back today, so I think I made the right decision.

I raced Masters and Michael and Andrew raced the 4/5

• Masters field was around 60ish starters
• Hardcore crazy winds
• Winds combined with the strategic proper of the master peeps created one of the most uniques Prospect races I've ever done
• 40.5 km/h avg, but mostly we were moving tortoise 30 km/h or crazy town hold on hold on hold the f*ck on 48km/h plus
• Splits galore
• For most of the race, I am somehow managing to make the front splits or even bridge in the wind to them, but omg I aint got 'em matches
• Leaning hard on my only two fast twitch fibers and pack survival skills
• On the penultimate time up the climb a group of five, including Loeher, Palazzi, and Dioslaski manage to split, build a gap, and organize for one lap.
• They will win the race.
• There's about 30 of us left in the second group, I will literally finish 35. DFL!! 
• Also, crucial, I think I swallowed a bug on lap one, first half of the race coughing forever
• Second half, once the cough subsided, this song on repeat inside my head "If you want want what you want want then you want it"
• Good times!
• Coffee afterwards with Andrew, Michael, and Dave was pretty epic. 
• "Kissena Therapy with Dave Yang" is real!
  
• Missed you
  

Let's go "race" bikes!! 



 

Are we going to go race bikes?

Castelli Series Saturday?  

Looks like Niall is in and so am I for Masters. Fair warning, I will be dropped and rather quickly.

I wish I could be there! I'm out of town until Monday. It would be great to see some more folks at FBF on Tuesday. 

i’m out of town too, have a great race!!

Race #5

Didn’t get a great result, but I finished around mid-pack. My focus was just to get back to racing and improve my pack riding comfort. I was never dropped from the field, so I consider this race a success! 

Good times in the master's race -

• My first time in a park race in... 4 or 5 years?
• Lots of familiar faces (butts) in new team kits, makes sense in a masters race
• First lap was getting back in the groove, finding good wheels, moving up, holding lines and hiding, hiding hiding from the wind.
• Genuinely thought I'd get dropped the first time up the hill, but I don't! As Eloy says, let's race bikes!
• Nerves settled and I'm focused now
• I surf up to Niall and JP and hang out at the front because that's where it's at
  
• Lap 3 the sprint points are up for grabs and the pace kicks into high gear at GAP and I'm tucking myself into the strung out field.
• Right after the line, a few guys pop off the front to try to establish a split. Instinct kicks in and I'm on it and find myself between 5-10th wheel heading towards the downhill.
• Nothing sticks, people sit up and we're all back together downhill, past temple and around the other side.
• I'm next to Dioslaki and grab his wheel passing the zoo as he surfs towards the front
• He and (I think) Lynn Murray exchange a few words
• BOOM - Murray kicks hard up the hill, Dioslaki is on his wheel and I'm hanging on for dear life - do we have a gap? I have no clue, but I burn what ends up being my only real match
• Cresting the hill, maybe I'll have a chance to suck wheel and at a steady hard pace
• NOPE
• Someone kicks again and I'm doing everything I can to stay on wheels around GAP
• I can't close gaps, guys are sprinting past me, and I think that's it. I sit up and mentally give up
• NOPE 
• More riders come swarming past me. Sadly my speed is too slow for me to grab back on
• The field rolls away as I cross the start line, bye bye bye
• My heart rate is pegged at 190 and it takes a long time for it to settle down
• Catch a few stragglers and trade pulls and have pleasant conversations.
• 4/5 field catch us at the hill after another lap or 2. Colin and Richard looking sharp!
• Masters field finally catches up on lap 9 (#8 for me)
• Do one more solo to complete the full 9

Colin and Richard bounce early from their 4/5 race. JP, Niall and I head out for coffee. 

Missed racing, missed you, can't wait to line up with you again soon!

Right here, this was my race and learning moment - from the post sprint points break attempt to foolishly thinking I can hang with the likes of Dioslaki who won the race today lol while my HR is pegged above 195bpm...

Awesome report 

Photos from the FB page with KCC. Dig the one from across the meadow with JP and Niall in the group.

@David Yang

Marco has now gotten a few shots of me on bridges.  The previous one came when I was riding back with him.  Last week, I passed him on Broadway as he was following two Big Hit racing guys.  Saturday, he was waiting on the Manhattan Bridge for someone to come by.  As I was catching up to him, he asked me to slow down a bit.  

BTW, nice riding!  I knew your expectations were low.  When I saw you on the second lap, I was about to tell you that now your goal was four laps, not the one you were thinking of.  But you were on the move.  As was Niall.  I thought 'we can do some damage here today!'  Then I went up the hill on the second lap and thought 'I'm the weak link today.'  It wasn't fast, but it wasn't easy, either.

Ooof.  Jealous of you seeing 190bpm.  I started struggling at 175, and then my last time up the hill, I was struggling at 164.  Trying to figure out all the recovery modalities, tips, tricks, hacks, so we can have more fun at races like this.  


https://www.strava.com/activities/7488861441

Want to race for FREE??  Tom is looking for some volunteers for this Sunday's race.  You'll need to show up a little bit early (~1 hour before the start) to help out at registration.  It's a great way to show the club's involvement and help Tom out.  You can register at the link below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGA31BVmeZRKoie9Uxazv-3X_PksPS94gG7IcmulzT77P8ig/viewform?usp=sf_link

Just signed up for the Old Man's race this Sunday.  

Who else is coming out to play?

mugwump said:

Just signed up for the Old Man's race this Sunday.  

Who else is coming out to play?

I'm signed up too. Fitness is low. Might be a last minute decision to skip.

Brief race report for Masters Castelli #1 2023

*Eloy and I lined up.  His fitness you can read about above.
*75 or more signed up.
*It was probably colder than the 35f I saw on my computer before I headed out the door
*Cloth numbers that stretch!  Makes repinning easier.
*Veselka had the biggest cohort, but only one hammer (Constantin Schreiber)
*Big  Hit racing had the strongest
*Some strong guys turned 40--Allen Carr and Mike Perlberg are two cat 1s aging in.
*Most of the long-time strongmen did very little during the race.
*Veselka, despite its numbers, did almost nothing.
*First road race since my shoulder separating, head slamming crash.  A bit nervous.
*Wasn't moving around the pack that well.
*Got in a few splits, but my legs were telling me I couldn't drive them.
*The hill tugged and pulled me down, but didn't burn.  Think I prefer the burn.
*Decided that I wasn't going to mix it up in a sprint, so it was either be away, attack on the last lap, or sit up.  

Not much happened for me last weekend.  My goal was to hang on since I was coming off a sick week.  Launched my bottle on the 3rd lap.  Then lost 95% of my braking power a few laps later.  Debated if I wanted to pull out but decided to dangle off the back of the group.  Probably not the wisest, but I survived.

65/79

I see Eloy and I are registered for the old man's Castelli race on Sunday.

Anyone else joining us?