Hey Folks,

I just signed up for the Highlands Gran Fondo - 100 miles. Anyone interested in joining me? 

https://www.bikereg.com/40310

Bobby

Unfortunately, looks like I wont be able to make it. Have a blast, and take photos.

@eloy

Highlands Gran Fondo on June 6? ... https://www.bikereg.com/43293?rc=WFFU5M9Q

@mugwump are you still planning to do the Highlands Gran Fondo on sunday june 5?

anyone else planning to? it's a great course, amazing roads, the timed sections are challenging, great low key atmosphere.

i'm on the fence $$-wise, but Tara Parsons shared a 20% off code ( Fit1stFondo20 ) so i may still go if i can share a ride. @AdamYaffe ?

James Reeder said:

@mugwump are you still planning to do the Highlands Gran Fondo on sunday june 5?

anyone else planning to? it's a great course, amazing roads, the timed sections are challenging, great low key atmosphere.

i'm on the fence $$-wise, but Tara Parsons shared a 20% off code ( Fit1stFondo20 ) so i may still go if i can share a ride. @AdamYaffe ?

I'm signed up at the start of May and found myself a ride a few days ago.  I didn't know it was even a consideration for you.  

I wonder what Tara does to get that kind of discount and why she didn't share it with me.

What I got from them was a 5% off referral fee if someone uses this code:  Happy to split whatever the discount is.

https://www.bikereg.com/highlands-gfns?rc=QH9BSY74

I really want to join but looks like I may have prior social commitment on the calendar. 

I did the Highland Gran Fondo Sunday.

First way to look at it.  It's a beautiful, hard ride mostly on quiet roads.  Support is excellent.  Food on the road is plentiful.  Food at the finish is good enough.  Cyclists can be fun to ride with, even if you don't know them, and I knew a few of the guys already, so a rolling hang is good.  For these things alone, I'd probably do it again, though, since I do have the course map, we could just do it as a ride someday.  


Second way, is as a race.  Here's the race breakdown:

it's the second time I've done this format: a hundred-mile ride with four timed segments.  I was expecting that the timed segments would all be uphill, and that having people to draft off of for all but the steepest segments would be important.  

Turns out, the segments were much more complicated.  And not spread out evenly.  

Segment 1 was less than two miles after the start, 4.6mi long, and 684' of climbing.
Segment 2 was five miles after that, 5.8mi long, and 296' of climbing.
Segment 3 was 35 miles after that, 4.7 mi, and 405'.
Segment 4 was 36 miles after that, 2.1mi and 314'.  Basically, the 'race' ends at mile 84.

I figured that Segment one would be crazy; it climbs for half and rolls for half, and the best thing to do would be to hold on as best I could to the strongest.  No matter what, I'd want to reattach to a fast group for segment two, which looked to be pretty flat.  Hopefully, the sort would be ok for section three, which was after a rest stop, and twisty and rolling.  I didn't think I'd stop for that one.  And the last, which climbed for the first half and descended the second, I figured it would just be set my power to something I could sustain, and rail the descent.

Got good position for the first segment, but after five minutes, I was really cooked, and I had to back off.  I faded the rest of the way.  Should have been way more careful here.

I worked with a group after the first segment to catch a group ahead of us.  The course gave us a short, steep, 15% section, before turning right and hitting section two.  Two was rolling, but it was the twisting that more people had trouble with.  I was trading pulls as people were coming off on curves.  Then probably a bit later than on the first segment, I was in trouble and had to back off.  Another case of going too hard too soon.

After section two, there were some big regroupings.  What was weird was a bunch of guys would pick up the power on all the rises and then take it waaaay easy on the ensuing descents.

The third section came not only after a rest stop, but also two miles after a mile-long 10% grade or thereabouts.  This one was on a road that is in the midst of being reclaimed by the forest--one lane, curving, dirt on the curves, dark.  I figured I'd follow a team through it, but after  minute, I could tell I wasn't going to hang on, and I didn't want to mis-judge turns.  I ended up with a guy about 10 seconds ahead of me, and he had a blinky light, so I could just follow him and better anticipate the turns.

mile 55-81 should have been a cruise.  And it largely was.  At first, I was with one guy, then two, then three.  I figured this was perfect.  But when I stopped at the mile 66 rest area, the others wanted to wait for a pack, which we ended up getting.

Thing is, the same guys as earlier would ramp up on the rises.  Good thing for me was just about everyone seriously backed off on the descents.   I could go from 20 seconds behind the people driving uphill to 10 seconds in front of everyone pretty easily.  

The last segment came after climbing for a mile.  While I couldn't get my power up to threshold, I was able to get my heart rate to its highest point on the day and hit 40mph on the ensuing descent to the line.

All the sections, save the first followed this format:  Get a beat-down from the course, then have the timed segment to really put the screws to you.   

It was  few miles from the last segment to the rest stop.  I grabbed a coke, chatted a bit, and when the group saddled up, I followed them out--which meant going from the back of the group to off the front on the next descent.  It was a slow, but chatty ride back, until my legs started cramping around mile 95.  But at that point, there was only a mile of gentle climbing left.

23rd for my age group, 99th overall.  

A bit of a disappointment in terms of how I rode, but looking at my power, it wasn't that bad, and I definitely made tactical mistakes.  My peak 5m effort was the first 5m of the first timed section. My peak 10m effort was the first 10m of that first section.  My peak 20m was around that second section.  The first 40k were, in terms of effort, like doing a decently speedy Prospect race.

The people, at least in the men's side, who did well, definitely trained for it.  The Skylands and Blue Bell clubs came as a team, rode the segments as TTTs, and it showed.  Blue Bell swept teh 24-34, and won the mens 35+, 45+, 55+.  The Skylands guys took the top overall, and they were allegedly training on the segments in weeks leading up to the race.  


https://www.strava.com/activities/7265439068

Kudos for doing this! specially after the race Saturday!

So, I signed up for this again.

If you want to do it, registering sooner is better.

Also, they try to incentivize people like me to get you to ride.  so, to that end, if you use this code when you register, I'll split the kickback I get.  


"Send your friends here: https://www.bikereg.com/highlands-gfns?rc=XWREPZ5S

Or have them use this referral code: XWREPZ5S"

Returned to the Highlands Gran Fondo this year.  In better shape, a bit wiser, and in an older age group.

TL:DR--5th in the 55+, 23 seconds off the podium.  And it's going to bug me for a long time.

For those who don't know, the ride is 101 miles.  But there are four timed segments over the first 85 miles that constitute the race.  The first is 1.2 miles in.

This year, I decided to skip the Jordan race--I'm still not liking the super-narrow chute by Harlem meer.  And I'm in better shape, at least according to what my power meter tells me. I was going to take the lessons of last year (scroll up), and do better.  Watch my power more carefully on the first segment, pick groups for segments two and three, and control power while watching for groups on the fourth.  

My whole plan was destroyed by the need for a nature break 25 minutes before the start.  

I didn't see how I"d be able to give 100% on the first segment, which is only 1.2 miles into the event, with my full bladder.  The lines for the port-a-pots were huge, and I got to the start at 7:20 for the 7:30 start.  I must have been 500 riders behind, and the start is squeezed in between factory buildings, so it was impossible to move up.  I had to wait over two minutes after the start to move.  After 30 seconds of parking lot, I hit the road and went as hard as I could for the first mile to get as close as possible to the front before the climb.   

My pre-race plan had been to get to the front early, which was easy last year, sag climb the first half of the first segment, then work with whomever I was near for the second half.  By being at the front, others would be passing me and I'd be able to set my line and get some draft off them.  In reality, I was passing people the entire time, having to swerve and weave.  

I did stay with a group at the end of the segment, and our group caught a faster group in the next several miles--but they were drilling it on the hills.  There is a short, steep 15% grade just before the second segment.  The group I was with went hard over this short rise, and I let them go, as I didn't want to be completely gassed for the second segment.  I should have yelled out, but I didn't.

My second section strategy was blown.

As I was doing my best to keep a high solo pace, a guy caught me.  I worked a bit with him, but he surged a few too many times, and dropped me.  But it turned out that a group was just behind.  I got in with them, recovered a bit, and was able to contribute to the chase.

Embedded in this group was a guy I've been racing with for years.  Alejandro Guzman.  I figured we could work together.  He's chatty and was coaching some woman in the group, Giosa.  He was good at bugging people to slow down, but I didn't realize he wasn't stopping at the first rest area, where I needed another nature break.  Had I known, I would have stopped on the road, and would have gotten back on.

We met up again at teh second rest area.  I told him how the third segment was set up and what we needed to do.  He got four others to buy in.  We rode it hard, a bit too hard for Ale' and then, a bit later, too hard for me.  We formed a chase group and picked up a few riders before finishing the segment.  

We repeated this again--we had a group together before the third stop.  We waited to make sure they were happy and filled up and rode controlled to the four segment.  And we repeated the plan--happily for me, I didn't go too deep like I did last year.  

And when we got to the final rest area, 15 miles from the finish, we had enough food and drink to ride back without stopping.  Which we did.  And while I thought it would be a noodle, we ended up climbing a good bit harder than I expected.  Luckily, neither did I cramp, nor did I feel a cramp coming on.  

I was 86th overall, an improvement from last year.  I was 2:49 down on the winner of my age group.  I don't know if I could have made up that gap with a better start, but 23 seconds?  definitely.  

https://www.strava.com/activities/9204332688

JP (or anyone) keen to do this GF this year? I just got back from the Tour of Georgia Gran Fondo which was essentially a bust due to terrible weather. Kind of keen to try and seek revenge with this one in just over a month... 

https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/gran-fondo-highlands

I'm thinking of doing it again.  I'd like to improve on the fifth place I got in the 55+ group.

Seems like they're desperate for registrants.  They just sent an email promising a price break and a jersey if you register by May 5.  

I’m inclined to do it, but this is just after my four days on the Empire State trail so I don’t think I want to even see my bike that weekend 

I’m thinking about it. Need to check the calendar to see if I’m around that weekend. 

So, I'm going to register for this.

Ok.  I registered.  Use this referral and we all can get a discount

I did the 2024 Highlands Gran Fondo on Sunday.

TL/DR.  8th in my age group, 10th in the team.  And 53rd overall.

Last year, I missed third place by 23 seconds.  And was 5th in my age group, 2:47 off the winning pace.  The time is based on your cumulative time over four sectors.  They're all a bit different, but there is both climbing and enough flattish roads that drafting can make a huge difference. 

Last year, where I lost time was on the second and third sectors, where having a group that can ride hard and you can trust can make a huge difference.

I thought I could get on the podium.  So, when I saw some folks from the VO2max/Pissei gang were going, I got in touch with them and made a composite team VO2MaxOut/Pissei/Kissena.   The group was Jose, John, Brian, David, myself.  Jose finished jsut behind me at GFNY last year and is in my age group.  John I haven't seen race, but at the end of long rides, he's been putting the screws to me in steep hills.  

I rode the sectors, in total, a bit over a minute and a half faster than last year--disappointingly, I was a few seconds slower on the first, and 20 seconds slower on the fourth (I got dropped by John and Haluk going up and the guys I caught on the second half of the climb couldn't hold my wheel).  the second and third sectors I was a minute faster at each.  And John was over a minute ahead of me.  I figured I was on the podium and he might have won.

Well, the guy who was in fourth last year, only 23 seconds faster than me, was a bit over 2:42 ahead of me this year.  John was fourth.  

My cranks started to come loose during the third sector.  I dropped my chain in the middle of it as a result.  Thankfully, the group half-waited and I was able to stop, put the chain back on, and chase them down, and get back to the front.  i think that was probably the difference between me and 7th place.

I find this event fun.  It would be interesting to race the whole distance, but with this format, there's lots of easy riding in pretty places, even if there's also lots of steep climbing on the easy sections, where it's almost a threshold effort just to keep the bike moving.  

Keeping with the event spirit, I suppose, Jose was super gregarious.  A woman named Kai somehow ended up riding with us and he encouraged her to do so.  then we caught another woman, Idy, who was going hard up every single hill, and doing so in full modest dress (knickers, a loose skirt over the knickers, a long sleeve shirt under a jersey, a kerchief over her hair and under her helmet).  He also encouraged her to come with us.  On the third sector, Kai could hold her place, but not quite strong enough to pull, until she jumped us in the last 100 meters.  We dropped Idy, but she came back and continued to pull away from us on steel hills.  Kai got second in her age group.  Idy won hers.  

In terms of time, our team 10th was the 8th fastest team time, but every team member added, no matter how fast or slow, merits a 15" time bonus.  

https://www.strava.com/activities/11559464215

Okay I’m doing this next year for sure, amazing power numbers for such a big ride JP!

Bump!

Since this event is both fun and vexing me, I'm signed up to do it again.

As with last year, you can use a referral code for $5 off registration:  XHK3LLKW

Looks like several of the guys I did it with last year are back for more.  It would be cool to put together a larger composite team. 

If you scroll back, you'll see how to ride this event.  Four timed segments, totalling around 50 minutes, over 104 miles.  In all cases, riding with others is faster.  The second and third in particular are ridden fastest in rotating pace lines.  The first is half up, half flat.  the fourth is half up, half down.  

I'm interested in a masochistic way, but timing might be funky that weekend (Park Slope Civic Council event the day before). Lennart - still interested?

Yes! Signing up now. Nice goal to work towards this spring 

This is the roadbook, for those that need extra motivation to sign up. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59fb7a778fd4d2478cd75fdf/t/64764f2bc6475719ed2a23dc/1685475118732/RiderRoadbook_23_HI_final.pdf 

Signing up.

That was a fun day out!

JP, Kevin and I joined the VO2max group and ended up with a 18-person crew. That was nice, because the team rankings deducted fifteen seconds per team member for the total time - not that it would've mattered for our final ranking though.

We started at the front of the race, and for the first segment, I ended up in what was pretty much the first group. Serious fifteen minute effort, but nothing too crazy. The plan was to get the Kissena/VO2 group together and ride to the second segment as a group. I had expected the 30-people group to slow down after the segment, but everyone kept hammering it down, so I decided to sit up and wait for JP and Kevin and most of the VO2Max guys. Second segment was quite chaotic as our pacelining plans were disrupted by random riders that joined up with us and were not great at navigating, but we did a good effort.

The third segment was a two-part climb on a narrow road. We handled it well and got a great pace going up. Just before the second climb, a big stick jumped up from someones wheel and into my cassette and wheel. I don't know how it didn't block my wheel before i was at a standstill, but that could've ended really bad. Managed to get the stick out and continued up with adrenaline levels through the roof. Lost some 50 seconds on the group there. Getting all the wood that was stuck between my cogs out was a challenge too, but nothing had broken so I could continue. 

By the last segment, I had clearly lit all my matches. The last 20 km of the ride I had zero power and an upset stomach, but Kevin and JP waited up and the three of us made it to the finish together, with a moving time of 5 hours 57 minutes and 2700 meters of elevation over 166 km. Then we got food and a beer, and made our way back to NYC.

Main lessons for next year: (1) I need to train more (2) I shouldn't trust the gels at rest stops if I've never tried those before and (3) I need to train more.

Our group ended up 4th overall, thanks to three VO2Max guys that stayed with one of the first groups of the race throughout. I was 14/57 in the 23-34 age group and 84/459 overall. Funny enough my time would've made for a significantly worse position in the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups. All those old guys are crazy strong!

Would be great to go at it again next year with a bigger Kissena crew. It's a fun event, very well organized and over some beautiful and challenging roads.

Nice , My buddy in work got 5th in JP's age group

Great outing guys!!

Highlands Gran Fondo!

Segment 1

Literally a 5 mile ~3.4% hill to start the race. With zero warm up and 4 hours sleep i wasn't exactly looking forward to this.. After watching @LennartZandbergen and @mugwump ride up/off into the distance i worked on holding threshold for the 17 min duration of the climb.

Segment 2

Rolling hills, didn't feel that organized and a few randoms Lennart mentioned before. Worked on moving up and sprinting to the line here.

Segment 3

Rolling hills on a single land forest path. We stopped before the segment and JP set us up a plan to allow us smash this. We got some rotation going but there were a couple of riders with us that told us they weren't going to pull, fair enough, but they then decided they would be best placed to sit 3 riders back from the front of the pack and not move. We got it going a few times but it seemed to fizzle out. Felt like i did around 5 mins on the front on this one.

Segment 4

A nice touch here, around 80 miles into the race and half a mile before this segment starts they put a 3-4 min climb with a 17% gradient in there, just to warm up the legs incase they weren't already I guess. Decent climb to start and rolling hills to finish. Lost the climbers at the start but worked my way up and gained a bit back on the descents, came in around 30 secs behind JP & Lennart. 

In Between

Fun riding with the VO2 Max crew, those guys have some big engines! Great chat.
Lots of JP telling us to slow down and take it easy!
We stopped at 4 or 5 refreshment stations, on offer was gels, coke, chips, gummies, fig bars and portaloos - totally needed each time

Great format for racing. We should 100% get some more Kissenas for a team effort next year. With the addition of a few more of out big guns I think we could do pretty well team-wise!

I managed to come in 27th out of ~127 in my age group and 115th overall. I heard today that as we finished top 25% of out age category we qualify of the National Championships! (not sure if there is actually any other criteria apart from maybe paying up lol)

2026 edition with early reg discounts available.

https://www.granfondonationalseries.com/gran-fondo-highlands

https://www.bikereg.com/highlands-gfns

Obviously, I think this is fun.  And I'm pretty sure the segments won't change much, so there's plenty of insight here on how to ride the event.

Just signed up!