Sharing in case some didn’t see or receive Tom’s email. Kissena Fall Classic scheduled for this Saturday, October 5. 

Right now I’m 50/50 for the race. May stick with my 100mi plan, but ruminating. 

Right now I’m 50/50 for the race. May stick with my 100mi plan, but ruminating. 

I won't be able to make it, but volunteer link is here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5PTfL83Nnf3QwzodI80LhGBSa4rO9xlJSxvszzqvnv0PzOQ/viewform

@KevinWomack @BlakeFoster and @MaxBucksbaum should rock this race. High chance of podium with the firepower between the 3 of you.

David Yang said:

@KevinWomack @BlakeFoster and @MaxBucksbaum should rock this race. High chance of podium with the firepower between the 3 of you.

I am likely going to race, but I am a cat 4 now so have to race in 3/4 category 

Awesome anyone in the 3/4s to work with Max?

David Yang said:

@KevinWomack @BlakeFoster and @MaxBucksbaum should rock this race. High chance of podium with the firepower between the 3 of you.

Have to fast today for a procedure tomorrow (IFKYK), this may not be the ideal prep..... Will see how I'm feeling tomorrow eve.

you'll get those endogenous ketones flowing! 

I am bailing on the race plan to do my century instead

I'll be there in the 1/2/3s.

I am in for the 3/4's.  This is my first 3/4 race that isn't the short 5 laps.  Any tips for the longer course? Not sure what the flow of the race is typically like when its longer

Since there aren't KOM or sprint points it can be a little bit less dynamic.  Feel things out for the 1-2 laps then go from there depending how you're feeling.  Finishing with the pack is a solid first goal when upgrading.

Note that the pack will be noticeably tighter than with the 5s. Not pro-peloton levels by any stretch of the imagination, but get comfortable and keep things smooth and you'll be cool.

Study the pre-reg list and road-results.com and mark the heavy hitters in the field (racers with consistent podium or top10 finishes). Follow their leads and be patient as they'll usually have good intuition on serious breaks and/or field sprints. Always abide by the golden rule: do not expend energy when it does not benefit you or your team. Save your many watts for when it matters.

3/4 race report:


Went into this without too much planning or expectation.  New to the 3/4 category and longer race, so figured I would just sit in for a while and see how it goes from there.  This led to a somewhat boring race on the whole (but with my history I will take that).  There were a few attacks but nothing crazy, 3 man break went at one point that was kept under control and pulled back eventually.

I just focused on sitting in front 3rd of the pack, trying to take free places/speed where I could.  Two laps to go and things started to ramp up a bit.  Held position well going into the hill on the final lap, could have actually done something possibly.  Ended up getting boxed in, bodied into the jogger lane, and lost momentum.  Took that as my queue to ease up a bit and coast in with the pack 23rd out of like 60ish I believe.

Felt good on the whole, happy to get over the mental barrier of racing again.  Higher speed and longer race was a total non issue.

Great job max, we're going podium hunting next year!

I did the 1/2/3's.  I was there because CrotonCross was cancelled, and with my wife away, I didn't want to spend most of the day on the road going to/from Uncle Sam Cross.  A pity, as I was hoping to medal at the 55+ state championship CX.

Alas.

I had moderate hopes for my form.  I had been taking it easier this past week plus, thinking I'd be able to create a mini-peak this way.  From teh first minute, I could tell that racing the 1/2/3's wasn't going to be a great day.  The legs were heavy.  I was able to move around the pack ok, just didn't feel like I was in attacking form.  Got to the front a few times, no attacks. 

There was a break up the road on the last lap.  And the field wasn't riding to chase it down.  as I didn't get to the front on the flats, I just cruised home.

I finished behind the field. My time 1:29:02, 27.3mph.  Which is on the slower side of racing these days.  

But, to be fair, the second lap was my 9th fastest using this start/finish line since I've been riding with GPS.  And the second to last, lap 11, was the 16th.  That's out of 1264 laps.

Max and I went for a beverage at Hungry Ghost after the race.  Good times.  Nearly got the Rogue guys to pay.  Made friends with a yoga teacher after she eavesdropped to hear I did some writing for a bespoke shoe company.  And we saw the NY times columnist Ezra Klein with his kids come out of the cafe.  

Save the date - Kissena Fall Classic is scheduled for Oct 4th!

Will post details, but would love to get a contingent of Kissenas out for this one.

https://www.bikereg.com/25fallclassic

Kissena Fall Classic this coming Saturday morning. Bonus for a luxurious "late" starting time of 6:40a!

Our namesake and the final official race at the park for the season so would be great to see all the friendly KCC faces out. Marco Q. (Last Lap Images on Insta) is photographing the race for us and this will be a great opportunity for the 2025 team to get a "class photo" together!

So come on out, feel free to join me early at reg desk, pin up to race, spectate, marshal, and hang with coffee and pastries with pals afterwards and if people are up for it a few chill laps around the park!

I'll be there.

Should be summer numbers, but I'll triple confirm with Tom..

Good thing we checked, new numbers for this race.

I'm out.

OH NOOOOOOO

Oh no!  Are you OK?

Won't race, but signed up for volunteering. If Tom needs someone to marshal, i can do that too.

I'll be there! Registering for cat 5

I am out tomorrow, heading to PA for cyclocross, have a good race, and be safe everyone!

Results, bros?

No results, but a chill and cheerful way to end the park race season. So many Kissenas are recovering from injuries or out of town, so it was just me racing, but as NYC basketball fans have said for close to 5 decades - there's always next year!

Tom issued new numbers for, what I consider, this one day NYC classic and registration was relatively high. There were about 60 racers each in the 123 and 3/4 fields and about 40 racers n the 5s. Many thanks to Lennart for waking up early and helping with registration as we had to hand out the 200 numbers out in the span of about an hour. Waking up early is rough, but it's really nice seeing familiar faces and lots of new faces over the last few years at registration.

I pinned on what I thought was my number, but Lennart noticed there was still a Dave Yang number in the book (Tom accidentally issued 2 numbers as I was preregistered and registered to volunteer for reg desk). I was already pinned on with one (364), but liked the other number better anyway (363) so pinned up with the new one. Tom then noted that I had pinned my number on my back and jokingly gave me shit the entire morning, telling people don't be like Dave and pin up the right way. Fast forward to me at home taking off my kit, I realized I had pinned the second number like a total beginner cat 5. I guess in my haste to pin up the second number I had oriented my jersey the wrong way and hastily put it on to register people in.

What a maroon.



My goal in the race was to finish "with the pack" and have fun. There were no KOMs, sprints or preems so people were ripping off the front to try their hands at a break. A few dangerous moves in the 3/4 field throughout the race. I tried to get in one of the earlier ones that looked dangerous, about 6 riders with team mates in the field, but I collapsed somewhere up the hill and sunk slowly into the chasing peloton about 10 or 15 seconds back. A strong looking break on lap 5 or 6 went off, but the teams with numbers weren't represented so I figured I'd sit in and let them bring them back. And like clockwork by the final lap the last 2 riders still dangling out front were reeled in and everyone jockeyed for a sprint position. I more or less held on up the hill as I watched the fast racers zoom up ahead to sprint for glory.

Bret came by to pick up my spare cross bike and after we installed pedals, we did a lap together with Lennart to shake out the bike. We said goodbyes to Tom, Rob, Andrew, Kim and Marco and headed to coffee and pastries for what is and always be the best part - hanging with pals. Hungry Ghost was especially popular, several teams cramming inside and outside.

And with that, it's a wrap - we'll pin up together next year!