JohnMalcolmson said:

@mugwump, I'd be happy to jump into the 2/3 race if you think I'd be of use (haven't had a lot of time on the bike). I was planning on riding the Masters or the 3/4 but I can ditch that no problem. 

Ragot, Perlberg, Vlad, I get the sense you guys just plain don't enjoy riding GT. I respect that, but it makes me think of the tattoo on Stan Warinka's forearm. “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”

I'm fairly certain JP will be signing up for the P 1/2/3 race. I'm also fairly certain Malcolmson could be effective as a teammate in the P 1/2/3 race too.

Entry fees go up Thursday fellas https://www.bikereg.com/Net/crca-grants-tomb-criterium-2014

Snap poll: for cat 3 upgrade points what's the better race- branchbrook 1/2/3 which will likely have a smaller field or GT 3/4 race?

Not that this answers your question but I think where is it easier to get upgrade points is a terrible way to evaluate which races to enter.

I'm considering reg'ing for the 4s

@Wes - Do it, you'll be berzerker.

wes, stop considering and start doing

Officially registered for the W3/4 and W4. Will be the lone KCC shewolf in both fields. CRCA announced today that the W4 field just got equal prize money thanks to a subteam sponsor. Yay for the respect!

Craig, pop on over to the mentor thread where I go into some detail about the differences in racing Branchbrook and Grant's Tomb. They're totally different events and trying to figure out which is going to give you a better chance at placing for upgrade points has more to do with your individual strengths as a rider than it does field size.

In short, I recommend doing the race that sounds more fun to you. I'll be leading a Grant's Tomb clinic the weekend of March 1st or 2nd in the morning so you can get a feel for what the course is all about. This may help you decide.

@Wes Worth mentioning that you get multiple Branchbrook races, but only 1 Tomb.

Partial repost from the mentoring page. Malcolmson's last comment reminded me that I should post this bit here too:

Okay, specifically back to Grant's Tomb...here are a few additional reasons why you might consider racing in Morningside Heights on March 8th.

• Family friendly! Walking a short crit course backwards, hanging out in multiple locations is a great way to see the action unfold. There aren't too many races where your friends and loved ones have the opportunity to truly see you race.
• Later start times! The earliest race kicking off at 8am is a full 45 minutes later than the Branchbrook start. And sweet jeesus the Pro 1/2/3 race starts deliciously at 2:45 in the AFTERNOON. (If I hadn't promised to be there early and onsite all day to mentor/coach Kissena members, I would definitely bask in the glory of sleeping in)
  
• You love crits. It's one of just 2 or 3 actual crits in the local area every year. (Rahway is a fun enough race, but with just one turn where you even have to think about breaking, it sure as heck ain't going to get you ready to race the Memorial Day Weekend Jersey crits from a bike handling, exploding out of corners, trying to recover in between point of view.)
  
• You suck at crits. You're not going to get better at crits by not racing crits.
• You are a great bike handler. 5 turns, left and right turns, a slightly sketchy descending banked, high-speed sweeper, this is a course that rewards the great bike handler for sure.
• You are a terrible bike handler. You're not going to get better at turning by avoiding challenges.
• There is only ONE Grant's Tomb race. As opposed to many, many MANY opportunities to race at any of the other park race venues.
• You love to race with your head. It's impossible to turn off the brain in a crit. You must always be thinking, calculating, absorbing, reacting, acting. It's a rush that is not to be missed.
• You've been training hard. Lets face it, this winter has been rough. There's going to be a higher than usual amount of dudes opting out of training days because they haven't been able to get outside. Come the summer, relative fitness tends to even out. Exploit your tough-guy advantage, early and often!
  

Oooh, just thought of one more:

• You've never raced a crit. Bicycle racing is a diverse and wonderful sport. You owe it to yourself to taste as many of its disciplines as you can.

Okay, I think that's going to be it for me for the hard sell on Grant's Tomb.  Now I have to train for this thing. I promised JP I would be in shape enough to be able to help him. Right now it ain't looking so good, but a promise is a promise.

btw, entry fees go up 12am 2/14, as in you have another day.

I'm waiting to hear some things about March travel that could make racing in general difficult but I'm willing to consider being a helper bee at Grants if the schedule allows. I've never done it.

I'd like to assist.

It's done. I just registered for the 3/4 race. Any other Kissena's in?

I'm reg'd for the 3/4 and 4 but focusing on the 4

mugwump said:

btw, entry fees go up 12am 2/14, as in you have another day.

I can't believe my race is named in honor of Euris Vidal.  Almost makes me not want to go.  though it would be mighty delicious if drug testing were done.

Alright JP, I've registered for the P123 race...your turn. You were kidding about not racing right? If you were not kidding, I'm going to write directly to you for a $38 refund.

cross posted:


Okay, tired of waiting for the "Legacy of AVD" to announce a spring race series or not, and looking at the Kissena calendar, I see that there is a new member ride at 9am on March 2nd starting on the Jersey side of the GWB. Sooooo....

"Cracking Open Mr. Grant's Tomb"

Where: 120th and Riverside Drive, Manhattan, NYC
When: March 2, 7:30-8:30 am (plenty of time to get to the Sunday new member's ride if so desired)
What: Course review and practice. Sprints, corners, etc. Hotlaps as traffic allows, but we'll breakdown every corner, every approach, etc.
Who: All KCC members (friends/family welcome too, but let me know ahead of time so I can bring release forms or something)
Additional note: Your day's training ride will be before and/or after; be dressed for lots of stopping and starting and listening to me talk.

I'm going to last minute decide on GT, if I do it'll the 3/4 as it's the earliest race I can do (work!). I usually always go well at GT, being at the pointy end when it counts. I'm off fitness wise from where I usually am this time of the year, so it'll be a day of decision.

Mattie, they say, "no day-of race registration." Although last year, they let Pollo Doper Jr. and another Mengoni and a few others in who hadn't pre-registered.

P123 has some quality already

40+ Has Chris Loehner who is a bit of a monster yeah?

Loehner is built like a monster truck.  He won the masters series in Prospect last year.

Reg'ed for the 4s. I'll try to help whoever is trying to go for the w. 

Did someone say "Canadians?"

(Just checking)

^Speaking of which, even if you aren't racing, this is an AMAZING race to watch.  Very proficient fields, right in your backyard.

mperlberg said:

The last 2 years Grant's Tomb P123 field has been a high quality regional field, not a local 123 type thing. Those quebec guys, bikereg, etc. It's really really tough. 

Yeah, I'm thinking...there's a 3/4, and a 2/3. So, that means that the P123 is for (a) P1s; and (b) 2s and 3s who have chosen to forego either the 3/4 or the 2/3.

I am contemplating bramchbrook morning. Grants afternoon.

Hoping to do a Branchbrook morning with a ride afterward up n' over the GWB to watch the P123 in the afternoon.