The fast and the furious. Are you? Just in time for the Harlem Criterium and a summer full of sprinting out of corners lap after lap after lap, I'm going to be going over the basics of criterium racing on one of the following days. Either Saturday June 11, or Sunday June 12. There doesn't seem to be any major race conflicts that weekend, and it's still 3-1/2 weeks away, so hopefully that's enough notice for those who like to plan (who doesn't!).

I've offered up both dates to see which more people prefer, however, if we run the workshop on the Saturday, and wanted to race a crit about 2hrs away in New Jersey on Sunday, I could be there to help coach, advise and cheer on anyone interested in racing. Otherwise, Sunday is always good because many of you are accustomed to riding/racing from the GWB on Sunday.

My general plan is to meet on the Jersey side of the GWB at 9am, ride nice and easy to the Rockleigh training crit course. Then a fascinatingly entertaining and alternating mix of talking and riding will commence. For example, we'll talk about cornering, then we'll take some corners real fast. We'll talk about the best ways to start strong, then we'll practice our starts. In addition, after the drills and talking, we'll have a practice crit. I'll be focused on keeping the drills, skills and racing portion of the day to 90 minutes or less.

Sounds like a great time, Marc. I missed your crit talk last year and was hoping to catch it this year, but unfortunately will be out of town for a week and arriving back home sometime on June 11. I'm in for whatever fun is happening on Sunday though!

SWEEEEEEEET. I'm in for either.

I'll try to makes this, too - I had a blast racing Rockleigh tonight. Thanks Marc.

I'm pretty excited about this

Just want to update everyone on the Crit Workshop. Thinking that my two-day workshop/race day coaching extravaganza just be a bit much for me to pull off the first time I do this, and also that Sundays seem to be good for more folks in general, plus smaller chance that the Rockleigh course will have folks driving around, the workshop will be on Sunday June 12. We'll meet at 9am at the Jersey side of the GWB.

And as much as I hate to add this bit, but this is going to be a rain or shine event. Because it's not 40 degrees anymore. And sometimes we end up racing in the rain.

If the weather is foul though, I'm going to keep the talking to a minimum. Standing around in the rain listening to me foam at the mouth about how awesome crits are, is just cruel and unusual punishment.

Just a friendly reminder, that this coming Sunday I'm going to be running a criterium racing workshop. We'll meet at 9am on the Jersey side of the GWB, ride easy to the Rockleigh crit/business park course. Talk a little, drills, talk a little more, drills, and finish with a 20-minute practice crit. I'm going to hammer out a more specific schedule in the next couple of days, but I'm aiming for the total "event" time, bridge to bridge of about 3 hours. Everyone is welcome. The more the merrier (and more realistic).

I'm posting a reminder to get this to the top of the forum. also curious about the weather policy.

Thanks David! I plan on holding the workshop rain or shine. If it's truly miserable out, I may bring a little plastic bag with dry clothes for the ride home. The one concession I'll make is that I'll try to minimize the standing around talking bits if it's rainy. If it's crazy lightning and thunder, well, then we'll have to cancel.

Plan on meeting at 9am Jersey Side of the GWB. I'll say a few words there, then we'll roll to Rockleigh together.

I will be there

I'll be there but I may leave early to do hills

I will try to make it out, but may have to just stay at home. I slid out in a corner at Rockleigh this past Thursday in a turn where overlapping wheels caused me to hit the brakes and lock up my rear wheel. Nothing serious, just some road rash and I think the other rider stayed up. I would appreciate some advice on handling in bad conditions. Hopefully I'll see you guys there, but if I'm not out by 9, don't wait up!

I've discovered that there's a problem with my PowerTap hub, and the freewheel hub can be moved in and out a small amount, causing a knocking sound when I pedal. I can't risk damaging this rather expensive piece of equipment any more than I did on yesterday's ride and my other wheel is a 9 speed. So I can't make it to the workshop. I'm really bummed to miss out on free coaching, but I don't have the ability to fix it myself. Anyway, I hope everyone learns a lot and stays upright!

May be too late, but a 10-speed cassette will fit on most 9 speed hubs. You just need a thin metal washer/spacer that comes with the cassette to go on first.

Got a flat at bb. We'll be at bridge as soon as we can but will probably be at least 9:15. Sorry.

Eric

Eric...I plan on talking for a few minutes first at the GWB before we roll. If you still miss us, just ride to the usual Kissena Sunday route, get to the low road, and when you pass a gas station on the left, by the Rockleigh business park, turn left. If you cross the state line into NY, you've gone about 1/4 mile too far.

this was really good

marc puts us through a whole bunch of drills (which were all designed to get me a bit pukey) then we had a mock race

david gardiner took the prime AND the win (monster POWA)

nosson and josh c. battled between themselves for the cat 5 honors, with nosson taking the win and a $10 bill

good times!

Great traing thanks mark.
I had alot of fun!

Pissed I didn't make it. Woke up and knee was sore.

Thanks everyone for coming out. Thanks too, for William putting up a separate $10 Cat 5 prize list for the practice race--my lame self could only manage to get one prize ready for the day.

Next non-racing weekend, a big group ride would be great, as I have the leftover reliquary prizes. There were only 4 of us yesterday, so I didnt dish them out. Sorry, Ryan (who got lost and had another mechanical on the decisive climb.....hmmmmm).

Just wanted to add my thank to Marc for running a really hard and useful workshop.

Afterwards, Patrick, William, and David G went over to Piermont for coffee and snack. We ran into Neil and stopped by Piermont Bicycle where Mattie D sold Patrick with a -30 stem resulting in a few Weiner jokes. Patrick and Neil headed off towards the bridge.

William destroyed David G and me as we rode up Tweed, down Bradley Hill, and back up Bradley Hill. After riding up the hill at the back of Columbia's Lamont observatory we pace-lined along 9W (and were joined by Chris Castaldi). I now hurt.

Sorry I couldn't make it. I got out after 1 and it was good to see the first group (Mehlenbeck, Stokes, Nosson, Josh, and I think someone else), the second group (Gideon and company) and then Wojciech and Neil separately. All going hte other way. Lots of Kissena out today. Looked good all.

Thanks Marc it was an awesome learning experience. I won the the crit, but then william and gideon made me pay for my disrespect by killing me on all the hills. William is a climbing beast. I ended up cramping on 9w. I also had to make it back to brooklyn on my own from GWb. Got back with 100miles in the legs and a sore butt.

awesome day

Thanks Marc, this was a great help and really helpful. Especially for me who is coming back from injury. Also thanks to Gideon, David, David, Patrick and William for letting me roll off the front a couple times during the final practice crit. It was a nice little confidence booster. You guys are too kind.

Wow -- one of those days you hate to miss, by the sound of it!

Would love it if a couple guys put down their take-home lessons from the workshop. Anything new, or surprising to hear, or whatever thing made an impression would be great.

Just in time for the big Memorial Day Criterium races in New Jersey, my crit workshop is back.

Similar to last year, we'll meet on the Jersey side of the GWB at 9am, roll over to the Rockleigh Crit course, chat, skills & drills, chat, skill & drills, chat, run a short "practice" race then go home.

Figure a total time commitment of 3 hours. With the 45 minute commute time to and 45 from the course, that leaves us about 1.5 hours for the on the course stuff--which goes pretty quickly.

Topics to be covered:

1. Pre-race preparation--from packing your bag to warming up
2. At the start--hole-shot hell or road race lazy?
3. In the race--the racing line, text book corners or modified bad-ass?
4. Finishing strong--Sprinting is not just for Yacks and Malcolmson.

Pass the word, invite your friends. This one is more fun with more people...especially the practice race.

this was really good last year

i hope i can make it again

I was super bummed I missed this last year... going to try my best to be present for this one!

I suppose people should be reminded about this mentored event weekend after next.
We are creating a calendar to display upcoming events of this sort. Coming soon . . .

really why Saturday! we did this last year on Sunday I don't suppose we could push it off to a Sunday so I could attend?