Reg is open.

Beacon
https://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=14397

HPCX
https://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=14421

In Jersey. Beacon is a bit out of the way to get to, HPCX is pretty close.

Thanks Mike.

For those of you racing the 4's they are doing call ups by order of registration for all the MAC races this year. Maximize your potential and sign up early!

I'm signed up for HPCX. Can't do Beacon this year.

Since a lot of Kissena's are doing this race, I thought it would be okay to start a new thread. Quick question for those of you who have been doing the Cat 4 races in the MAC series, how have they been doing call-ups?

Order of reg only for MAC series C men.

all others it's length of pony tail

ZOMG cat up!

Bummer on both accounts. I recently trimmed the hair, plus I didn't register for the race in early 2009, so it's back row for me. Looks like I'll be disappointing Crossresults.com's race predictor. Of course my new fleshy mid-section and lack of training won't exactly help. Maybe I can get Joshua and Jeffrey to throw some hard elbows at the start.

Jules, James and I will have to work some Kissena-Voltron anime magic to rip through the field. "Ready to form Voltron! Activate interlocks! Dyna-therms connected. Infra-cells up; mega-thrusters are go! Form feet and legs; form arms and body; and I'll form the head!"

Excuse me while I have a peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwich now.

@WDC - in Mark's defense - if I remember correctly , at Hillbilly Hustle you asked the organizer "how deep is the payout, is there $$ for 6th place?"
to which the dude standing next to you said "there is no cash in cat 4 - sandbagger!".

ZOMG cat up :)

Hey, must have been a diff't long-hair at the Hustle of Hillbillies...I was in Gloucester that weekend. And last year, when I raced Hillbilly, I did the Masters and Elites or some craziness like that (and sucked at both).

33-14-9-4-23...not a combination to my home safe, but my results this year. I don't think I can actually be accused of sandbagging with that Cat 4 resume.

But I hear what y'all are saying. As soon as I have a win and the upgrade points, I'll definitely cat up. But right now, me and my 3 upgrade points are going to sit tight and try to learn what it means to race at the front, and how to actually win or podium. And to be honest, I don't envision that happening anytime soon.

Posted By: JoshuaC@WDC - in Mark's defense - if I remember correctly , at Hillbilly Hustle you asked the organizer "how deep is the payout, is there $$ for 6th place?"
to which the dude standing next to you said "there is no cash in cat 4 - sandbagger!".

ZOMG cat up

actualols

between crossing the line and the results being posted, i had gotten about 2.75 beers in me

oh man!

fyi - i am not catting up in cross until i win one . . . and at my rate, that could be never

josh: you are stuck with me!

Here's an update about this weekend's course. Not sure how lots of rain washes away a lake, but...

http://www.cyclingdirt.org/article/8846-11th-Annual-Beacon-Cyclocross

Not if I htfu and win one first.

I am doing the masters race. Anybody want to come with me.

Voltroooooooon!
Almost as good as Gymkata... Almost.
Sadly after a surprise week of "in the air" travel (5 countries in 4 days) I'll probably be spending Saturday at various playgrounds and ice cream shops rather than 5 hours in a car to and from the race...
Sunday however the tower is a "go" for flyby, Maverick.... Let's hope the legs remember how.

I am doing Bs. Was thinking about spending Friday night at the parents house but maybe will be driving down Saturday.....

This course reminds me of all the cross country courses I grew up racing on in South Jersey...

Hey all,

I'm driving out for the 4 race at HPCX on Sunday and still have room for one more and a bike. Leaving from Brooklyn (6:15ish) and making a stop in lower Manhattan. Let me know if you need a ride. I'll be heading back to the city sometime between noon and 1:00.

Jim

Hey Jim,

Do you have room for one on Saturday for the 4 race?

-Marc

Sorry Marc, I'm not able to make it down there on Saturday.

I'm looking for a ride out sunday am and maybe back to Brooklyn. I might have other options back. No Bike just photo equipment which is a couple back pack-like bags. I can drive as well for those who want to save their legs.
Contact me off forum. OFF FORUM. email kpsartless@verizon.net. 646 250 3144

Thanks,

Keith

I am doing the Bs too. I'll be leaving from upper Manhattan late Saturday morning, probably around 11 AM.

Come to think of it, this course also reminds me of the cross country courses I grew up racing. And that reminds me that I stunk at cross country. Nice.

Todd

Epic
Marc 5th - Cat 4
Me 10th - Elite Masters

Report to follow. Suffice it to say we rode through 6" deep puddles, 5" deep mud, upstream, oh, in 38 degree weather with the rain falling sideways.
I blew 8th, but I was just trying to shift...

Marc - consummate teammate. Thanks again.

Brrrrrrr. Ragot described the course as lentil soup. The weather looked like it would break for todd and I in the Bs but instead freezing rain snow and wind blew in just in time for the start.

Shitty start. Moved up to a huge pack by the amphetheater. Made my way around folks while crashing 5-6 times. But no big deal because everyone around me seeemed to be going down just as often.

Hard race. They only gave us 3 laps about 30 mins. Lame. No idea of place just warming back up.

Sounds awesome! Good job slugging it out, ye ole hardmen of NYC. Where was the lion of Brooklyn in these conditions?!?

Can't wait for pics.

Ill admit to crashing once. Last lap after I attacked and got a good gap for 8th. Blew that.

If you're not crashing, you're not trying, right?

I thought I could do no wring. I was tired. I blew it. Guess I was trying given I attacked.

29oct
WOW &COOL! bravo 2U ALL for racing 2day...bit envious.
-h

Way to weather the storm ye olden hardmen & congrats on them thar nice finishes Marc & Eric. Sounds like it was a real hellride; I can only imagine the glorious beach run, slick wet amphitheater of pain and truckfulls of quicksand that were likely Beacon CX yesterday.

Almost recovered to write a report. I couldn't bring myself to race again today. Mike says its gross at hpcx.

Gross?

Cat4 report:

Remember when you were a kid and it would sleet and snow all night and when you woke up and ran outside in the morning your boots would crunch through the icy crust on top of the snow? Yeah, HPCX was a lot like that at 8 this morning, except the whole crunching thing was with bike tires instead of boots.

Rolling through 5" of unbroken snow sapped momentum and led to running good chunks of the course -- a bit demoralizing, but as pre-ride laps wore in the fast lines and the sun rose, the true identity of our enemy was revealed... some sort of slick, semi-frozen Jersey mud tundra.

Ks in the cat4 field included Josh C, Jim N, Neil R, WDC & me [hope that's everyone]. Things with a slow start in the 7th row but apparently not so much toward the front, as the sound of aluminum and blacktop making friends could be heard loud and clear. We carefully maneuvered left around a downed rider and then made the first right turn onto what would prove to be the only non-rideable part of the course. WDC nudged by toward the top of the run up with a mention of "on your right" and a goofy smile. Somewhere later on the first lap a spectator called out "top 30" to someone nearby so I knew there was moving up to do... but where to pass? Most of the course was singletrack through the snow.

The next few laps were a bit of tunnel vision but there was a straight road section good for a sprint and followed by a hill which was good for several places each time 'round. A few things I do remember:

* completely soaked feet and frozen SPDs made clipping in very difficult at times.

* the lap counter reading "2" was a really, really low point.

* WDC was in 3rd and I was 6th or 7th just before the last lap. (Thanks Neil for this bit of recon)

* feet. frozen. no, really.

* One muddy crash and a tango with the tape during the last lap blew 6th or 7th and sent me back to 10th or 11th. I was able to make up only a few of these spots during that last road section and hill.


We all rode our hearts out with WDC taking an impressive 3rd [yeah, congrats on podium!], Me in 8th, Jim in 20th. I'm not sure what Josh & Neil's placings were.

At the line WDC was speechless and looking a bit knackered. Unsure if he was going to throw up or pass out, we encouraged him to have a seat and a candy cane after which he was right as rain for a podium pose.

Other reports?