I'm in for the PRO123 race.

There is also a cat4/5, masters, and women's race.

6AM Start. Longish races.

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/16197

I'm feeling frisky and ready for a good race.

Sunday 8/14 is the Calvert Toefield Memorial race. It's a handicap race where the cat 4 field gets a 3 minute head start ahead of the cat 3 field. The cat 3's have to catch the cat 4's in order to place, and everyone is racing for the same prize money. It's a fun race. I'll be there in the cat 3 field. Who else is coming?

I'll do my best to make it and once again launch you into the winning move...make sure you use your GPS to find Prospect Park on Sunday. You haven't raced in so long you probably forgot how to get there....

I am in for this.

Last year the plan for the 4s was to try to force the pace and get a group rotating to keep the 3s at bay. That failed miserably because A) apparently nobody in the 4s knows how to rotate or even pull off on the same side, once the 3's caught us, we had wasted all our energy pulling unwilling cat 4s around. Lets not repeat that.

This time I think Kissena cats 4s should sit in. Wait for the Cat 3s to catch us, then start our race. Let NYVelocity or Speedwell take the reins of driving the pace for the first half of the race. Once the Cat 3s catch the Cat 4s, we should do our best to establish a break. Its August and there are quite a few strong 3s and 4s that could make a break work and stick. I for one will not be looking to do any work unless it is breaking away from a Cat 4 or combined field.

Dan, as much as I want the 3's to catch the 4's I don't think sitting in waiting for the catch is a great idea, but you are correct that you shouldn't waste all your energy trying to hold off the 3's either. Ideally we could have 2-4 cat 4's working at the front if other teams are willing to work also, and have 2-4 sitting in the middle waiting for the catch.
A - it reflects badly on the club (imo) if none of the cat 4's is willing to work. This assumes that other teams are working. If not then we shouldn't be doing all the work and giving them a free ride.
B - If the catch is too easy, then all the 4's and all the 3's will be rested when the fields merge, and it's going to be harder to get away.

That's my thinking. I'd be interested to hear what some of our elder statesmen think.

Lenny, I would agree with you if I felt there was going to be any sort of organization in the Cat4s to actually stay away. Past two years what this has come down to is a handful of Kissena's pulling the Cat 4s around until we get caught and then we all drift to the back because we did all our work when it didn't matter, and were gassed from the effort. I would like the catch not to be too easy but unless there is some magical force that gets other teams to think "Hey I want to sprint against <65 Cat 4s, rather than try to duke it out with ~130 mixed cat 3/4s", I am not seeing any other team or individuals stepping up to do that.

Maybe I could try to organize a rotation with the cat4s, since everybody knows I spend the entire race bossing the Kissena Cat 4s around. Maybe some others wouldn't mind me asking them to go to the front and rotate, but I doubt that there is going to be very many willing participants.

Dan "Lt Bossypants" Reiners

Dan - it's a very valid point. The same thing happens in the cat3 field. Some guys are willing to work and a lot aren't. That's one of the reasons this race has an interesting dynamic. If every cat3 decided to sit in and let someone else do the work up front, they'd never catch the 4's. I will usually take my share of pulls in the 3 field and try to encourage, cajole, and shame others into doing their fair share. I know there will be a lot who just won't work, but if half the field does some work we should be able to catch. I will NOT work like crazy if there's no cooperation, and I think you should take the same approach in the 4's. Be vocal, take a few turns (lead by example) without doing too much, and try to get everyone to take a turn at the front. If no one is helping Kissena, then shut it down.

If we do catch, then I will try to find you to see what's happening. First of all, is there a breakaway? Who feels good, who are the players to keep an eye on, etc. There should be several attacks after the catch (if there is one), and we need to know which ones are worth following. We should also attack after the catch.

All,
I'm basically with Lenny on this. If the IVs just sit around, it's going to be a mess when the IIIs show. The one caveat is how big and strong our squad is in both fields. If we have a few IVs and lots of IIIs, then sitting back makes sens. If we have lots of IVs and few IIIs, then the IVs should be aggressive and the IIIs sit back. If we have big in both, I think aggression on the IVs part as well.

I'm sure that both sets of our people have friends in their respective fields. So take advantage of this. Also, don't let the sprinters from other teams sit on--and make this clear to the guys you're friendly with. I think for the IVs, it means attacking. Big breaks are good, Splits, provided we're on the front side of the split, are good. Look for these; when they happen, tell everyone and encourage people to ride.

Yes, most of the time the IIIs catch, but occasionally, the IVs stay away. The longer the IVs stay away, the more the IIIs are hurt by the chase. In the IIIs, we also want the good sprinters helping the chase and not sitting in. For the most part, it's in our IIIs advtantage to play poker with the sprinters--they don't get a free ride from us.

The key is knowing our numbers going in.

Looking at the pre-reg, it looks like I am the only Kissena Cat4 signed up for this. So I will probably have to do some work to stay away. Of course unless there is a big last minute sign up I think it is going to be lots of fun with me and the 15 other Cat4s trying to fend off the 10 or so Cat 3s. We will all have to work or we will get swallowed up quickly. I know I can get Reggie to help out, and the two Breakaway Couriers riders are willing to work, so we just need to convince some of the other CRCA riders to work and we can all stay away.

Saturday's "Blistered Butt" race from Kissena Sports has 50 folks in the Cat 5 and is locked out.

Sunday's Kissena Cycling Club Calvert-Toefield Memorial Road Race has ... 8 folks in the Cat 5.

I emailed Charlie about pre-reging for Sunday for Kissena 5s and he said it isn't necessary, but to keep an eye on how many people sign up.

So if you are a Cat 5 or you know other cat 5s (KCC or not) - encourage them to come out Sunday.

http://www.bikereg.com/events/ConfList.asp?EventID=12470

I plan on being there Sunday..I also plan on smashing it on the hill every lap after the IV's get caught. yacks
p.s. I'm hearing rain for Sunday

i'm on for cat5's expect to see Christian as well.
-h

Signed up for Cat4 just now. I will work with you guys tomorrow.

I am in for the cat 5. I wasn't planning on prereg-ing (even though I encouraged it above) , but with the chance of rain, I just want a simple pre-race.

See you all there :)

Yep,I'll be there, and I hope the 5 field beefs up a little at the last minute. Let's work together if we can; stay rested until the climb on the last lap where we hammer down the attacks and are never seen again!

Yeah..

Good luck in the a.m. guys...can't make it...long day...need sleep...yack

If it's reasonably dry, I'll show up and mostly sit in.

5am raining hard...is course fooded, will we race?

race is cxld....charlie doesn't have a permit...this is not a joke. yacks....if i had not checked my facebook I would have been driving to brooklyn right now.
yacks

just saw the cancel notice, too. I almost went out to PP by bike in this rain...

Thanks for info..
but where does one find the UP-TODATE INFO on race status?
(am sure the bottom of hill @ppk is @14" deep in water).

any chance of group ride later today?

I found race cancelled from the email from Charlie.

FROM: Calvert-Toefield Memorial Road Race
-------------------------------------------------
URGENT!!!

The Calvert Toefield Race scheduled for Sunday, August 14, is canceled. My apologies for the incredibly short notice but this race does not have an official USAC Permit and cannot be held.

Please spread the word to whoever you can. Full refunds will be granted to whoever pre-registered.

Charlie Issendorf
Race Director
Kissena Cycling Club
-------------------------------------------------

Bummer. Guess a CX training run in the rain is on the menu instead.

Dohh!

I checked the forum but not FB or my email. Left at 5:15, had a nice rain ride, got to the race, freaked a little casue I thought the start line moved when no one was there, then saw Charlie who told me it was cancelled.

Accidentally rode through some construction crap on Vanderbilt right after GAP ..which I am sure contributed to my rear flat on the way home. Double dohh!

Still, a better time than the mental beating I would have given myself for staying in due to the rain.

Posted By: rhenningGuess a CX training run in the rain is on the menu instead.

Running, how I loathe thee. Let me count the ways [for the next two days.] Love, me.


Josh, D'oh! Sorry to hear you missed the notification but sounds like you got a nice little rain ride in.

I'm in for the 123

I'm in for this. Probably Masters.

I'm reg'd for the 123

Fun fun fun.

Sadly I am too young for the Master's race.

It looks like Ben Reid and myself for the 4/5. Anybody else want to join?

Ashley want to unleash that 800+Watt 500m sprint in PP on Saturday? Jack and Wes?

I'm trying to decide between masters and 4/5 field.