Oct 16, 2012 at 01:14 AM
Sweetness! Nicely done.
Cyclocross!
Oct 16, 2012 at 11:10 PM
Holy jeebuz. Does this qualify for the tandem Staten race? Joe, I call, uh, gunner seat?
http://portland.craigslist.org/nco/bik/3302707512.html
Oct 17, 2012 at 12:11 AM
P.S. On Uncle Sam CX, for those family men keeping track. Playground in the middle of the course, near the double-barrier dismount.
Oct 17, 2012 at 03:02 AM
@jeffownes ooooof that buddy bike looks like a speed daemon.
Oct 17, 2012 at 10:02 AM
OK - Roll Call - name and race entered please. Luka wants to race, so I gotta figure this out.
Marty CX on Saturday:
Marty CX on Sunday
Oct 17, 2012 at 10:47 AM
I am reg'd in the 4 field (1:15 p.m.) both days, though I might skip Sunday. Willing to chase Luka around while not racing.
Oct 17, 2012 at 11:16 AM
No Marty for me this weekend. Combining visit with Bro & Grandma-in-laws upstate, with a shot at a NYS championship medal in Saratoga Springs.
Oct 17, 2012 at 12:48 PM
I'm racing Marty at 1:15 both days.
Oct 17, 2012 at 12:55 PM
I'm in the b field Saturday only. Happy to offer 2 rides out.
Oct 17, 2012 at 01:21 PM
Probably racing Marty Sunday for the A race.
Oct 17, 2012 at 01:56 PM
Was thinking about Masters 40+ at 10:15. Anyone going at that time?
Oct 17, 2012 at 03:18 PM
@dstokes Luka and I will take you if you are willing to hang out that day. We'll cheer you on, but then if you can chill with him for here and there before the kids race, I can warm up and then I'll do the 1-2-3 race.
@mugwump - are you bringing the family? if so, can Beth keep an eye on Luka?
If ya'll are able to help out and allow me to race and not screw up your race, I'm deeply indebted.
@mugwump - are you bringing the family? if so, can Beth keep an eye on Luka?
If ya'll are able to help out and allow me to race and not screw up your race, I'm deeply indebted.
Oct 17, 2012 at 04:10 PM
C race both Saturday & Sunday. No idea how logistics are going to work right now though; Nanny is out of commission so I may have to miss Saturday.
Oct 17, 2012 at 04:15 PM
@eragot That sounds doable. Which day?
Oct 17, 2012 at 04:28 PM
@dstokes - Saturday
Oct 17, 2012 at 07:24 PM
I plan on racing the B's on Sunday.
Oct 18, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Okay, the boy got me up at 5:30, he's asleep and I'm awake and as far as I can tell from the last two days, this is the only chance I'll have more than 10 consecutive minutes to type anything so here goes, the latest edition of Kissena's Hot List: Cross edition.
We've had two weekends of racing from Providence, RI to Trenton, NJ filled with both impressive and forgettable results since the last posting and there have been changes to be sure, so lets get started.
(Because this report takes longer than you might think, I'm going to take a cue from "Who's Number #1" on cyclingdirt.org and only write-up a top 10. It doesn't mean you have to race every weekend to stay on the list, but I'm going to have trouble really ranking dudes who have been out of action for 2 weekends or more, you know? Think of it as a bit more motivation to get out there this weekend! If you want the strictly "by the numbers" crossresults.com ranking, then it's easy enough to check that out on your own.)
We've had two weekends of racing from Providence, RI to Trenton, NJ filled with both impressive and forgettable results since the last posting and there have been changes to be sure, so lets get started.
(Because this report takes longer than you might think, I'm going to take a cue from "Who's Number #1" on cyclingdirt.org and only write-up a top 10. It doesn't mean you have to race every weekend to stay on the list, but I'm going to have trouble really ranking dudes who have been out of action for 2 weekends or more, you know? Think of it as a bit more motivation to get out there this weekend! If you want the strictly "by the numbers" crossresults.com ranking, then it's easy enough to check that out on your own.)
- Eric Ragot. He's not racing every weekend, but when he gets out there, he does little to give up his spot as Kissena's best crosser. 7th place at Town Hall is his first top 10 of the season in the "Master's Elite" category and while crossresults ranks it a bit below his 15th, 13th, and 14th places at Nittany and Whirlybird respectively, I'm a firm believer that you "race what you brung" and a top finish deserves kudos, even if you just beat your 9-year-old neighbor at the block party sprint championships. (Suburban childhood reference in the hiz-ouse!)
- Todd McLoughlin. Taking over the #2 spot with a strong 17th place at Cooper River, our team's most consistent Cat 3 crosser is also on Ragot's "quality, not quantity" racing program. Riding as high as 7th place at that race, he'll only get better as the fitness catches up with his skills.
- Joe Mueller. Jumping 6 spots to #3, Handsome Joe follows up his Cat 4 podium at Harriman, with a 9th place finish in the Cat 3/4 race at Town Hall. Let me repeat that. 9th place in the 3/4 race. Yikes. Me thinks this team has another strong cat 3 crosser in our muddy wrecking crew.
- William Doyle Capitman. Trollers of the crossresults rankings will note that in the head to head battle at Town Hall in the 3/4 race WDC's 23rd bested the Gentlemen Lawyer's 40th and perhaps cry foul. However, this judge of all who are great, has to give the weekly edge to the dude who scored 367 points at Cooper's cat 3 only race.
- Jules Roazen. The best way to move up the hot list is to podium, and the second best way is to almost podium. His 4th place in the Cat 4s at the 85-rider field at Town Hall is not only his, but one of the team's, best performances of the year.
- Joaquin de Baca. Racing in Providence proved his salvation. Moving up from #12 on the list, day 1 of Providence, on a very technical course, with plenty of the top competition, he scores an 8th place finish in the Cat 4 Master's 35+ category. Doubt the quality of this top 10? Click on over to crossresults and you'll notice that they give this placing 388 points. And by comparison, Jules' 4th earned 402. Still in the game of chasing 3rd versus holding strong onto 8th, I gotta give the edge the Canadian Ginger...this week...
- David Stokes. 6th place in the Master's 55+ at Town Hall earns The Silent but Deadly Scientist his 7th place ranking this week.
- Michael Perlberg. The (normally) Taut Teacher falls in this week's hotlist. After some rough going in the Cat 3s at Providence (where, he was soundly whooped by a girl), he was poised to hold onto Hot List Podium with what looked to be a likely strong performance at Cooper River. However, a flat tire ended that dream as he rolled around on a neutral support wheel to a neutral finish. If this guy ever stops getting dragged to weekend weddings, I expect a quick return to the top, but right now, not so much.
- Marc Bertucco. Making a jump back into the top 10 this week after scoring a 13th place in the competitive Cat 4s at Providence Day 1 (earning him 406 points) and taking a back row starting position and turning it into podium Bronze (near Alchemy?) at Cooper River's Cat 4 Old-Man-River Edition.
- Ben Reid. His recent results have him on par with fellow cat 4 Derek Chiles, but after witnessing, first hand, the best hole-shot start of the year (from 3/4 of the way back of a 118 rider field, to 10th or so wheel in 200 meters) on Day 1 of Providence, followed up by a strong performance on Day 2s even more challenging course, I gotta give it to The Electronic Entrepreneur this week.
Oct 18, 2012 at 09:21 PM
I'm planning on going to Randall's Island tomorrow morning for some CX practice. I should be there around 7:15 AM. Meet at the NYCX practice field in front of Downing ... err ... Icahn Stadium. The forecast calls for rain, but short of a thunderstorm, I'll be there. The plan is to do some harder race-type efforts, maybe 2x20 mins. Then some skills practice.
Oct 18, 2012 at 11:24 PM
Marc, I love these. Fifth is better than back to back fourths...
I'm signed up for the Cat 4 Race on Saturday but Nanny hurt her back; I'm going to have to bail unless there is "village enough" to watch an 18 month old and a 3 1/2 year old for about an hour (warmup & race)
LMK offline if you've got any extra village in with your suitcases of courage.
Oct 19, 2012 at 03:22 PM
Joe, you are expected to podium this weekend. Just sayin'
Oct 20, 2012 at 02:45 AM
@Jules Where you at for Sat? It would be fun to race with you, are things looking up at all?
Oct 20, 2012 at 02:57 AM
I'm Mr Mom all day tomorrow. It's a longer event, and the beer hand ups don't come till after sundown. I'll be there on Sunday tho
Oct 20, 2012 at 03:01 PM
I'm also bailing on Sat. A bunch I stuff came up. I should be there tomorrow though.
Oct 20, 2012 at 06:26 PM
I'm out for Staten. Achilles still swollen and PT says no running.
If anyone wants my spot, I'll see if they'll transfer. They used to line up by reg and I got in fairly early, so you might get first couple of rows. It's the 35+ race.
Oh, which also means Handsome Joe needs a new tandem buddy! I nominate Mike.
Oct 20, 2012 at 09:56 PM
A quick Marty's Saturday report:
Cheered on Stokes in the 40+ race then lined up with Patrick and Dan Strika for the 40+ Cat 4. About 35 guys in the race so a small field. My buddy John also lined up for his first ever race (unless you count Jr High track and field). The course was a bit muddy but no slogging. A big ride/run up and a ton of elevation gain. It hurt but had enough fun swoopy downhills that it was also enjoyable.
For some reason I got a NJ Cyclocross series call up even though I haven't raced in Jersey yet this season. The hole shot was up a hill and then over the barriers. Stuck tight in the top 7-8 and killed myself to hold it for the first lap. Patrick was on fire and he slowly pulled away from me into a top 5 spot. I traded spots for a bit with the next group until towards the end of the 2nd lap when I found myself 20 seconds behind the guy in front of me and 20 seconds in front of the guy in back of me. Kept on the gas for the rest of the race and ended up 9th. Patrick got himself a podium with a 3rd place. My buddy John ended up 23rd achieving his 3 first race goals of finishing, not getting lapped, and not getting last.
A bummer portion of the day - The Cat 4 race went off in the early afternoon. Joe was killing it on the front but something looked amiss. When he passed us he yelled that his back brake was broken so we scrambled to the pits. The neutral support pulled out a 54 cm bike and we somewhat forcefully waved Joe into the pit as he came by (in the lead no less). A reasonable bike change had him back in with the top group. Eric got his back brake sorted out and I held his bike ready to hand back to him on his next lap through but the leaders came and went without Joe. Where was he??? Finally he came into sight, way back. Turns out the bike we gave him was SRAM (seeing as it was SRAM support) and he had never ridden SRAM. Fuck. He ended his race demoralized as Eric and I stood there feeling like asshats for basically forcing the change without really thinking it through. So big apologies to Joe.
Cheered on Stokes in the 40+ race then lined up with Patrick and Dan Strika for the 40+ Cat 4. About 35 guys in the race so a small field. My buddy John also lined up for his first ever race (unless you count Jr High track and field). The course was a bit muddy but no slogging. A big ride/run up and a ton of elevation gain. It hurt but had enough fun swoopy downhills that it was also enjoyable.
For some reason I got a NJ Cyclocross series call up even though I haven't raced in Jersey yet this season. The hole shot was up a hill and then over the barriers. Stuck tight in the top 7-8 and killed myself to hold it for the first lap. Patrick was on fire and he slowly pulled away from me into a top 5 spot. I traded spots for a bit with the next group until towards the end of the 2nd lap when I found myself 20 seconds behind the guy in front of me and 20 seconds in front of the guy in back of me. Kept on the gas for the rest of the race and ended up 9th. Patrick got himself a podium with a 3rd place. My buddy John ended up 23rd achieving his 3 first race goals of finishing, not getting lapped, and not getting last.
A bummer portion of the day - The Cat 4 race went off in the early afternoon. Joe was killing it on the front but something looked amiss. When he passed us he yelled that his back brake was broken so we scrambled to the pits. The neutral support pulled out a 54 cm bike and we somewhat forcefully waved Joe into the pit as he came by (in the lead no less). A reasonable bike change had him back in with the top group. Eric got his back brake sorted out and I held his bike ready to hand back to him on his next lap through but the leaders came and went without Joe. Where was he??? Finally he came into sight, way back. Turns out the bike we gave him was SRAM (seeing as it was SRAM support) and he had never ridden SRAM. Fuck. He ended his race demoralized as Eric and I stood there feeling like asshats for basically forcing the change without really thinking it through. So big apologies to Joe.
Oct 20, 2012 at 10:01 PM
what did one asshat say to the other? hey, let's take Joe's bike away from him...
he he.
Oct 20, 2012 at 10:35 PM
Did he say elevation gain? The course sapped one's desire to continue living. Yes, the swooping downhills were fun, but then there was Satan to pay. The runup dried up as the day progressed and became more rideable. I'm not sure that helped, especially as you had to keep climbing for a turn or two afterwards. Then there was a second, even longer slog uphill on the back side of the course. Don't get me wrong, I liked the course a lot. I appreciate when the difficulties are defined by the terrain, not by miles and miles of yellow tape. But I made the mistake of counting the laps, fixated on the official's estimate that we would be doing 5 . . . we did 6!
I ended up near the back of the 40+ field.
I ended up near the back of the 40+ field.
Oct 20, 2012 at 10:55 PM
Damn Patrick! Nicely done!
Oct 21, 2012 at 01:04 AM
Big congrats Patrick!
Oct 21, 2012 at 09:56 PM
Struggled for 9th. Tough course, great venue. We'll be back next year for both days. Great family venue for those interested. Easy drive, lots of space for the munchkins to run.